Thomas ReedNov 20, 2022
If you’re new to Mastodon, you may at some point find that you’re being pressured to put your posts behind a content warning (CW). Although CWs make sense for things like images of violence or nudity, some people are bullying others to put CWs on discussions of politics, racism, etc.
Please know that you should not feel pressured to obey these individuals. They do not speak for all. If someone does not want to be exposed to these topics, Mastodon gives them all the tools they need to avoid them, such as keyword filters and the ability to block or mute people who are posting things they don’t like.
Show threadThomas Lee ✅ Nov 20, 2022
@thomasareed There is a balance to be struck. Just saying no to CW is as wrong as saying CW with everything.
Show threadDani — MLT(ASCP)Nov 20, 2022
@DoctorDNS @thomasareed Asking people to CW their lived experiences with homo / transphobia, racism, discrimination, whatever is honestly bullshit. Just because it makes someone uncomfortable doesn't mean it should be hidden.
Show threadSarah BNov 21, 2022

@warkittens @DoctorDNS @thomasareed but we're not talking about "uncomfortable ", the whole point of describing it as a trigger is that is triggers something vastly more intense and distressing than simply uncomfortable.

And the point that is already well-made above, is that you don't know what will or won't trigger someone (perfectly illustrated with your assumption that it will be limited to discomfort); really it's just a matter of polite, kind consideration to alert people that something may be there, rather than simply exposing them (forcing it on them) without care, concern, or warning.

IMHO: if in doubt, just use a CW. It's not hard, and it could go an awfully long way to making sure even just one person doesn't have an awful day or few.

Show threadDani — MLT(ASCP)Nov 21, 2022

@Logintaken
You should go follow @shengokai /@zirk.us and listen to someone who is Black and has a lot of good points on all this. He's posted a lot about the culture here. I can only explain so much from my white but queer perspective. His opinions are not isolated.

https://twitter.com/IBJIYONGI/status/1589628437601615874?t=fXOMqk1Mdzi0CwBy0e_EpQ&s=19

https://twitter.com/Tinu/status/1592290279901790209?t=lH277H4m7eR3PssG7EoQag&s=19

https://twitter.com/mekkaokereke/status/1594376397811695617?t=PFrTlfsoFTyLpeMroupotw&s=19

Godspeed y'all. You are missing the point real hard.

@DoctorDNS @thomasareed

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein on Twitter

“People saying it doesn’t matter which Mastodon instance you join are being misleading: 1. Each one has different moderation policies 2. Not every one allows you to formally “move” there 3. Who is on that instance and who they follow determines your federated timeline content”

Twitter
Show threadSarah BNov 21, 2022

@warkittens

Not sure how we (or at least, I) am missing the point, real hard or otherwise (?) where at least one of those threads you include is in vehement agreement with what I've posted, and with others that i was also agreeing with ... but these seem like good links, which is what matters (to me).

(PS methinks you may be assuming colour?! Or even similar/related context that may be as importantly related to safety, or even who I already follow and listen to ...)

@DoctorDNS @thomasareed

Show threadSarah B

@warkittens

Just a thought on other people's perspectives:

If a content warning is needed for n=1 user's safety, it doesn't really matter how many posts you point to about how CWS are all bullshit and you should be allowed to post whatever you like irrespective of that one person who's safety you've just compromised.

Mastodon, or wherever else, isn't safe if it's not safe for everyone. If you want to post wilfully or otherwise whatever content, come hell or high water, then by all means, but there are other platforms for that. This thread essentially started with a request for people to be respectful, which is really the culture that Mastodon aims for*. It's hardly a huge ask for people who want to use it, to abide by that.

*the fact that entire instances can be blocked because they're truly awful places, that tread well beyond CWs, makes it perfectly clear that this is an aspiration, not a fact!

@DoctorDNS @thomasareed

Nov 21, 2022 at 7:35amWeb
Show threadDani — MLT(ASCP)Nov 21, 2022

@Logintaken
I'm not even talking about awful things. That's the entire point. Which is where we're at cross purposes. I've CWed many things. But — I live mere blocks from where George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis. People needed to see everything I posted on Twitter, to see that we were in this together and that it wasn't a massive city destroying riot like the Right Wing said it was. We needed to show the National Guard intimidating us in our homes.

For some people this would be triggering, but some things people cannot look away from. YMMV.

@DoctorDNS @thomasareed

Show threadSarah BNov 21, 2022

@warkittens

And therein we will never agree.

I don't care how important you think your message is, I don't believe you have the right to post something, knowingly and deliberately, that will create a crisis for someone, just because YOU have decreed that they don't have the right to be safe.

And you will not convince me otherwise, because fundamentally I don't think you have the right to take that away from someone.

And it's ironic, because the core issue for the (other) Black person was safety, and his right to it.

So it kind of looks like you're trying to have it both ways ...

@DoctorDNS @thomasareed