Dr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022

Here's a #tip if you're a #newbie to Mastodon: you can search for people with their name or handle under the # icon here ==>

If you want to make sure you see your favourite writer or good friend's toots you can press the 🔔 icon on their profile and you'll get notifications. This makes up for the lack of algos which would usually show you "important" posts etc

Show threadDr Isa Pearl Ritchie

Remember, this platform was created by a community including queer, trans, neurodiverse and disabled people. It is designed to be more of a safe space than many social media platforms.

Be respectful and if you share an image edit it to add a caption to help people know what it is

Nov 18, 2022 at 9:35pmWeb
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022

Content Warnings (CWs) are not censorship, they are consent. Its just a way of being kind and polite.

Use CWs liberally so that people don't have to automatically see iffy things like politics, hate, violence, food etc (yes, I love food too but some people feel uncomfortable about it for various reasons).

It takes seconds to add a CW and it will make people more comfortable engaging with and boosting your post too.

You can change settings so you see all the CW content if you like

Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022

It's not about being overly cautious. It's about allowing people to have a smooth experience of their feed. It means they get to choose to engage/see the content rather than being bombarded by it. CW might not be the ideal framing, but I really appreciate the friendliness and respect of making it something people consent to see. It makes the platform a gentler place and less angry! 😊

It took me a few days to adjust to them, but now I appreciate having the choice

Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
I understand there is some resistance to CWs. People don't like being told what to do (especially me) and people don't like to feel like they're in the wrong (which is highly subjective). It takes some adjusting to. There are no hard rules, it's more like the vagueries of etiquette/politeness. Maybe politeness is some kind of middle class BS but this is a community and it has developed these tools for a reason
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022

Being "wrong" or feeling we are unjustly accused of it triggers some unpleasant mental pathways, and can bring out defensive/attacking behavior. This is part of the problem many of us have with mainstream SM platforms.

Mastodon is being designed to better navigate these tensions, not to pretend everything is okay it the world, but to give people some agency in their SM experience

Show threadSteph MatukuNov 18, 2022
@Isa that's a really nice, sensible thread. I'm getting a little tired of the cw pearl clutching tbh. It's not hard, it's not intrusive, it doesn't impact on engagement, and it's helpful!
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@StephM yeah, absolutely
Show threadLCKENDRICKNov 18, 2022
@Isa I think the fact that there isn't such a big deal made of likes or retweets in a numerical is going to help this heaps it's literally about interactions between users rather than aiming for numbers, that's just my opinion though and what I'm seeing in my short time here.
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@CraigKendrickNZ yes, we aren't being manipulated by algos
Show threadDrAliMontyNov 18, 2022

@Isa except there are people in those marginalized communities that are saying being asked to CW things that directly and negatively affect them just feels like a way to hide reality from more privileged people who can then more easily ignore it. The constant reminders to CW is making this place feel unwelcoming to those very people many are saying CWs are there to support.

I think this is a much more complicated topic than many, including myself when I first got here, think.

Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@DrAli yes, I think the reminders are largely for the influx of new people who aren't used to the tools of the platform. Change takes some adjusting to and it can be unpleasant
Show threadcanusfeminacanisNov 18, 2022

@Isa

“Manners is what holds a society together. At bottom, propriety is concern for other people. When that goes out the window, the gates of hell are shortly opened and ignorance is King.”

― Jane Austen

Show threadLesleyWNov 18, 2022
@Isa soooo much less angry. I try my best to CW where I think it may trigger but don’t always get it right
Show threadPolly Lind ArtistNov 18, 2022
@Isa there is an adjustment .. its different to the bird, but i am slowing getting the hang of it and quite liking it. it seems to be gentler .. :D
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@PollyLind yes it is, for the most part 🙂
Show threadPeter Wynne-JonesNov 18, 2022
@Isa CWs are grossly over-used. Most of the "toots" I have seen have CWs that would not upset a child in anyway.
Show threadSteveNov 18, 2022
@wynnep @Isa peeps use them to curate their TL's ie don't want to see NZPOL they just move over them or if they want to see them they filter them in
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022

@wynnep it's not about upsetting children. It's about allowing people to have a smooth experience of their feed. It means they get to choose to engage/see the content rather than being bombarded by it. CW might not be the ideal framing, but I really appreciate the friendliness and respect of making it something people consent to see. It makes the platform a gentler place and less angry! 😊

I have my settings so I see all the content automatically at the moment, but that might change if I'm tired

Show threadMWTNov 18, 2022
@wynnep @Isa So far I've used one as a spoiler warning, and another to hide a political analogy. I'd guess they were originally put in for trigger warnings (seemingly innocuous things that might not upset the average child, but can be a reminder of past trauma to some). They could also be used to shorten wall-of-text posts into a TLDR. I think they're brilliant.
Show threadHeatherNov 18, 2022

@Isa Yes so much this! I have seen a few "I hate CWs on here" posts and I'm like, I don't get it? The content is still there? One click and you can look at it anytime you want.

As someone who gets overwhelmed and anxious with *other* social media sites, I'm finding this place so much more pleasant. If I don't feel like reading about politics or whatever first thing in the morning I can just not.

Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@HeatherInNZ people don't like being told what to do (especially me) and people don't like to feel like they're in the wrong, so it takes some adjusting to. There are no hard rules, it's more like etiquette/politeness
Show threadHeatherNov 19, 2022
@Isa True, it will be quite an adjustment for some. It's an adjustment for all of us newbies in one way or another, really.
Show threadLesleyWNov 18, 2022
@HeatherInNZ @Isa I had a passive aggressive, mansplaining, reply guy first thing this morning. I mean, WTH, I hadn’t even finished my first coffee #Block 😜”Have a nice day”
Show threadHeatherNov 19, 2022
@LesleyW oh heck no not before the morning coffee!
Show threadJay (they/them)Nov 18, 2022
@HeatherInNZ @Isa Yes! I was a bit confused when I joined, but I'm finding it so much more relaxing.
I'm about ready to just block folks who moan about CWs or don't use them.
Show threadHeatherNov 19, 2022
@curiousjay @Isa That is a pretty good idea
Show threadKrystalDionneNov 18, 2022
@Isa no shade intended - I am a newb here so trying to get a feel for the culture and etiquette of Mastodon. As nearly everything could be a trigger to someone, I am not sure when I should apply a CW. I understand the big ones like politics, hate, offensive jokes, cat memes… but not sure what metric to use when deciding if a post should have a CW or not. Should I CW all my posts? I am not sure how liberal is too liberal
Thanks 😊
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@KrystalDionne I've actually heard it's mostly just politics (including birdsite), hate, violence, food and Wordle 🤣🤣🤣
Show threadessjaxNov 18, 2022
@Isa @KrystalDionne lots of folks CW alcohol pics
Show threadKrystalDionneNov 18, 2022
@Essjax @Isa oh, yes that makes sense.
Show threadKrystalDionneNov 18, 2022
@Isa wordle…100% get 😂
Show threadAlexandre Oliva (moved to @[email protected])Dec 1, 2022
#CW #metaCW #standards
please be aware that the incompatible extension that mastodon introduced to implement CW is not portable across the entire fediverse. your CWs don't eve appear to me, and the software I use won't offer any means to add CWs to my own posts.
I've adopted a different, more portable standard extension, namely marking messages with the CW hashtag followed by the text to be displayed as CW, with a line break before the content proper.
your instance or app probably doesn't implement this extension yet (just like mine doesn't implement mastodon's), but at least you can see that I've marked the message with a CW, which is not the case of Mastodon's extension.
please support this extension, request Mastodon and other Fediverse programs to implement it, and request people to use it, so that we can have accessible CWs for everyone.
Show threadPaul d'AoustDec 1, 2022
@Isa I didn't understand this at first, but now I really like it. And for things that can generally be assumed to be non-triggering, it feels like an act of respect for other people's attention. Maybe you don't want to hear me bragging about my garden yet again.
Show threadPolly Lind ArtistNov 18, 2022
@Isa a good reminder thank you ♥♥
Show threadMaisie SummersNov 18, 2022

@Isa
These messages are helpful, but they don't say how to actually perform that action.

Please, with this kind of messaging, give us clear instructions!!

Spent a minute working it out. When you attach an image to a post, at the bottom there is a line that says "No description added." Click on that line to add a caption/description.

This, IMO, is not very clear and could be improved. It's not obvious to a new user that you can click that text to add a caption or description.

Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@maisiesummers good point. I'm just sharing some random tips here, but it helps to be more explicit (detailed instructions are not my thing!). Thanks ☺️
Show threadMaisie SummersNov 18, 2022

@Isa As someone who has had to direct their Dad, over the phone, on how to do computer things, I've learnt the value of clear and simple instructions.

Bad instruction: "Click the 'Okay' button."

Good instruction: "In the centre of your screen, you should see a message asking if you wish to confirm your action. At the bottom of that message is a button marked 'Okay'. Click on that button to continue."

Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@maisiesummers absolutely!
Show threadkiwinatNov 18, 2022
@Isa I can’t seem to get my alt-text to stick for images. I add it but when I publish it disappears  will I have to investigate what I’m doing wrong!
Show threadkiwinatNov 18, 2022
@Isa *will have to
Show threadDr Isa Pearl RitchieNov 18, 2022
@kiwinat before I figured out how to do it, I tried to include a description in the toot when I remembered
Show threadkiwinatNov 18, 2022
@Isa ah excellent idea! Thanks! I seem to be able to add it, but once it publishes, I can’t see it! Might be a setting. Will check..
Show threadClint FernNov 18, 2022
@kiwinat @Isa I've just had a scroll through some of your posts and the alt-text is there on the pics e.g. 'Waterfall' '2 Dogs and a cat..' 'Driftwood' so you are getting it right.
Show threadkiwinatNov 18, 2022
@clintfern @Isa thanks so much! Weirdly, I can’t see them myself but I wonder if it’s a setting. I’ve had a look at some others who I know add alt-text, but I can’t see it either. Perhaps something I need to switch on 
Show threadkiwinatNov 18, 2022
@clintfern @Isa but I’m very glad they are appearing! Even if I can’t see them