AnnetteKNov 8, 2022
Dan moved, see pinned toot

#feditip for newbies, especially the ones who post a lot of politics stuff: use the CW or "Content Warning" feature if you want people to boost your posts.

For example, if you're posting about American politics, you might CW with the subject line "American politics" or "USPol" for short.

Using CWs has been part of the established culture here for years, and people generally don't boost unCW'd politics posts. If you think something's important and want to give it visibility, use a CW.

Nov 6, 2022 at 9:31pmSubwayTooter
Show threadʎllnɔsNov 6, 2022
@ifixcoinops And if one does boost a post that should have been CW one might find that users turn off boosting, mute or unfollow them. So be warned!
Show threadJames LundNov 6, 2022
@ifixcoinops I've been seeing CW in posts, but I kept getting distracted by shiny objects and failed to look it up. Thanks for the clear explanation. Very helpful.
Show threadcreekNov 6, 2022
@ifixcoinops you can also add a CW when replying!
Show threadDetroit-ish FrogNov 7, 2022

@ifixcoinops
I know there is no quote-boost, but is there a way to add a CW to content we’d like to boost? I feel like that would help a lot with the new influx of toots created by people not used to using CWs so liberally

I also wish there was a way to add a layer of description upon sharing media that came with no alt-text

I’m sure it’s been brought up before, and there’s probably good reasons for it not being possible 🙂

Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022
@detroitfrog So the established convention during the post-twitter-does-something-foolish period (this isn't our first spin on this merry-go-round) is to do what I'll do in the next toot,
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022

@detroitfrog which is to add a CW in a reply and then boost this toot.

It's clunky sure, but you only have to do it for a few days per Twitter Heckup until folk either get with the program or drift back to twitter.

Show threadFish Id WardrobeNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops @detroitfrog Clever! Thank you!
Show threadPapawJNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops thank you for the tips. Greatly appreciated
Show threadLegal Drug DealerNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops other than politics are there other non-obvious (i.e. SFW) categories that should be CW'd? For instance, talking about sports or science or music? I wouldn't ordinarily think of those as something I would "warn" someone about... (unless I was going to play live music, then i would certainly offer earplugs!) Just wondering how far the CW ought be taken!
Show threadcatjungleNov 7, 2022
@pharmesq @ifixcoinops I would love to be warned so I can scroll on past sports posts!
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022
@pharmesq Nah, there's no need to warn someone about music. :P You can use a hashtag if you want, they increase visibility for people looking for that tag, and provide a filter for people specifically not looking for that tag.
Show threadStereoIncognitoNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops sweet good to know thanku
Show threadBrian JohnsonNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops thank you. Should/can we use hashtags in the CW or would that be counter-productive?
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022

@brianjohnson It'd be unusual to put a hashtag in a CW, I don't think I've seen it done.

TBQH you're only gonna be using hashtags regularly for the first, like, week maybe of being on fedi anyway.

Show threadTinu - Empress of TwerkNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops Great tip, thank you! Really love that this is a feature and come from a community that would adore that.
Show threadThe Eye of HindsightNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops At some point, the newbies willing to boost political content without CW, either because they are unaware of the norm or because they don't find it useful or reasonable, are going to outnumber the early adopters. Welcome to the Eternal November.
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022
@eyeofhindsight Aye, that's why so many old-timers are talking about the established culture right now.
Show threadMelissa LevineNov 8, 2022
@eyeofhindsight @ifixcoinops As a reader I prefer no CW (it's an extra step to tap). The only times I wouldn't mind one would be extremely graphic heartbreaking photos which I won't describe as you would want a CW.
Show threadTaffoni Pyrope 🦉Nov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops  a lot for the tip, I shall remember 
Show threadNicole SchleicherNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops thank you! All tips very welcome, am still working out etiquette here 👍🏻
Show threadMona Sigal MDNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops I don’t understand why, but ok. Also: I don’t think that the majority of journos etc will do this
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022
@mona Fortunately the journos are over on journo.host, one click and they're gone. Just gotta work on the celebrities now.
Show threadMona Sigal MDNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops actually: it’s journos I’m interested in! Not celebrities!
Show threadJennie KermodeNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops Thank you for this. The difficulty i have is knowing when, in terms of the culture here, something counts as politics, and when it doesn't. If I talk about human rights or climate change stuff, do I need to treat that as political? What about (inclusive) feminism?
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022

