[Archived] More Respect And Awareness Needed When Posting

[Gav]

My lad (16) has just asked me if I posted on BRFCC, occasionally I said

He told me that a couple of his mate from school had started posting on the site, not sure if we have an age restriction but thats irrelevant anyway, and one of them had been threatened and called several names for supporting the manager, which really shook this young lad up apparently and he won't post again

The reason I’ve posted this is because its really made me think, we just don’t know in some cases who we’re talking to, if I’ve hammered a young lad trying to join in the debate on here I’d be mortified, and I’m sure 99% of fellow poster would to.

This post will get moved and rightly so, sorry for sounding like I'm preaching, we need to get a grip on here, some of the posts are embarrassing and i include myself in this also.

[chaddyrovers]

I will second that Gav and I will include myself in some posts that I shouldn't been posted.

I will of course keep posting my opinions on topics all Rovers related BUT I will Ignore all personal insults and comments made towards me or other people

[dingles staying down 4ever]

The personal insults on here are the main reason I stopped posting. There were no against me personal but at times it was apparent that some on here just wanted to be bullies and just name called rather than debate things.

I've only recently just started logging back on to see if there any transfer rumours but it still appears that the bullies still try chasing down anybody who dares say anything which goes against their thoughts rather than actually debating points.

It's a shame really. Nobody should feel scared to share their thoughts even though they might be against everyone else's views.

[LewisF]

Opinion should by all means be discussed, agreed and disagreed upon, but shouldn't be resorted to name-calling and making insults.

[Stuart]

I've said for a long time the board needs splitting by age for this reason. A fifty year old bloke can't really have a proper discussion with a young teenager - and moreso wouldn't want to. The fact that older people are able to contact young people on here is always one step away from issues of a child protection type.

There's no room for threats regardless of age though and unless they were done via PM (and not reported), I would expect such posters to be banned in favour of the victim of the abuse.

Do we know what the exchange was - could it have been a misunderstanding?

[tomphil]

We all get sucked into bickering occasionally but I don't think this is much different to many other clubs messageboards. Considering the bizzare nature of our club these days it's quite tame. Shame about the lad as we could do with some more fresh blood about the place.

I think younger fans just by their very keen nature and lack of knowledge on the behind the scenes matters are going to come out in support of the manager, certain players and maybe even the owners more so than some who've been ground down over the years. It's something we have to learn to accept I suppose, better than scaring them all off. Anyway if they stick around we'll soon educate them

Maybe a badge or something on their profile showing I'm under 18 or whatever then they can be given a bit of leeway in their raw opinions ?

PS. Grown blokes on here should be able to handle a bit of disagreement without crying off !

[ABBEY]

Just chill like abs

[Stuart]

We all get sucked into bickering occasionally but I don't think this is much different to many other clubs messageboards. Considering the bizzare nature of our club these days it's quite tame. Shame about the lad as we could do with some more fresh blood about the place. I think younger fans just by their very keen nature and lack of knowledge on the behind the scenes matters are going to come out in support of the manager, certain players and maybe even the owners. It's something we have to learn to accept I suppose, better than scaring them all off. Anyway if they stick around we'll soon educate them

Maybe a badge or something on their profile showing I'm under 18 or whatever then they can be given a bit of leeway in their raw opinions ?

Good points. The number of younger fans who post on Rovers groups on Facebook are usually in support of the manager and club. I guess the youngsters who support the club now are mainly the sons and daughters of diehards. Factor in a bit of naivety on top.

That said, they are usually very aggressive towards older posters who have been following events more closely, so it works both ways.

BRFCS groups are required in my view, similar to google plus circles. In that group I could then only see posts by people whose opinions I respect and those I don't could be left to discuss stuff amongst their peers.

(Yes, JBizzle, you'd be in my group. x)

Just chill like abs

Problem is you'd be on some folks' lists of people to avoid because they don't 'get' you.

Old grudges die hard on here.

