OT: Killfile and XXX considered harmful
- From: "Sammy" <syousef@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 7 Mar 2007 12:08:36 -0800
I will not be kill-filing anyone (not that I could since I primarily
use Google groups even at home these days), I will not be using XXX
headers, and I will not be letting things slide when I see something
offensive. I'm sure this will annoy some of you so I'm writing this
message to explain why...and it certainly isn't to annoy people.
The problem with a kill file is that you miss part of the
conversation. The more effective your software is at blocking replies
to the kill file target the more of the conversation you miss. While
it's true that often you want to miss this person (as that is the
purpose of the killfile) it doesn't just allow bad information to
stand, it allows your experience of the group to be incomplete. So
when you go and recommend the information on a group you like to a
friend as being accurate their experience may be different to yours
because they'll be seeing a lot of crackpot nonsense.
The problem with XXX headers is that they are so incredibly
subjective. One person may put XXX on any reply to a known troll,
another just on replies to trolling and yet another won't use them at
all. What you effectively do with such a label is put the filtering of
topics into other people's hands - LOTS of other people's hands and
the results will be inconsistent.
The problem with ignoring a troll altogether is that misinformation
stands unchallenged and may be accepted by others. In extreme cases
this misinformation changes the dynamic of members of a group. Now
this matters much more in politics (where discrimination and
oppression are a real possibility as the result of changes to law)
than it will on this newsgroup but it's important on the group too. Do
you want to be associated with some of the points of view expressed
over the last few days? If a message stands unchallenged and you
continue to post on the group, like it or not your views will be
associated with those views expressed on the newsgroup. Those views
may be more extreme and less specialised than the management of travel
for individuals with anaphylaxis. (think of inflammatory topics like
using the sim to practice crashing into buildings etc.)
The essential problem with all of these approaches is that you're
sticking your head in the sand and humming la la la at the top of your
lungs. Ignoring what's going on around you doesn't make it any less
real.
As for posting responses encouraging trolls I honestly believe that it
isn't the responses that are an encouragement. Rather it is allowing
the troll to get away with saying something trollish without making
them look like a fool. If the troll can feel like they've been
permitted to say something absurd on an expert group, the troll feels
like their input is considered expert input. The only way to deal with
this is to point out the absurdity. Put another way: make someone
stupid look stupid in public and they won't get any pleasure out of
the experience even if they can get a reaction out of you.
So given that everyone's posting and reading this group for fun and
not because they're a social activist, how do you deal with the
problem? It's as simple as deciding when you've had enough of a
particular topic. If you don't want to follow it, then simply don't.
If you don't want to read replies from certain individuals on a
particular topic (or in general) then don't. Get into the habit of
reading the subject and from lines of your message and consciously
deciding whether to read the content of a message. The volume on this
group is quite manageable without resorting to software or others to
decide what should and shouldn't read. Often once a topic becomes a
flame war it's confined to one or two intense threads that you quite
simply don't have to follow. Now if you happen to glance at something
and it's so offensive you feel the need to reply, perhaps that's
exactly as it should be.
Note that the above is advice - unbidden I grant you - but so were the
suggestions to kill file people and/or use XXX. Never the less it is
just advice. Each one of you will decide how to post and how to read,
and that's fine by me on this unmoderated group. However the above
explains my attitude and approach. I'm aware that for those of you who
want XXX added to the header, my not using it will break it. I won't
enter into arguments over this. You can kill file me if you wish or if
you find reading my posts too annoying. I won't take it personally.
I hope this group continues to be an enjoyable read for all with only
the occasional off topic war of words (and not actions!!!!)
.
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