DemacishDec 21, 2022
jaz  

Over the past week we've seen a noticeable uptick in men joining, following dozens of accounts with female avatars, and then messaging them directly.

Some appear to be real people, some are fake accounts with stolen identities.

Either way, this is stalking and harassing behaviour, and we have zero tolerance for it.

For those affected by accounts we fail to catch, please report them. We _will_ take action, and you'll help keep the community safe and welcoming for all.

Diolch.

#MastoMods

Dec 20, 2022 at 7:14pmWeb
Show threadAndyCarrDec 20, 2022
@jaz it’s so great that the platform self moderates.
Show threadCharlotte WalkerDec 20, 2022
@jaz @fkamiah17 I have had this a few times but just blocked, I’ll report from now on too
Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022

@purplepadma @fkamiah17 I'm sorry it's something you're subjected to, but please note there is a block option as part of the report process.

If they're messaging you, they're messaging others.

If you don't mind hitting the report button, we will be more than happy to respond to it.

Show threadCharlotte WalkerDec 20, 2022
@jaz @fkamiah17 Will do!
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz I wish Facebook did this. I’m on there because my family and friends are but, I received comments by two people to my posts. Both asking me to friend them, both military and here’s the kick… almost to the word identical messages! Both had no followers and only like 4 or 5 post which were only army photos. All this yet Facebook says they found no issues with the accounts smh.
Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022
@Mellee Identical messages may be a signal that it is professional scam artists looking to work a con, but either way, we understand it's unwelcome and the hope is a decentralised medium such as this can help form a more community-oriented approach to resolving these issues.
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz yes I believe that it was a scam. I blocked them after I reported them so at least they’re gone from my timeline. I also of course block all those guys that slide into DMs asking if they can hook up. I’m glad I found this place. None of the itchiness.
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz I meant ichyness.
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz ugh it won’t put in the correct word. I give up lol.
Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022
@Mellee ... ickiness ?
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz yes!!! Lol that’s the word.
Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022
@Mellee we did it!
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz yes!! Thank You! Team work.
Show threadPatty Bluebird 🦩Dec 20, 2022
@Mellee @jaz I have my account locked up and nobody can comment on my posts. I get the requests for messaging. Block!
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@jaz @pburke46 that’s a good idea. How do you do that?
Show threadPatty Bluebird 🦩Dec 20, 2022
@Mellee @jaz I can't tell you exactly but if you go to your settings, look under privacy.
Sorry I don't remember the specifics but if you poke around long enough, you'll get it.
Show threadMel LeeDec 20, 2022
@pburke46 @jaz ok I’ll do that. So many creeps out there.
Show threadsarahejfraserDec 20, 2022
@Mellee @jaz have a look through the security settings in Facebook, there are all sorts of ways you can stop people you don’t want from commenting. I use my Facebook as a family diary and print it off in January every year into a hard back book for my kids to keep, so I have it set into groups, for different aundiences like American Friend or Private, plus I set it so only friends or friends of friends can see more public posts.
Show threadMel LeeDec 21, 2022
@jaz @sarahejfraser oh I like that. I hadn’t thought of printing pictures to make a book of pictures and events from the year. I’m going to go into the settings but I think I might steal your idea. I love it.
Show threadMKMartinDec 21, 2022

@Mellee @jaz I get the fake soldier scam a lot.

Stolen valor is shitty.

Show threadMel LeeDec 21, 2022
@MKMartin @jaz yup. It really makes me mad. Not just for them trying to take advantage of women ( Which is reprehensible enough) but to double down and impersonate someone who has literally sacrificed being with their family and sometimes their life. Ugh
Show threadKaren E. Lund 💙💛Dec 21, 2022

@Mellee @jaz Exactly like my G+ experience, and one of so, so many reasons I quit FB in 2015.

The MO is platform-independent: a photo meant to impress, new account, only following women, using the same sorry pick-up line every time.

Show threadMel LeeDec 21, 2022
@Karen5Lund @jaz yup.
Show threadLeslie 🇺🇸🌻🌈 🌊Dec 20, 2022
@jaz I haven't figured out there's even a messaging feature? 🤷
Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022

@Lesliesez I've seen it be public and I've seen it be direct messaged.

You can set the privacy of each toot to one of four settings, "mentioned people only" is akin to a DM.

Show threadLeslie 🇺🇸🌻🌈 🌊Dec 20, 2022
@jaz thank you 👍
Show threadprogressiveartistDec 20, 2022
@jaz This sure takes me back to the old AOL chat days, when men were trying to convince women they were too lesbians. SMDH
Show thread72wagon Dec 20, 2022

@jaz Good to know. Just today I DMed someone for the first time, and it happened to be a woman. I was just making a small (helpful I though) suggestion about her profile.

Knowing this, I'll probably just avoid DMs to women.

Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022
@72wagon I can't speak for women, but for me it's a little like whispering to someone at a party. You have to ask "can we have a quiet word?" first, can't just impose that level of privacy with no mindfulness IMO.
Show thread72wagon Dec 20, 2022
@jaz Yeah, I can see that. My thought was not wanting to seem like I was telling her something she may already know in a public way. I now see that this concern kind of trumps that one. Still learning... Thanks again.
Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022

@72wagon hey, we're all learning all the time, at least I hope so 😃

Thanks for your thoughtfulness!

Show thread72wagon Dec 20, 2022
@jaz 👍
Show threadJulie GoldbergDec 20, 2022
@jaz This used to happen on Twitter all the time. Ugh!
Show threadAmberJFrostDec 20, 2022
@jaz Thank you for supporting and encouraging reporting, esp with a message that makes this clear it's a newer issue and it's widespread. It's too easy to accept behavior like this as part of being female-presenting, even when it shouldn't ever be acceptable.
Show threadTed WardDec 20, 2022

@jaz Just to confirm 'Messaging them direct' is DM them which isn't the same as replying to a toot?

I hope I haven't inadvertently upset anyone by replying or following anyone.

I tend to follow the content I like and follow the account if it's interesting. The name/gender/religion doesn't come into the equation.

Show threadjaz  Dec 20, 2022

@TedWard public replies when replies are solicited should be fine, but there's always the added danger of being Reply Guy

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=reply%20guy

Be nice, be mindful, be respectful of people's space.

And especially respectful of their inbox.

Urban Dictionary: reply guy

1. A man who behaves in an overly familiar way and is always replying to the social media messages of a woman he doesn't know or is barely acquainted with. 2. An annoying man who replies to social media messages, in general - whether this annoyance is due to a perceived know-it-all attitude, excessive familiarity, banal arguments that the annoyed user doesn't feel compelled to reply to again and again, or violation of some imagined pecking order.

Urban Dictionary
Show threadPatty Bluebird 🦩Dec 20, 2022
@jaz Thank you. It's happened to me a few times. I report and block.
Show threadTigg aka Sandra LindseyDec 20, 2022
@jaz thank you!
Show thread(((Jann Gobble)))🏳️‍🌈Dec 20, 2022

@jaz One thing we use to locate them normally is they forget - OR don't know - DM'ing here requires them to change privacy level on the post...and many others see what they're trying to do.

I've seen - and reported - accounts doing this.

When they learn that factoid, we'll move on to other tactics to catch and report them!

Show threadJippi 🇩🇰Dec 20, 2022
@jaz thats... kinda fucked up behaviour 😱​
Show threadMathiasDec 20, 2022

@jaz The profile photo and date joined and number of males being followed was usually a good tell on the old site.

A remove this follower option is nice to have.

Show threadNic DafisDec 21, 2022
@Uhnnohn Oh, can you do that without "soft-blocking"?
Show threadNic DafisDec 21, 2022
@Uhnnohn Doesn't seem to be an option, unless it's a server-specific thing.
Show threadMathiasDec 21, 2022
@nic On the old bird, yes. When looking at their profile that is one of the options.
Show threadNic DafisDec 21, 2022
@Uhnnohn Ah right, I didn't know they'd brought that in, but it's too late now, I've deleted my account over there!
Show threadRikibethDec 20, 2022
@jaz oh, the guys I auto-block on Instagram.
Show threadriscyDec 20, 2022
@jaz thanks for the great thread, jaz
Show threadProtectiveHenDec 20, 2022
@jaz Yuck! Thanks for all your work!
Show threadLaMarshallDec 20, 2022
@jaz How does one report harassing behavior here?
Show threadBelinda GreyDec 20, 2022
@jaz Thank you very much!
Show threadDr. FrogDec 20, 2022
@jaz This is one of the primary reasons why I use a gender-neutral nickname online these days. I understand that doesn't work for everyone, though.
Show threadgavinisdie Dec 21, 2022
@jaz shit this means we might see those weird fake women account come here 💀
Show threadThomas H Jones IIDec 21, 2022

@jaz

Your domain's intro page have wording like, "don't be a creep?" Not that creeps would adhere to it, but still...

Show threadNewsieNewbiDec 21, 2022

@jaz

Thank god you do something about this. I left tribel due to the scammers.

Show threadCyberwizardDec 21, 2022
@jaz everyone needs to present as a cat - problem solved.
Show threadPersiaLourdesDec 21, 2022
@jaz Awesome(: good to know the peeps here care about internet safety! As a woman it can get sketchy sometimes. Thank you!
Show threadAnna NicholsonDec 21, 2022
Ugh. Thought I’d seen the end of that when I closed my account elsewhere! 😞
Show threadpawsforthoughtDec 21, 2022
@jaz That’s awesome moderation. Thank you. #MastoMods
Show threadOve_Dec 21, 2022
@jaz thank you
Show threadonecaliberalDec 21, 2022
@jaz thank you!