[bluebruce]

Just had a quite aggressive message in my inbox from a poster calling me a knob, saying I wouldn't dare mouth off face to face (which would greatly amuse anyone who knows me in real life), all because I pointed out how odd their logic was whilst they asked another poster if they were smoking something for having a different view.

Nice place we've got here.

Edit- and they've just followed it up with an implied threat. Hooray for keyboard warriors.

[Blueandwhitemike]

I'm sure there are many worse places than here... This place still has lots of good stuff, well worth reading... But I don't understand the aggression that quite often rears its head. Really could use a bit more civility around the place, it's nothing to do with being soft. Also when two or three posters just start bickering without debate, I think some forget they are not just talking to one person...

I would guess what Gav is referring to is a poster, who recently said Venky's weren't that bad and then just got called a dingle by lots of people. To me it seemed quite likely he was young and not very well informed but he got a fair bit of unpleasantness.

I'm not sure of the solution but I think we should keep bringing it up and keep asking each other to be nicer, can't do any harm.

[AllRoverAsia]

I've said for a long time the board needs splitting by age for this reason. A fifty year old bloke can't really have a proper discussion with a young teenager - and moreso wouldn't want to. The fact that older people are able to contact young people on here is always one step away from issues of a child protection type.

There's no room for threats regardless of age though and unless they were done via PM (and not reported), I would expect such posters to be banned in favour of the victim of the abuse.

Do we know what the exchange was - could it have been a misunderstanding?

I'm 63 and that sort of inference gets me close to giving this MB a big miss.

[Gav]

I'm sure there are many worse places than here... This place still has lots of good stuff, well worth reading... But I don't understand the aggression that quite often rears its head. Really could use a bit more civility around the place, it's nothing to do with being soft. Also when two or three posters just start bickering without debate, I think some forget they are not just talking to one person...

I would guess what Gav is referring to is a poster, who recently said Venky's weren't that bad and then just got called a dingle by lots of people. To me it seemed quite likely he was young and not very well informed but he got a fair bit of unpleasantness.

I'm not sure of the solution but I think we should keep bringing it up and keep asking each other to be nicer, can't do any harm.

I didn't ask about the details, but the poster I'm refering to spoke up for the manager apparently, didn't back the owners as far as I'm aware.

The poster you're refering to was on here at 2/3am earlier this week, and was in my opinion trying to bait people into a row, even though I for one tried to have a debate about the situation. he/she seemed lacking in knowledge.

He/she never posted in any other thread just seemed to pop up and bait people in the more lively threads.

But then again I could be completely wrong about the intentions of this poster Mike.

[Stuart]

I'm 63 and that sort of inference gets me close to giving this MB a big miss.

Sadly it's the world we live in. It's not confined to this mb.

I certainly wasn't accusing anyone.

(Perhaps the way I phrased it could have been better!)

[Blueandwhitemike]

You may well be right Gav, some of the posts were annoying and bound to provoke the reaction they got. I just thought although he/she may be a dingle it is quite possible it's someone naive, young, badly informed or something similar.

There's plenty of not very bright people in the world...

[thenodrog]

My lad (16) has just asked me if I posted on BRFCC, occasionally I said

He told me that a couple of his mate from school had started posting on the site, not sure if we have an age restriction but thats irrelevant anyway, and one of them had been threatened and called several names for supporting the manager, which really shook this young lad up apparently and he won't post again

The reason I’ve posted this is because its really made me think, we just don’t know in some cases who we’re talking to, if I’ve hammered a young lad trying to join in the debate on here I’d be mortified, and I’m sure 99% of fellow poster would to.

This post will get moved and rightly so, sorry for sounding like I'm preaching, we need to get a grip on here, some of the posts are embarrassing and i include myself in this also.

There is a report button but whether anybody takes action is anyones guess. Moderation is a complete mystery to all this side of the line.

