What exactly is "the Sussex Squad"?

[Prydddan]

I don't know whether this is too controversial a topic for such a thread to be allowed to stand. But I post in good faith on a topic I believe has a lot of social and political relevance.

Does the "Sussex Squad" actually exist? If so, how do you join? If not, do people ever identify as belonging to it?

If it exists, was it hijacked by SarahData and Bouzy or was it their creation? And, if so, to what extent?

Thanks in advance.

Just because a newspaper has more than 4 letters in their name, doesn’t make it any better than a gossip rag.

They can still have arseholes writing for them dressing insults up in a fancy coat. And arsehole readers who clearly lap it up.

No need to justify your reasoning to me.

My opinion will stand regardless.

You and me both. I don't actually think they cater to a UK audience anymore, not really, not with any sincerity. Kath Viner is a fucking disgrace to journalism and women. Thank goodness for The Observer and Sonja Sodha.

That's so true. There's such a lot of snobbery, isn't there? I don't see how the Guardian is now any better than some of the tabloids.

Maybe someone should just post a list of sources that are deemed credible so everyone knows and it's clear along with the rules on how to write your comment e.g. provide links of clear evidence from accepted sources, so that the rest of us know what is and isnt acceptable and wont be lacking in intelligence

cos fuck knows what is or isn't aceeptable on here

🙄

Spelling is acceptable.

Yeah I'm pretty bad at reviewing what u write to check it's always perfect but who cares if there is the odd typo really not here to win the spelling bee

It’s generally not the type of media but the contents, when the information is from a source then it’s gossip unless confirmed no matter what paper. Speculation on gossip is what gossip is all about, whether it’s true is a different matter and certainly not decided by the ranking of the paper as they are all guilty of writing shit just different degrees of it.

Punctuation is lovely too.

I was out living a life of service so I missed it.
🤣

Nasty, spiteful article.

It is the equivalent of asking "Ooh, where did you hear that?" when someone tells you Mike from.Sales has resigned.

If someone posts that <RF character> said/did something and it sounds intereting, important, far-fetched and I've never heard it before. I'm likely to ask for a link, so I can view and judge the information for myself.

Otherwise, if I bring it up in a conversation elsewhere and get asked "Ooh, where did yoi hear that?" I'd have to admit it was a random MN-er.
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That Guardian article - pointless. I used to like Zoe Williams, too.

I used to work with a lot of very left-wing trendy people. Their default mode was “sneer”. Their sense of humour was sneery, their view of anyone less metropolitan was sneery and they super-sneered at the poc in the office because he was a church-goer. All nice Guardian readers….

There was a time whe you couldnt say a word against Meghan or you'd be branded a racist. It was ridiculous. There's a lot of celebs I'm not keen on. Nothing to do with their race. I dont bother too much with these threads now unless something new hits the news.

The Sussex Squad, are just vile on Twitter/X. I have been really shocked at some of the things I’ve read, I didn’t take much of an interest until the Princess of Wales became ill and then when I looked at posts on here (some of which were allowed to stay) and especially on X, I was completely 😯.

The SS are like a pack of bullies. A pp mentioned how immature some seem. I would absolutely agree with this. In most cases, the grammatical errors in their rants and posts leaves me wondering about the intellect of some, if not their maturity. A perfect example of this is the GoodKingHarry hashtag. Some of it is playground stuff but some of it is very concerning and unhinged. They absolutely could have been a force for good. I’m aware that they have raised funds for charity and if only they had continued to work together in a more positive way and not concentrated on spreading rumours and hate, then nobody could have criticised them.

Thankfully the media are now starting to report on them and their tactics. I really hope that it goes further and the authorities look into some of the accounts.

I’d like to point out to the ouvert SS member on here that the “Straight Outta…..” article was actually written by an American journalist. Yes it was printed in the British newspaper, but the journalist was American. I also have to add that I thought the article was a disgrace.

I really think H&M should speak out about the SS and distance themselves but I don’t think they can. The irony is that H&M (rightly) campaign and speak very publicly against online bullying and misinformation yet the SS are the masters of these things.
It is also ironic that the group who champion H&M seem to be their biggest PR disaster at the moment.

I feel like if the tables were turned and there was a ‘Cambridge Crew’ doing what the Sussex Squad are doing but for Kate and William, Harry and Meghan would be putting out some serious PR about how the Cambridges don’t stick up for them and tell off their nasty followers and how this has made them depressed. They are professional victims so there’s no way they wouldn’t milk it

But radio silence from them on the Sussex squad stuff

Has there been a similar expose of a Cambridge Crew?

The Waleses don't engage with batshit SM conspiracies theories as far as I can tell; nor have I seen ant exposes that suggest they are i any way connected to an online smear campaign.

OTOH the Sussexes have been very vocal about online bullying, so the case that has been presented that shows links to an organised SM grouping (with evidence from named sources and financial links) is damaging. AFAIK there is nothing to suggest any Cambridge/Wales organisation.

If the allegations about the Sussex Squad's level of organisation are untrue (and I readily accept that they would have been written up in a way to make the argument as persuasive as possible) then what is needed to debunk them is something that disproves the key allegations.

Attempting to deflect by suggesting (evidence-free) that others must have a similar organisation simply don't cut it any more

Has there been a similar expose of a Cambridge Crew?
It will be appearing on Reddit any moment now

So, in perplexity - why did they disappear from here en masse if they are still active on Twitter/X?

Given that the Wootton allegations have hardly made a ripple in the mainstream, I just don't understand why the regular pro-H&M posters would have deserted MN, rather than brazen out/excuse away the Bouzy thing.

@Prydddan good question. Maybe enjoying the better weather ??

Does MN have better weather than Twitter?

Possibly finances. Maybe the financial backer could no longer afford to pay for SS on MN & X and decided X was less niche and a bigger bang for their buck (American slang - not suggesting unknown funder is American).

In the past week I've lived through an earthquake, aftershocks, and eclipse, and lots of rain. I can post thru anything.

Thère seem to be a few new posters following the SS ljne.

However, it would be good if MNQH did look into whether some of the disappearing posters were involved in the SS, now it has become apparent there has bedn an organised movement. Also maybe look into the posters banned for challenging them? And offering to restore membership?

It's great weather today, I've been out to all the garden centres most of the day but now indoors as my hayfever has kicked in so finally had some time to pop in here for a short while before I head out for movie night with some friends.

Lovely seeing so many people out and about though

@OneHeartySnail 🙏🙏🙏

I have been a user of forums for close to two decades now. Never more than one at a time. I have come to believe that they are often a crucial support mechanism for women experiencing isolation, health issues, abuse and beyond. It is a place to connect with others when sometimes that connection is strained or impossible elsewhere.

We snip and snipe here sometimes. We sometimes discuss idiot topics in ridiculous ways. We may even behave like children. But there is a purpose and meaning to it overall even when it appears otherwise. We don’t know what’s going on with others off this forum. We also can’t know what positive ways others may be participating and gaining support elsewhere on MN.

I won’t say more, but that above forms my further thoughts.