Concerns about racism

[PandoraSocks]

Hi there Mumsnet HQ

Many of us are concerned about the uptick of hatred, xenophobia and racism on the site over the past couple of weeks. Most of the bigotry is focused on asylum seekers. MNHQ will of course delete racism etc. if reported, but this has gone way beyond a few hateful posts.

Links below to three examples of threads which have descended into real nastiness.

Cheers.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/in_the_news/5385273-civil-unrest-whats-really-going-on?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5385914-do-you-believe-there-will-be-a-civil-war?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5386073-to-be-so-fed-up-amd-disheartened-with-all-the-xenophobia?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

I think it’s you who is strawmanning. You know it was you who mentioned mainstream views. Your position is that these views (you’re not clear what views specifically) are mainstream, you don’t specially say whether they are or aren’t racist but you implied they are not.

this thread is about views that people on this thread DO think are racist. It is you that made the link to ‘mainstream’.

I am going to ask mnhq if it would be acceptable to have a continuation thread as the way the derails are going this one will fill up soon.

If you're seriously asking that in good faith, you clearly haven't got a frigging clue about the whole racism, misinformation and online culture which is all intertwined, so maybe just listen for once.

Why don't you believe that racism and inflammatory rhetoric should be censored?

Is a simple question.

I was responding to this:

This thread seems to have been set up and supported by a small group of people who have decided their world view is correct and shouldn’t be challenged by wrong think. I don’t think echo chambers are ever good, but you can just set up a private group which you can do on lots of platforms. I do think it’s a shame not to engage with people on public forums rather than come up with strategies to have them censored.

Just checked and yes. This was the reply. What a shame because the rest of the post was so good.

Hi there,
Thanks for your queries. The post did contain useful information so it was a shame that it had to go because it also contained an unequivocal personal attack.
"You're absolutely despicable and completely ignorant."
Best,
Hope
MNHQ

Good idea.

They are not asking in good faith though. I have seen this ploy so many times on MN. Posters will patiently answer particular posters, who just come back with more, and more, a never ending circle.

That is a shame @zonder, but good to know MNHQ had a solid reason to delete.

Exactly, and same

Aw that's a shame then, I thought it must be something like that as it made no sense to be deleted otherwise!

It’s a classic technique as described by @Notonthestairs. Responses just perpetuate it.

Flood the zone!
Rage bait!
Sea-lion!
Whataboutery!
Straw man!

Its all so easy.

OK, so you don't actually want to engage in a conversation, then? No views of your own to share?

You seem very ready to pass comment on your perception of my world view, yet very reluctant to share anything about your own.

What is misinformation? I think my point was a valid one - that these things are very rarely as straightforward as ‘X good, Y bad’.

What is misinformation
Only response to you now is gif form apart from ignoring as you clearly don't (or won't) grasp

Although ignoring is best I know, I know, sorry

If there is a continuation thread would it be possible for your OP to politely suggest that as far as possible posters don't engage with deliberate de-railers?

It works well on the Ukraine threads and the current Salt Path threads keeping them on topic

Good idea!

Yes and where in what you replied to do I say that racism shouldn’t be censored?

Is it really a solid reason, though?

I mean, yes, it is a personal attack, and as such, it is in breach of the talk guidelines.

But what sort of forum is this if people are deleted for calling racist posters despicable while the racism itself is allowed to stand?

So do you agree that racism should be censored?

It’s a shame but the thread’s gone pop now anyway.

She’s worth reading I think. I started with Banality of Evil but you can begin anywhere really.

Oh OK. Well, that's something, I suppose.

The thread is about racism and inflammatory language on MN. You said:

I do think it’s a shame not to engage with people on public forums rather than come up with strategies to have them censored.