Max KennerlyNov 9, 2022

Took me a minute to adjust to the Mastodon custom of broadly using Content Warning but the software is designed to let everyone customize their experience.

The "CW" option is embedded in the publishing interface, super easy to use.

And if you don't want to keep clicking to expand stuff to read it (I surely don't), you don't have to. Preferences -> Appearance -> Sensitive Content, "Always expand posts marked with content warnings."

Show threadPatrick DirksNov 9, 2022
@maxkennerly I'm a newbie, but I have seen others describe #CW as a "content wrapper" rather than a "content warning". This makes a lot of sense to me - makes it easy to scroll past stuff that I'm not interested in. For example, as a #Canadian, I have only a high-level interest in American politics and don't necessarily want to see every #midterm #election update.
Show threadMax KennerlyNov 9, 2022
@Diggler67 "Content wrapper" sounds about right. I hadn't seen that terminology, but I had come to understand it as akin to "off-topic" in a forum. Precisely the kind of situation you describe: you don't necessarily want to be inundated with stuff (or to inundate others with stuff) that isn't aimed at a general audience.
Patrick DirksNov 9, 2022
Show threadE. Hatt-Swank
@maxkennerly @Diggler67 This is a good approach but it seems a bit confusing to me. What qualifies as "aimed at a general audience"? Why is political stuff singled out? I understand hiding sensitive/disturbing content, of course, but it seems like a lot of this is aiming to add CWs to posts that some folks might not be interested in. But wouldn't that basically include... everything? For example - if I want to post about yummy vegan food, should I CW that? Just trying to grasp the nuances.
Nov 9, 2022 at 7:42pmWeb
Show threadPatrick DirksNov 9, 2022
@ehattswank @maxkennerly Sorry, "political stuff" was just an example - didn't mean to single it out, but it was such a timely example for me. I agree - we need to have a clear and simple rule of thumb. Perhaps it comes down to large/obvious subjects - and when it doubt, wrap it? More for the convenience of others? I believe there may also be advantages for the seeing-impaired?
Show threadPatrick DirksNov 9, 2022

@ehattswank @maxkennerly

I just found this - seems to get at what we're talking about here:

Show threadE. Hatt-SwankNov 9, 2022
@Diggler67 @maxkennerly Thanks. Yeah, i guess it's all a bit vague and subjective, but then that can probably be said about all cultural norms...
Show threadStephanie Geuns-MeyerNov 9, 2022
@ehattswank @maxkennerly @Diggler67 I think it would be cool if the “content wrapper” approach were used liberally for almost anything beyond short texts with no clear bin. Then you’d see lots of headlines neatly displayed and could choose to open them based on current mood and whims at least as much as on default preferences.
Show threadE. Hatt-SwankNov 9, 2022
@geunsmeyer @maxkennerly @Diggler67 Hmmm, yes, that's an interesting way of putting it. Makes more sense to me than a list of random topics which are deemed troublesome. Thanks!