Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Ash Sarkar - twitter really is grim

222 replies

Xanthangum · 22/06/2020 10:32

The story is in the papers now: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/reading-stabbings-muslim-journalist-death-22227933

I'm diametrically opposed to Ash's views on some issues. But this is quite clearly a) racist bullying, b) misogynistic bullying and c) people using a very horrible incident to unleash their own prejudiced vile viewpoints.

OP posts:
RogueV · 22/06/2020 10:35

Yes I have been following this.
Utterly utterly ridiculous the conclusions people have come to following her obviously innocent post.

CaraDune · 22/06/2020 10:51

That's appalling - the racist abuse Sarkar's being subjected to because of a completely innocent accident of timing is utterly disgusting.

DuDuDuLangaLangaBingBong · 22/06/2020 10:54

Twitter needs to stop ALL the death threats against everyone (disproportionately affects women of course, but no one should be subjected to this)

Can’t be that hard with AI. Just don’t let the send tweet button work on combos of certain words.

SarahTancredi · 22/06/2020 10:57

I wish people would put as much effort into everything else as they do in twisting everything beyond recognition in order to somehow be able to accuse someone of what is clearly bollocks.

We do t have to agree with someone or even like someone to know that something is completely unnecessary and disgusting behaviour.

I hope shes ok after this. She did not deserve what happened at all

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 22/06/2020 11:06

That's utterly bonkers. How could any right minded person possible draw a connection between that photo and the stabbings? And not just one but numerous people have bought into this idea? Completely insane. Just another example of male violence being used as an excuse to bully women I guess. Hope Ash is OK. I disagree with her on almost everything but she clearly has done nothing wrong here. Who is it leading the attack - right, left, or no group in particular?

Floisme · 22/06/2020 11:07

That's awful. Best wishes to her.

Melroses · 22/06/2020 11:08

So many women on twitter are subject to horrible abuse. Maybe Twitter will do something about it if it is finally getting into the papers. It is usually ignored as if it is normal by media and Twitter. I have reported gruesome stuff that they let stand.

Ash certainly does not deserve any of this - if you don't agree with someone then you express the disagreement, or agree to differ - not grub around for stuff in order to abuse.

LouHotel · 22/06/2020 11:13

I have found her response to be really thoughtful and intelligent, more power to her.

Redshoeblueshoe · 22/06/2020 11:14

I saw some of the stuff posted on Twitter it was vile.
I too hope she is ok after such horrific abuse.

RealityBased · 22/06/2020 11:51

Can’t be that hard with AI. Just don’t let the send tweet button work on combos of certain words.

It isn't. In fact, I've personally seen a demo by a start-up a few years ago that did just that but went quite a lot further and also constantly mined social media trends to be able to recognise e.g. the common dog whistles of the day, could detect sarcasm reasonably well, etc.

And that was two or three years ago, i.e. in the technological stone age from today's perspective.

No idea what happened to them but they've hardly had the victory march they could have had with that product of theirs, now, have they?

The technology is there. In fact, it wouldn't even be strictly needed as long as human moderators exist.

It's the willingness of SM companies that's the issue.

And, yes, I've been reading along. Absolutely vile! I'm all for free speech and healthy debate - but that's entirely possible without resorting to vile threats!

SpringSpringTime · 22/06/2020 11:55

It’s horrendous. I honestly don’t know how she keeps going under this kind of fire. She’s an incredible speaker-I know some of her views are out of step with Mumsnet but she’s so present and articulate what ever she does, and under this kind of pressure, too. The sheer volume of it is just disgraceful.

SpringSpringTime · 22/06/2020 11:56

Oh and I totally agree. Online life IS real life and there should be consequences for behaving in this way, the least of which should be a ban from the platform.

RoyalCorgi · 22/06/2020 12:04

Agree. I'm not a fan of Ash's, but this is just awful. Why are people so horrible? I just can't understand why anyone would be this nasty. Presumably they're not genuinely so stupid as to be making this connection between the lollipop photo and the stabbings?

SunsetBeetch · 22/06/2020 12:04

I saw that yesterday and it was fucking grim. I reported loads of tweets. There was a fair amount of misogyny mixed in with the racism too: men commenting on her looks, speculating on her body hair and so on. Absolutely disgusting stuff.

RoyalCorgi · 22/06/2020 12:06

And I know this isn't relevant to the main topic, but when did journalistic standards get so low? "Hordes" is mis-spelt as "hoards" and "camera roll" is mis-spelt as "camera role". The Mirror used to be better than this.

serenada · 22/06/2020 12:45

@RealityBased

What is stopping another compnay setting up an equivalent with the tech you suggest? So, that it is a discussion space not a fighting for attention space.

On Ash, I have heard her speak so thoughtfully and with such articulation on occasion. Those tweets are vile and should be blocked, backend not having to rely on frontend.

SunsetBeetch · 22/06/2020 12:48

Twitter's moderation is absolutely woeful and completely arbitrary. Not fit for purpose really. I'd love another tech company to come along and make something better.

serenada · 22/06/2020 12:52

Isn't it part of the whole model of sensationalism, faux outrage, etc? It creates a lot of empty noise which keeps the content cycle moving.

The amazing thing about all these 'platforms, MN included' is that we are providing free content. FREE CONTENT to media agencies!!!

HermioneWeasley · 22/06/2020 12:55

What’s happened to her is completely out of order

Perhaps now she will have more compassion for people like JKR and condemn this sort of vile abuse

LangClegTheBeardedVulture · 22/06/2020 12:59

Yuck, those comments are really horrible. And also, a complete twisting of what actually happened to fit their agenda.
I am not a fan of Ash, but there’s no way I’d have interpreted that picture and caption as anything else but her having an ice lolly.
Being a woman on Twitter is fucking grim.

SunsetBeetch · 22/06/2020 13:03

Yes and it doesn't matter where on the political spectrum you sit: JK Rowling, Ash Sarkar or Katie Hopkins: men will spew vile abuse at you on twitter.

DidoLamenting · 22/06/2020 13:10

Ash Sarkar is a horrible person who spouts utter nonsense about "luxury Communism" and has been vitriolic about "Terfs".

She doesn't deserve this but it doesn't change my opinion about her.

sourdoughismyreligion · 22/06/2020 13:11

@RoyalCorgi

Agree. I'm not a fan of Ash's, but this is just awful. Why are people so horrible? I just can't understand why anyone would be this nasty. Presumably they're not genuinely so stupid as to be making this connection between the lollipop photo and the stabbings?
It's twitter, I wouldn't rule out stupidity.
VickyEadieofThigh · 22/06/2020 13:22

Ash Sarkar is a horrible person who spouts utter nonsense about "luxury Communism" and has been vitriolic about "Terfs".

She doesn't deserve this but it doesn't change my opinion about her.

That's my view.

StandWithYou · 22/06/2020 13:30

The abuse Ash has been subjected to is vile - typically it’s men do8ng this. Awful. Hope she has real life support around her

Swipe left for the next trending thread