How can I stop a relative sending political WhatsApp messages?

[StirringsStill]

There are so many messages I’d like to send to the relative who spams me several times a day with her latest outrage from the Reform Facebook group. Today it included a Sweaty Betty hijab which Karen thinks is dangerous and should be banned. And unnecessary because Muslims don’t go to the gym, FFS!!! All the messages are sweary and shouty. And there are loads of exclamation marks!!! What on earth is happening to our country!!! FFS!!! And loads of pictures of folk in small boats.

How do I negotiate this? I’ve tried ignoring them. Still they come. I’ve politely asked to be dropped from the distribution list. But still they come. I fantasise about telling her to fuck off but she’s a family member and it would just cause a lot of drama. And occasionally among the political guff there’s a message about a family thing. But not very often.

How do I stop this intrusion? At the moment her messages go to locked hidden chats on WhatsApp. I just look at the messages once a week and mass delete. But I don’t enjoy seeing them. They ruin my day amd make me feel stressed (I’m not usually such a snowflake). It’s annoying me that I don’t really know how to deal with this. I’d be very grateful for some help.

Just mute and archive

Marjorie, you are sending me a lot of political messages. These make me feel very stressed, I don’t agree with them. I need to be able to open your messages without reading political propaganda which stresses me out. Please don’t send me political messages any more.

If she ignores then mute/block.

Just block her

Do you need to have contact with this person about anything else? If not I’d just block their number (or maybe there’s the option to remove them from WhatsApp contact on your phone) if she asks why just be truthful.

I really really disagree with your opinions, so does your son and so does your granddaughter so in our company keep them to yourself.
Said this to mil recently, it pissed get off but she has stopped.

Op - how can I control someone’s thoughts and actions. You can’t! In this and all things you can only control your own reactions. There must be a reason you arent blocking , perhaps enjoying the sense of outrage and the drama of what she will send next?!

I have had similar though it’s the other way politically. I just find it really irritating. I have told the offender really firmly they are not to text/message me unless it’s relevant such as ‘dinner is at 7’. I have specified no links no memes no social media posts and if they are sent I won’t read them. I’ve just said they are free to call me if it’s important but text messages spike my anxiety (it’s partly true) and I can’t handle them. I’ve removed myself from mist of the group chats.
it’s reduced it down by about 90%. Before this I had to shut down any face to face conversations about a sm post. ‘Did you see what Dave posted?’ Me - no. I only use fb for buying and selling anyway how’s grandma?

it’s taken a long time to embed and I really really empathise with the op but persevere x

So it's ok for her to continually send you all this crap, even after you've asked her politely not to, but you're not ok to "create drama" by blocking her when she ignores your boundaries?

Just go ahead and block and if she or anyone else questions it just stand up for yourself and tell them you were done getting spammed with politics and requests to stop were being ignored.

"Jane, could we please keep the political messages out of the family WhatsApp group because we all have different opinions and I'm finding some of the content that you're sharing upsetting. I don't want to have to leave the group so could we keep this one for family updates only please?"

Stand your ground and block her completely, tell her why.
"I asked you to stop sending me this crap, you have ignored my request and continued. Now I 've had to block your number completely, I wish you hadn't made it come to this but you did"

The op referred to the person as "Karen", so I just used the same.

I didn't really think about it, just used the name the op had used.

Can we stop using the name “Karen” as an insult!

Agree it depends whether this is a group chat or the messages are direct to you. The dynamic is different. If they’re direct to you I’d just say, as nicely as possible, that my beliefs are different from hers and my mind is made up, so please stop. In a group chat, I think I’d start sharing social memes about Farage’s financial scandals and Bobby Jenrick’s stupid face — you might find you get a few others liking/laughing at yours and it might make her take the hint.

Block her.

Oh and stop using the word "Karen" as an insult. It's awful and is mostly used to shut women down who are asserting their boundaries.

I had a parent friend spamming like this (although different topic). I asked if we could have two different groups, one for friendly chit chat and school stuff and the other for people with a shared interest in this topic. I don't know how many people joined her new group, but the original one improved.

I thought posts used to be deleted when they used this misogynistic slur… what is happening to MN?!

I'd say to her please stop sending this stuff, I don't want to be confronted with it out of the blue, if I want to engage with politics I will do it myself when I choose to.

I had to have this form conversation with my mum and this was with her sharing things I actually agreed with, but it's too much!

Put in locked chats and mute, I’ve found it so useful

Block.

Otherwise a one liner for you to use..

" If I want your opinion... I'll read the daily mail"

I sympathise. I, despite one of my in-laws knowing I have a European background, kept getting awful stuff during Brexit. It culminated in said in-law saying "if you don't like it here leave". We haven't spoken since, and to be honest it's a blessing. We had years of casual racism from this person.

Just don't reply.

Rather like the OP.

Sorry to have not replied sooner. I’ve been out all day and I’ve only just sat down.

I don’t enjoy it at all. Hence posting for ideas.

Thank you all for your thoughts. I have archived her and I’ll decide in a week whether to make another request for none of the polical messages or I may just block her and tell her she will need to send me an email or text if she needs to get hold of me.

Today has been much more peaceful. I felt quite ill last night and completely swamped.