@jennie_kermode Climate change is its own CW, I reckon; someone can go from "yeah this is doable if we all work together" to "Aye we're bollocksed" and back in the same day, and adding a specific CW (some people append a + or a - to denote good or bad news) helps people to decide to only engage when they're in a place to do some good.

You generally won't go wrong by being more specific and applying CWs more liberally.

Show threadJennie KermodeNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops Thank you! :)
Show threadMelanie L StoneNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops Thank you for the tip!
Show threadWndlBNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops Thanks; I had thought CW was, like, for R-rated or worse.
Show threadMaxwell White Nov 7, 2022
@wndlb @ifixcoinops its best to use it for any content that can rile someone up. A feed full of upsetting things should be voluntary
Show threadWndlBNov 7, 2022
@maxwell @ifixcoinops A whole boatload of .pol ppl came over yesterday
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 7, 2022
@wndlb Oh that too. ;)
Show threadDancing FoxNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops thank you for the heads up. 😊
Show threadFish Id WardrobeNov 7, 2022

@ifixcoinops just to +1 this: I generally don't object to un-CWd politics posts myself. But I won't boost them.

The news these days is so very depressing and we should all be aware of what it does to our mental health. (But of course we also need to stay informed!)

So AFAIC it's just rude of me to boost news if it's not CWd.

Show threadKyleNov 7, 2022
@ifixcoinops so THAT’S what CW stands for, was feeling a right moron looking at some of these posts and going “C whatnow??”
Show threadObjkshnNov 8, 2022
@ifixcoinops is there a list of them or is it whatever we want like a hashtag?
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 8, 2022
@Objkshn You can write whatever in the CW, so people also use them for film/tv/book/game spoilers or for setting up a joke you click through to get the punchline. American politics is the most-often requested, but folk use them for things like pictures of insects/spiders, alcohol, smoking, anything that someone might not want to be reminded of right then; even things like food or selfies sometimes get CW'd. Generally the more the better, nobody ever got in trouble for using too many CWs.
Show threaddee_le_brunNov 8, 2022
@ifixcoinops There's so much to learn...
Show threadKSNov 8, 2022
@ifixcoinops where do I find that feature?
Show threadDaveNov 11, 2022
@Shieldmaid8 @ifixcoinops Hi, you’ve probably worked this out in the 3 days since you posted, but just in case. On IOS a shield containing an “!” appears in the line of symbols above the keyboard as I type. Click on this and a text box opens at the very top of the page (I need to scroll down to see it). Use this like a subject header. On Android I believe the symbol is an “!” inside a circle.
Show threadKSNov 11, 2022
@ifixcoinops @david_orr thanks for the tip 👍👍
Show threadDavid WilkinsNov 8, 2022
@ifixcoinops Thanks for the explanation - new to Mastodon, so keen to find out how everything works over here and respectfully fit in.
Show threadLittle Miss YodaNov 9, 2022
@ifixcoinops If I boost a post with a CW, does the CW stay with it?
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 9, 2022
@littlemissyoda Yup!
Show threadntrelNov 10, 2022
@ifixcoinops 1. so even if i only post politics, I should use CW otherwise people that don't mainly post politics may avoid reposting it?
2. Is there any way to avoid having to click for every CW political post? If everyone did that I'd have to click to see virtually any post on my timeline. (I don't want to see NSFW stuff by default though).
3. I agree some political things should have a CW if they make people anxious, but even less affecting political things?
Show threadDan moved, see pinned tootNov 10, 2022
@ntrel 1. Aye, people generally don't boost unCW'd politics.
2. There's an option in your prefs to automatically expand all CWs.
3. Very context-sensitive, follow some old-timers and watch what they CW or don't CW and you'll get the knack of it