[Gav]

You may well be right Gav, some of the posts were annoying and bound to provoke the reaction they got. I just thought although he/she may be a dingle it is quite possible it's someone naive, young, badly informed or something similar.

There's plenty of not very bright people in the world...

Yes I agree Mike, you could well be right, and is the reason we/I need to think before I/we post.

[Paul]

I've said for a long time the board needs splitting by age for this reason. A fifty year old bloke can't really have a proper discussion with a young teenager - and moreso wouldn't want to. The fact that older people are able to contact young people on here is always one step away from issues of a child protection type.

There's no room for threats regardless of age though and unless they were done via PM (and not reported), I would expect such posters to be banned in favour of the victim of the abuse.

Do we know what the exchange was - could it have been a misunderstanding?

Two questions Stuart:

Why can't an older person have a discussion with a younger one? Surely this is how both generations learn?

Secondly at 61 I'm very happy, in fact see it as real progress, that I can relate to young people and they to older generations in ways my parents could never have done. Surely it's only people with closed minds who wouldn't want to have the discussion?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

I've said for a long time the board needs splitting by age for this reason. A fifty year old bloke can't really have a proper discussion with a young teenager - and moreso wouldn't want to. The fact that older people are able to contact young people on here is always one step away from issues of a child protection type.

There's no room for threats regardless of age though and unless they were done via PM (and not reported), I would expect such posters to be banned in favour of the victim of the abuse.

Do we know what the exchange was - could it have been a misunderstanding?

'Child Protection Type'. Please elaborate.

Splitting by age. Wow.

[Stuart]

Two questions Stuart:

Why can't an older person have a discussion with a younger one? Surely this is how both generations learn?

Secondly at 61 I'm very happy, in fact see it as real progress, that I can relate to young people and they to older generations in ways my parents could never have done. Surely it's only people with closed minds who wouldn't want to have the discussion?

It's not about open or closed minds. It's who your natural peer group would be that you would debate such topics with. Usually it's people of similar age that would naturally group people from this perspective.

[DE.]

How would you stop people posting fake birth dates just so they can post in different circles?

All the board requires is some self-moderation from certain posters and actual moderation from time-to-time by the moderators. Message boards have been going for decades now and don't really need a redesign.

To be honest I'm surprised young people even sign up here nowadays, I thought facebook/reddit/twitter/instagram was where modern teens did their conversing.

[yoda]

End the anonymity, prove who you are (to admin) before being allowed to post

[jim mk2]

How would you stop people posting fake birth dates just so they can post in different circles?

All the board requires is some self-moderation from certain posters and actual moderation from time-to-time by the moderators. Message boards have been going for decades now and don't really need a redesign.

To be honest I'm surprised young people even sign up here nowadays, I thought facebook/reddit/twitter/instagram was where modern teens did their conversing.

True. With all the differerent types of social media and the way young people keep in touch with each other and discuss things that matter to them (including Rovers) I don't see why any young person would come on this messageboard.

[Mattyblue]

I've been a member of this site for a lonnnnng time and I think we forget that it has always been a 'lively' place.

To me the difference with the old days and now is that back then we mainly rowed about the manager and players, generally we were fairly content with the way the club was being run- yes we wished the Trust would put more cash in, but happy enough.

The last 5 years has been such a debacle that it has us questioning the very existence of the club, couple that with a much smaller base of regular posters and it magnifies everything.

But at least the board isn't locked post match as it was in the late Souness era!

[K-Hod]

Just don't be a d1ckhead. Simple. :-)

[Stuart]

True. With all the differerent types of social media and the way young people keep in touch with each other and discuss things that matter to them (including Rovers) I don't see why any young person would come on this messageboard.

It's a good point. When this board first started it was with everyone sat at their PC, a laptop if they were lucky. With mobile technology and social media, it's now very easy to converse on other platforms.

But this is still one of the few dedicated fan sites where conversation is polarised about football and Rovers, rather than mixed in with other stuff.