Gransnet forums

News & politics

Posters ready to disrupt

(212 Posts)
Allsorts Sun 19-Oct-25 06:16:14

On this thread in particular, there are those who want to be almost aggressive to those that don't hold their views. It's a discussion thread, people have differing views.

AGAA4 Sun 19-Oct-25 13:36:18

Humour is sadly missing these days. I remember laughing a lot years ago with some posters. The Argy was a source of great fun and not one nasty or belligerent post.

friendlygingercat Sun 19-Oct-25 13:28:06

I rarely post in this category because I am notoriously right wing. Too many snitches and poor quality moderation.

GrannyGravy13 Sun 19-Oct-25 13:19:49

RosieandherMaw totally agree 👏👏👏

RosieandherMaw Sun 19-Oct-25 13:17:32

petra

Caleo
Back in the mists of time on GN some members regarded you as no better than you ought to be if you watched day time tv.
At times it really was more tea vicar unless the lovely rebellious jingles was posting.😂
Sadly missed.

Apart from missing Jingl RIP,I could hardly disagree more.
It was most certainly not " More tea vicar" but lively intelligent and still good natured debate, discussion and a bit of welcome Argy banter.
I used to "gird up" my brain cells sometimes if I wanted to respond to posts from the likes of micelf, grannyactivist, lemongrove , gadaboutgran, absent, galen , GSM and of course phoenix and greatnanRIP.
A few of the "old guard" are around but rarely post and they are missed. A sense of humour and intelligent fun seems sadly lacking and no, I do not include rude or obscene songs in that category.

CariadAgain Sun 19-Oct-25 13:09:11

sundowngirl

GN has lost some really good contributors who have been banned and appeals usually fail. I really miss their posts

That's something one regularly sees on forums.

A reports B because they don't like them. They then get C to report B as well......and so on and so on. At which either posters who've done nothing wrong (except believe Britain is a democracy and we have the right to freedom of speech accordingly) get banned or take themselves off (because they're thinking "If only one side is allowed to say something without getting leapt on = what's the point?")

I'm steadily becoming more and more convinced that the school I went to latterly was absolutely right in having a pupils discussion forum and there would be people speaking for both sides and other pupils listening/taking part. The school would sometimes make pupils speak in favour of what they knew was the opposite of the pupils personal opinion too. That school did have a lot going for it doing things like that, holding school elections, etc. We were taught a lot about how Society operates (should operate.....). We had it made crystal clear that someone else couldnt be deprived of the right to speak - just because someone else disagreed with them.

Galaxy Sun 19-Oct-25 13:03:49

Do you think MN doesn't have a management structure.
Mumsnet ( of which GN is a part of) has 9 million views per month, it had a revenue of around 8 million last year. I can't tell you how many times over the years I have seen posters tell MN or GN how to operate.

sundowngirl Sun 19-Oct-25 12:53:24

GN has lost some really good contributors who have been banned and appeals usually fail. I really miss their posts

Maremia Sun 19-Oct-25 12:47:24

Yes, Cariad, the Thread would drop off the menu.

Maremia Sun 19-Oct-25 12:46:34

I have never seen those trolls. Thank goodness. Maybe they don't invade too often, or are zapped in time.

CariadAgain Sun 19-Oct-25 12:45:51

Galaxy

It isn't a democracy, it is a website owned by a company. It is like saying marks and spencers is a democracy and complaining if they won't let you try on clothes in the display window.

Errrrm.....a clothes shop sells clothes (and food as well in their case) and obviously has a management structure.

But discussion forums are discussion forums and if no-one came onto them = they'd cease to exist.

Galaxy Sun 19-Oct-25 12:40:47

It isn't a democracy, it is a website owned by a company. It is like saying marks and spencers is a democracy and complaining if they won't let you try on clothes in the display window.

