"Following" Someone

[WebmasterMaryJo]

The guidelines also say:
9. MODERATORS
The DIS has a wonderful group of Moderators who have volunteered to assist our visitors and monitor the boards. Part of their responsibilities are ensuring that our guidelines are followed which may require that a thread is edited, deleted, closed or moved. If these decisions impact you, we ask that you respect them. Should you have any questions, please direct them to admin@wdwinfo.com. Any discussion about a Moderating decision that takes place on the boards could result in an infraction.

I don't believe that this guideline pertains to this discussion.

I used to be followed by a few people, apparently I was too boring so they left me.

Maybe they can't read upside down messages?

 

[Allons-y!]

The guidelines also say:
9. MODERATORS
The DIS has a wonderful group of Moderators who have volunteered to assist our visitors and monitor the boards. Part of their responsibilities are ensuring that our guidelines are followed which may require that a thread is edited, deleted, closed or moved. If these decisions impact you, we ask that you respect them. Should you have any questions, please direct them to admin@wdwinfo.com. Any discussion about a Moderating decision that takes place on the boards could result in an infraction.

That specifically refers to a thread being "edited, deleted, closed, or moved," none of which applies here. We are discussing a board feature, not a moderating decision.

Anyway, like I said, I did exactly what Jackie asked me to do, but I received no response (I gave it 24 hours and even checked my spam folder). If a member can't get an answer their preferred way, what options are left?

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I took your advice last night and e-mailed. No response.

Also, I double checked and saw nothing in the guidelines that prohibits posters from raising questions on a thread that involve how the board functions. Why would you want to discourage discussion? Isn't it good to get perspectives from your members?

In fact, this is on the Guidelines page:

 

[Mizzoufan]

Some of you thrashing this poor kid calling him a stalker and creepy. Can you image how that make him feel. Give the person the benefit of the doubt. Seems to me a lonely kid.

 

[Kitty 34]

For some of the longtime posters who have been surprised to find that they are following someone: do you remember the old favorites list? I think that was what it was called, it was just a way to create a list of your friends or favorite posters so you could easily select them from a list you created instead of searching through tens of thousands of user names. That's what this is, and why you may now find people on your "people I'm following" list. Those old "favorite posters" came over into your "following" list. Same thing.

Seriously, everyone- this is just a way to make an easy-to-get-to list of posters.

This tempest in a teapot has gotten ridiculous. No one is being literally followed. No one is being stalked.

Thank you for posting this because I had no idea how my few that apparently I'm following were on my following list.

 

[Allison]

It's a one click process to look at someone's posts-click on the messages count number and the list comes up.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My sinister side now wants to go on a mass following spree...

I was thinking the exact same thing. Yesterday I really really really wanted to follow everyone who posted on this thread. I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from doing it because I didn't want my twisted humor to cause problems.

 

[SMD]

Some of you thrashing this poor kid calling him a stalker and creepy. Can you image how that make him feel. Give the person the benefit of the doubt. Seems to me a lonely kid.

This person is an adult and has been for many years. Are you saying that people shouldn't discuss or comment on behaviors directed at them that they don't like or make them uncomfortable because of how that might make the person who's behaving that way may feel? No one on a message board full of adults should have to assume that other members need their hand held and their ego stroked on the internet like a child.

 

[KathyTX]

If a member can't get an answer their preferred way, what options are left?

So you are demanding that we take the same information that has been provided here multiple times by multiple people and send it to you in a personal email?

Why?

 

[phorsenuf]

So you are demanding that we take the same information that has been provided here multiple times by multiple people and send it to you in a personal email?

Why?

Well, ya......

 

[justgrace]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Yesterday I really really really wanted to follow everyone who posted on this thread. I had to sit on my hands to keep myself from doing it because I didn't want my twisted humor to cause problems.

I'm glad you didn't - my twisted humor got me no where up thread... I wouldn't make a very good comedian, apparently!




The funny thing is, "following" is just another word for "subscribing". It's what happens on Youtube all the time. Just because I "subscribe" to someone on Youtube, doesn't mean that I stalk them - I just like their channel's content. I can't find out where they live, where they work, what they do for hobbies, etc. unless they share that information. Same thing here. I think people misunderstood the whole "following" word - people aren't really "following" and stalking you, they're just subscribing to your posts.

