Disappearing contributers

I haven’t been on GN much recently but read through this thread because I was intrigued by the whodunnit aspect.
Well getting to the end and finding that the subject is Allira, by far one of our nicest, kindest and most interesting posters, I am gobsmacked.
Come on GN let’s stop this silly nonsense. Let all posts stand so that us grown ups can decide for ourselves who is who.
Bring back Allira.
In fact let’s have an amnesty and bring back everyone.
We adults are quite capable of deciding who to engage with and who to ignore.

Allira is not a polarising poster though, she is popular with people with different political views, so it seems particularly unfair that she would be a target.
Agreed. It doesn't make sense, so if the ban is meant to serve as a deterrent to others it hasn't worked - nobody knows what we're being deterred from doing.

MayBee70

petra

Galaxy

I think the size of the site partly causes that, as I have said before, when I spent time mostly on MN, it was only on the feminism threads or the archers thread! where I would recognise a few names. Other than that I was talking to people I didn't 'know'.

It’s the best of GN and the worst of GN. It’s lovely tgat we get to know each other and become real friends. But the flip side is members take some comments too personally.
Let’s say a member told me to put a sock in it I would probably laugh😂 It can’t be personal because you don’t know me.

If you’re sitting at home on your own and someone says something like that to you and you read it in the early hours of the morning it can be pretty upsetting. I don’t think the internet is impersonal because you’re reading it in the security of your own home but someone has entered your own space where you should feel safe. Difficult to explain if it hasn’t happened to you but someone on another forum did that to me years ago and I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. We must all be aware that we don’t know what’s happening to someone in their personal life. And some people, me included, have used the internet at times in their life when they’re feeling very lonely.

MayBee70
I can only say is: I hope you never get the email that Allira received. The Mods have no idea of the physical problems she’s suffering. She doesn’t broadcast it.
And now she’s trying to work with GN and they’re ignoring her.😥

Thanks petra, and yes, I have just scanned that Thread. Allira is on it being her usual understanding self, compared to the other 'robust' comments, mine own included.
Can't make sense of this.

Well said Casdon. Allira crosses various political and social views without falling out

We all go through difficult times, sometimes we tell others sometimes we don’t.

It is shabby, and very disrespectful. GN is a business, and our posts make the profits. We deserve to be treated with respect for that alone, if we aren't worthy of it in our own right.

SporeRB01

Maremia

I don't think it was 'Boats' or Rachel Reaves.
Trying to remember what was on last week. Off for another search.

Do you think it is the thread ‘Unite the Kingdom and Pro Palestine marches’ this month that got Allira banned?
I noticed someone reported one of her posts and it was deleted.

My conscience is clear, I have never reported on any posts.

No it’s not that thread.
I’ll repeat myself once again. It wasn’t one particular thread
How do I know that? Because I’ve heard from the horse’s mouth what Allira is accused of.

Doodledog

MayBee70

petra

Galaxy

I think the size of the site partly causes that, as I have said before, when I spent time mostly on MN, it was only on the feminism threads or the archers thread! where I would recognise a few names. Other than that I was talking to people I didn't 'know'.

It’s the best of GN and the worst of GN. It’s lovely tgat we get to know each other and become real friends. But the flip side is members take some comments too personally.
Let’s say a member told me to put a sock in it I would probably laugh😂 It can’t be personal because you don’t know me.

If you’re sitting at home on your own and someone says something like that to you and you read it in the early hours of the morning it can be pretty upsetting. I don’t think the internet is impersonal because you’re reading it in the security of your own home but someone has entered your own space where you should feel safe. Difficult to explain if it hasn’t happened to you but someone on another forum did that to me years ago and I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. We must all be aware that we don’t know what’s happening to someone in their personal life. And some people, me included, have used the internet at times in their life when they’re feeling very lonely.

We don't know what is happening in others' lives, but at the same time, the Internet is not a gentle place, and with all due respect to everyone, if someone is feeling fragile enough to be so affected by 'put a sock in it' that they feel the need to report it, maybe they should be taking a break. It's not fair to expect everyone to know how we are feeling at a given time and act accordingly.

I do understand that words can hurt, but I also think that rules on a board like this have to be applied in the same way to everyone, not tightened when particular members are going through a bad time, particularly when others are unaware. I hope I've explained that properly - I'm not excusing rudeness, just saying that there should be no special pleading if someone is upset because of their circumstances. We have to take responsibility for that ourselves.

I agree Doodledog, Internet sites, except those with a specific purpose, can’t meet the needs of sensitive souls. I think on Gransnet the vast majority of posters are unafraid to voice their opinions, which is healthy, but it’s bound to lead to robust debate and forceful comments when people disagree.

