Disappearing contributers

I’ve been on here for over20 years and have never felt anything was said of any importance by anyone including hq. In the great scheme of things. I’m not intending to be rude but it’s a network I joined because I had a grandchild and it was a new feeling. There were a couple of people who were a bit know it all,one who lived in Switzerland and another with a name like Roses . I liked someone called Bagsy I think whom I haven’t seen post for a while

I am hoping the Mods will see the strength of feeling on here and reconsider, not just this recent ban but the system of banning. It is not transparent and seems unjust if someone can gang up on another poster to get them banned, if that’s what happened, without proper reasons or investigation.

Doodledog

I am completely in the dark about the current state of affairs, but my PM box is accepting messages if anyone would like to tell me what happened? Obviously I now know who was banned, but not what led up to it or who was involved.

Same here! I’m bewildered by all this, to be honest.

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'.

I have been looking back over some posts from last week,
Ignorance is no excuse ), was one where Allira posted a few times...but if it was that one, she didn't post anything that would cause her to be banned, she was only voicing her opinion
the same as other posters...maybe I'm wrong ,and it wasn't that post.

Fallingstar

I think some must just lose interest as well. When I first joined I felt a bit like just giving up because nobody seemed to notice I was there, with discussions taking place around me rather than with me. It’s not that I’m an attention seeker but it did get to feel a bit like I was the invisible poster. Obviously some have been around for many years and lean towards those they know, I get that, but occasionally is good if we throw other posters a bone.

You have posted exactly how I fell Fallingstar I very rarely post anything on here at all
Funny enough I also am on mumsnet and it’s a completely different dynamic on there though sometimes a bit more robust

I am hoping the Mods will see the strength of feeling on here and reconsider,

You'd like to think so but we don't know that the Mods aren't also posters do we ? I've often thought there's too many coincidences when posters disappear suddenly and having been on here for 12 years I've seen a few disappearing acts. I'll probably be next now 😂

Spinnaker

^I am hoping the Mods will see the strength of feeling on here and reconsider,^

You'd like to think so but we don't know that the Mods aren't also posters do we ? I've often thought there's too many coincidences when posters disappear suddenly and having been on here for 12 years I've seen a few disappearing acts. I'll probably be next now 😂

Glad I'm not the only one who's been thinking along those lines...

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.

There were a couple of people who were a bit know it all

Surely not!

Shocked that it's Allira and saddened that someone has, seemingly, so spitefully used the report facility to silence her. Not on.

Nannee49

Shocked that it's Allira and saddened that someone has, seemingly, so spitefully used the report facility to silence her. Not on.

Yes it takes a special kind of spitefulness to target someone as lovely as Allira. I wonder if it's prompted by jealousy that she was always a popular poster?

@tinafl, we should count our blessings, being ignored is probs better than being noticed too much and then banned.
Maybe is better to fly beneath the radar.

I think those who weaponize the report button by secretly and constantly reporting those they disagree with eventually should be addressed by the mods. I don’t expect that info to be shared publicly, but surely they see the patterns on the backend. Bad faith reporting is a form of covert online bullying imo.

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.

And surely the whole point of a debate forum such as the n&p thread is not only to voice your own views but to read and possibly be enlightened by the way others see things.

I'm a fairly intermittent poster albeit with firm opinions on subjects I feel strongly about and, over the years I've been on here, have had a few lively 'discussions' with posters who have equally firm but sometimes diametrically opposed views to mine.

They may not have managed to make me change my mind but those exchanges have made me stop, think and consider & maybe approach things from a more rounded perspective.

So mods will one of you come on here and explain what’s going on please !!!we are all mystified, so who's to know we won’t all fall down the rabbit hole ?

I'm still here. Surprised to be after my letting the cat out of the bag yesterday.

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.

How can you report anonymously? Just checked.
You press Report button, fill in the box with the reason for the report and underneath is your user name which identifies you. Surely?

I think people expect someone to declare that they're going to do it, before they do.

I think it's sneaky to not say that you are reporting.

I have no recollection of Allira having any posts deleted (often a warning shot by HQ ) or indeed as Callistemon (hope I’ve got the right person) ever falling foul of HQ.
So how can they accuse her of being a previously banned poster who has snuck under the radar - which is as I understand it, the accusation.
I seriously think they have the wrong person, either their own mistake or as a result of malicious “reporting”
This may well be deleted but if it is I regard it as childish, heavy handed, undemocratic, authoritarian it to say tyrannical.
I speak as someone who was barred (but reinstated) when bereaved and VERY lonely after malicious accusations by somebody who it turned out was a troll themself. Anybody remember “ ✈️ 👜 “
It is wrong to deny adults access to a site which is among other things designed to support the lonely, the elderly and those who seek contact with their peers.
(Eat this once you have read it!)

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

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.