 

[Tasha228]

Just so everyone knows, I am "watching" this thread. I don't mean to brag, but my stalking skills have now reached "expert" level.

 

[Miskey]

Holy overreaction Batman

 

[phorsenuf]

I'm glad you didn't - my twisted humor got me no where up thread... I wouldn't make a very good comedian, apparently!




The funny thing is, "following" is just another word for "subscribing". It's what happens on Youtube all the time. Just because I "subscribe" to someone on Youtube, doesn't mean that I stalk them - I just like their channel's content. I can't find out where they live, where they work, what they do for hobbies, etc. unless they share that information. Same thing here. I think people misunderstood the whole "following" word - people aren't really "following" and stalking you, they're just subscribing to your posts.

I'm pretty sure everyone understands the whole 'follow' thing and what it means. But, what people don't seem to like is why one person would possibly follow over 700 people. There is no way a person could have had that much interaction (if any) with that many people to get to know them enough to want to follow their posts. That is what the issue seems to be. I know that the person in question has some degree of disability, but that doesn't mean they should get a free pass, does it?

If a random (non-disabled) person suddenly showed up on the boards, covered the first page with inane threads and questions and then started following over 700 people, do you really think they would be afforded a pass? I think there would be more complaining then what there is.

Now, before I get blasted for being uncaring and not compassionate to a person, that just isn't so. I just tend to look at things as they are. If someone is going to post in a forum (or anywhere really), there should be some level of responsibility and board etiquette, just as any other member adhere's to. If that is offensive to some, well, I'm sorry, but I do not believe in coddling. I think it does a dis-service. I liken it to mainstreaming in school.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Now, before I get blasted for being uncaring and not compassionate to a person, that just isn't so. I just tend to look at things as they are. If someone is going to post in a forum (or anywhere really), there should be some level of responsibility and board etiquette, just as any other member adhere's to. If that is offensive to some, well, I'm sorry, but I do not believe in coddling. I think it does a dis-service. I liken it to mainstreaming in school.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth.

I'm not going to blast you at all.

In fact, I would like to give you about a dozen thumbs up. So here you go.

 

[JJZMgailey]

I know that the person in question has some degree of disability, but that doesn't mean they should get a free pass, does it?

I just want to remind everyone that our guidelines do not have a limitation on the number of people any one poster can follow. No free passes for anyone.

 

[TAX GUY]

Here's what I told my son....... you can't control anyone else but yourself. If someone is doing something you don't like or agree with, you can ask them to stop. If they don't, you have no other choice but to remove yourself from the situation. If you don't like being "followed" here or anywhere in the interwebs, and you aren't getting the resolve you are looking for, remove yourself. The door was open when you joined, just as it is for others to join, and still is for those wanting to exit.

 

[DLgal]

So let me get this straight. People WANT "followers" and "likes" on Twitter, Instagram, FB, etc. But here, it's "creepy."

Geez, no wonder autistic people have such a hard time following social rules.

This is a public message board. The guy is not going to show up at your house. Settle down. And while you're at it, maybe give the dude a shout out. He is literally reaching out for social contact in a way that makes him comfortable. Baby steps.

I have two sons with autism and this thread makes me feel really sad for their future as young adults.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

Holy overreaction Batman

I'd like to donate this to the cause:

 

[Lynne M]

I think some of what's confusing me is that in social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc), being followed is a highly desirable thing. It's everything. It's so desirable that there are entire companies devoted to finding followers for you. Companies, personalities, bloggers, regular people brag about how many followers they have. Having a lot of followers can open doors for people who are trying to promote a blog, a brand, etc. Outside of the DIS, being followed is a Good Thing, and following someone is a compliment, or at the very least a friendly gesture. How well you know the person or company you follow doesn't even figure in. People click the follow button on a whim.

To people who participate in social media, following someone = being nice, whether you know them or not.

So it surprised me, a lot, to see people seeing following as bad manners at best, and creepy/sinister at worst. Something to be blocked, or turned off, and apologized for if you do it by accident.