Allira is not a polarising poster though, she is popular with people with different political views, so it seems particularly unfair that she would be a target.

petra

BlueBelle

I think it’s poor that Moderators don’t come on and talk to us, giving us reasons and explanations
I also think it’s cruel and cowardly to report someone anonymously

Ignore them and they’ll go away. Just like naughty children and annoying old biddies.
I spoke with Allira earlier. She is trying to communicate with the Mods but they are not replying.

Such a shabby way to be treated 😢

Doodledog

MayBee70

petra

Galaxy

I think the size of the site partly causes that, as I have said before, when I spent time mostly on MN, it was only on the feminism threads or the archers thread! where I would recognise a few names. Other than that I was talking to people I didn't 'know'.

It’s the best of GN and the worst of GN. It’s lovely tgat we get to know each other and become real friends. But the flip side is members take some comments too personally.
Let’s say a member told me to put a sock in it I would probably laugh😂 It can’t be personal because you don’t know me.

If you’re sitting at home on your own and someone says something like that to you and you read it in the early hours of the morning it can be pretty upsetting. I don’t think the internet is impersonal because you’re reading it in the security of your own home but someone has entered your own space where you should feel safe. Difficult to explain if it hasn’t happened to you but someone on another forum did that to me years ago and I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. We must all be aware that we don’t know what’s happening to someone in their personal life. And some people, me included, have used the internet at times in their life when they’re feeling very lonely.

We don't know what is happening in others' lives, but at the same time, the Internet is not a gentle place, and with all due respect to everyone, if someone is feeling fragile enough to be so affected by 'put a sock in it' that they feel the need to report it, maybe they should be taking a break. It's not fair to expect everyone to know how we are feeling at a given time and act accordingly.

I do understand that words can hurt, but I also think that rules on a board like this have to be applied in the same way to everyone, not tightened when particular members are going through a bad time, particularly when others are unaware. I hope I've explained that properly - I'm not excusing rudeness, just saying that there should be no special pleading if someone is upset because of their circumstances. We have to take responsibility for that ourselves.

Agree Doodledog

BlueBelle

I think it’s poor that Moderators don’t come on and talk to us, giving us reasons and explanations
I also think it’s cruel and cowardly to report someone anonymously

Ignore them and they’ll go away. Just like naughty children and annoying old biddies.
I spoke with Allira earlier. She is trying to communicate with the Mods but they are not replying.

MayBee70

petra

Galaxy

I think the size of the site partly causes that, as I have said before, when I spent time mostly on MN, it was only on the feminism threads or the archers thread! where I would recognise a few names. Other than that I was talking to people I didn't 'know'.

It’s the best of GN and the worst of GN. It’s lovely tgat we get to know each other and become real friends. But the flip side is members take some comments too personally.
Let’s say a member told me to put a sock in it I would probably laugh😂 It can’t be personal because you don’t know me.

If you’re sitting at home on your own and someone says something like that to you and you read it in the early hours of the morning it can be pretty upsetting. I don’t think the internet is impersonal because you’re reading it in the security of your own home but someone has entered your own space where you should feel safe. Difficult to explain if it hasn’t happened to you but someone on another forum did that to me years ago and I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. We must all be aware that we don’t know what’s happening to someone in their personal life. And some people, me included, have used the internet at times in their life when they’re feeling very lonely.

We don't know what is happening in others' lives, but at the same time, the Internet is not a gentle place, and with all due respect to everyone, if someone is feeling fragile enough to be so affected by 'put a sock in it' that they feel the need to report it, maybe they should be taking a break. It's not fair to expect everyone to know how we are feeling at a given time and act accordingly.

I do understand that words can hurt, but I also think that rules on a board like this have to be applied in the same way to everyone, not tightened when particular members are going through a bad time, particularly when others are unaware. I hope I've explained that properly - I'm not excusing rudeness, just saying that there should be no special pleading if someone is upset because of their circumstances. We have to take responsibility for that ourselves.

Thanks Spore, I'll try and find it. I was def on that Thread.

It does seem as though there has been a leap to a ban rather than a warning or a suspension. A lifetime ban should surely be a last resort, after all else has failed, unless there has been a gross transgression, which we would all have seen. The fact that nobody is saying 'Oh, there was that post where she was clearly racist/homophobic/used obscene language' or whatever, suggests that this was not the case.

petra

Galaxy

I think the size of the site partly causes that, as I have said before, when I spent time mostly on MN, it was only on the feminism threads or the archers thread! where I would recognise a few names. Other than that I was talking to people I didn't 'know'.

It’s the best of GN and the worst of GN. It’s lovely tgat we get to know each other and become real friends. But the flip side is members take some comments too personally.
Let’s say a member told me to put a sock in it I would probably laugh😂 It can’t be personal because you don’t know me.