CariadAgain Sun 19-Oct-25 12:40:29

Galaxy

On this forum I have seen a poster suggesting that they should go out and kill Trump when he was in Britain. Are you expecting GN to take the consequences of that type of posting.

I've not seen that one - and would agree that anyone advocating killing anyone else would be a subject for report.

Anything to do with advocating abusing of children or animals would be a subject for report.

I'd report posts in the above two categories myself - as they would obviously be wrong - and not just A having a different personal opinion to B and hiding that it was them and they were not justified in reporting a personal opinion just because it was different to their personal opinion.

Galaxy Sun 19-Oct-25 12:37:21

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough - trolls who create elaborate stories in order to meet their own sexual needs.

CariadAgain Sun 19-Oct-25 12:35:37

windmill1

Voltaire: "I disaprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

No censorship, if you please.

Absolutely! This is supposed to be a democracy after all.

Caleo Sun 19-Oct-25 12:10:43

Galaxy

I report trolls in particular because I have seen what happens to forums where that doesn't happen. Believe you me it is deeply unpleasant.

I think I know exactly what you mean Galaxy. However "deeply unpleasant" is subjective. In everyday life, and not only online, it's well to be able to hear rudeness and deal with rudeness, without swooning.

Allira Sun 19-Oct-25 12:07:59

"What would Jingls say?"

petra Sun 19-Oct-25 12:06:58

Caleo
Back in the mists of time on GN some members regarded you as no better than you ought to be if you watched day time tv.
At times it really was more tea vicar unless the lovely rebellious jingles was posting.😂
Sadly missed.

Caleo Sun 19-Oct-25 12:03:33

The other forum I regularly go to is hardly moderated at all and one result is a lot of the posters argue ad hominem and are very rude when they do so.

Caleo Sun 19-Oct-25 11:55:21

25Avalon

Problem is a lot in society don’t want to debate or provide rational arguments any more. All too often if you don’t agree a label is thrown such as racist and the debate is shut down with the person being effectively cancelled. I wrote something that was not libellous but my governing body decided it was insulting. They were not interested that it was true or was written as a warning, could not explain why it was insulting just they’d decided it was and banned me for 6 weeks.

In my limited experience of public internet forums, Gransnet is unusually bubble-wrapped, over-cautious , and gentle, well-meaning, and careful not to stir trouble.

I have experienced Gransnet's wiping my post without adequate explanation. I have never trusted the moderators since then, because excessive caution inhibits creativity. Gransnet is excellent at practical ideas and personal relationships but is no a safe space for objectively discussing ideas.

rafichagran Sun 19-Oct-25 11:51:40

I don't mind the arguments on the news and politics thread, however when we have light hearted threads and the topic is not to the liking of some, they come on and behave like sulky mean girls, ok if they are in the mood, but nasty and belittling if not.
Also if they do not like a thread they derail it, often taking the p...

Caleo Sun 19-Oct-25 11:31:51

Boz

I think people should remember that this is not a forum for rational debate - it is not the Oxford Union but an on-line scrum in the manner of all internet chat rooms on contentious subjects.

Yes, internet chats are not for objective discussions, and wishing will not make them so.

25Avalon Sun 19-Oct-25 11:30:32

Problem is a lot in society don’t want to debate or provide rational arguments any more. All too often if you don’t agree a label is thrown such as racist and the debate is shut down with the person being effectively cancelled. I wrote something that was not libellous but my governing body decided it was insulting. They were not interested that it was true or was written as a warning, could not explain why it was insulting just they’d decided it was and banned me for 6 weeks.

AGAA4 Sun 19-Oct-25 11:24:32

I agree with Voltaire apart from libellous of course 😃

Galaxy Sun 19-Oct-25 11:24:12

On this forum I have seen a poster suggesting that they should go out and kill Trump when he was in Britain. Are you expecting GN to take the consequences of that type of posting.

AGAA4 Sun 19-Oct-25 11:22:45

Colin from accounts was very cute. His acting was excellent.