If you’re sitting at home on your own and someone says something like that to you and you read it in the early hours of the morning it can be pretty upsetting. I don’t think the internet is impersonal because you’re reading it in the security of your own home but someone has entered your own space where you should feel safe. Difficult to explain if it hasn’t happened to you but someone on another forum did that to me years ago and I felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. We must all be aware that we don’t know what’s happening to someone in their personal life. And some people, me included, have used the internet at times in their life when they’re feeling very lonely.

It’s good to see so many posts challenging a life ban on one of us. If it can happen to Allira - who is next.
I’m increasingly of the view that a poster decided to provoke with the aim of having our friend banned,

Surely the mods can see the groundswell of support to reinstate Allira. Whatever she’s being accused of, tried, fiubd guilty in a secret court - her gransnet friends and colleagues don’t agree,
Unlike the mods, many of us do read every comment on threads, this may be particularly the case with the politically obsessed (yes i plead guilty). If Allira was a frequent breather of gransnet guidance, some posters wiukd be saying so. Nobody is

Ive reported people who have bullied.
I make no secret of that, as its not my idea of fun to watch someone being ganged up on.
By that i mean little groups of grown women, who follow someone from thread to thread, deliberately poking and prodding at someone, day in and day out.
I have never, ever seen allira do that to anyone.

Maremia

I don't think it was 'Boats' or Rachel Reaves.
Trying to remember what was on last week. Off for another search.

Do you think it is the thread ‘Unite the Kingdom and Pro Palestine marches’ this month that got Allira banned?
I noticed someone reported one of her posts and it was deleted.

My conscience is clear, I have never reported on any posts.

There are people who contribute nothing to GN, but lurk and report those who do post. I can't comprehend that level of entitlement, but we know it happens, as people have actually come out of hiding to say so.

Whilst I do understand reluctance to publicly report, I also think that if people had to do so it would (a) cut down on the number of reports, (b) show who the serial reporters are, and (c) make it more difficult for lurkers to do it.

Good points Maw, GN is so much more than just a multitude of discussion threads exchanging thoughts on all manner of subjects. At its best it gives a lot of support to those going through tough times, bereavement, illness, loneliness, times when this site can become really important. I remember one of our older members, Ellen Valan, I think someone complained in how she couched her wording, possibly using non pc language, but without malice and a reflection possibly of her age. She got banned and I believe was very upset about that, as an elderly lady living on her own.

At the risk of repeating myself, we've lost someone special in not having Allira among us, kind, well informed full of wit and a great sense of humuour, fallen foul of a mean spirited individual who had it in for her.

I agree with those who feel there should be some transparency as to who's doing the reporting. Aside from obvious trolls it would determine the frequency of the who's who among the censorious if that's their style, then we'd know who to avoid.

From PhilipGransnet's post And unless a poster is an obvious spammer or a troll they are afforded many opportunities to adhere to our guidelines before we would ban. Does this really make sense to anyone when applied to Allira? Can anybody truly believe she was given warnings and totally ignored them? And like ViceVersa I can think of one regular poster who has had at least a few angry provoking posts deleted who is still here. To be transparent I have never reported those posts, I think they say more about her if they're left to stand.

I agree they should, I’m just rationalising in my head how the system probably works in practice. I don’t think it’s a system like three reports then you are banned automatically, it must depend on what the transgression of the rules actually is. So for example, if you are reported for something completely unacceptable like a racist slur you might be banned in one strike. If you’re in an online fight with others and you lose your cool, you might be suspended, and if you are reported, even multiple times, but the mods think you acted within the rules, there would be no sanction?

I don't think it was 'Boats' or Rachel Reaves.
Trying to remember what was on last week. Off for another search.

Casdon

ViceVersa

MayBee70

Reporting someone does not mean an automatic ban. HQ look at each report and make an impartial decision. Having said that I'm totally bemused by Allira's ban. I didn't see what happened but I'd be surprised if she said anything unpleasant to anyone; totally out of character.

I will probably get banned for this, but here goes anyway. I'm not convinced it's as impartial as some may like to believe.

I don’t think the mods can be blamed, because it’s a member led site, and they only step in when things are reported.

The only way of being banned is because you have been reported, and one or a few trigger button happy people could target you, which may appear biased.

In most cases a banning is not entirely a surprise because the poster banned is controversial, personal, rude, racist, or in the case of a few, makes sexual comments. In this case I can’t believe any of those apply though.

But surely a flurry of reports should be investigated, rather than taken at face value? And I happen to know of one regular poster who has been reported on several occasions and is still here - so where is the fairness?

I don't think Allira was being accused of being a returned, new named, poster.
From the fragments I recall, Allira felt that she was being targeted.
I think it was just a regular Thread .