I just received my first DU block notice ...

[whistle]

...it feels just like being on the Hollywood Black list. I wonder if this will ultimately lead to complete discrimination at all levels of society

<edit by poster>
This is the notice which popped up when I attempted to reply to the post
...it was only after I returned to the post that I saw on the bottom bar "Cannot Reply"

<message>
Sorry, IanDB1 has blocked you from replying to their posts

You are blocked from replying to this post because IanDB1 has placed you on their "Block Replies To Me" list.

This means that you cannot reply to any of this member's posts, nor can you reply anywhere in a thread started by this member (unless they choose to remove you from their list in the future).

If you would like to similarly block IanDB1 from responding to your posts and threads, or to select other ignore options for this member, click here.

To return to the previous page, click here.
<end of message>

I have no idea what the reason might be. Anyone else ever have this meaasge?

[Pharaoh]

1. what's a block notice?

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Nah people who do that are kids

incapable of having a grown up discusion. At least that is my opinion

;-)

[freefall]

3. Could we get some more info, please. What is a block notice? Who did you get it from?

Thanks,

Peace,

freefall

[knitter4democracy]

4. I only have one guy on ignore. I couldn't block him, though.

Feels icky somehow.

[AzDar]

5. You get a 'notice'? n/t

[papau]

6. I've read 15,000 of your posts and I'll be darn'd if I can see a reason to block you - or for

that matter anyone -

but I guess it "empowers" some folks! :-)

[Lex]

7. Well, I don't want to talk to people who don't want to talk to me anyway.

So it's helpful to know who those people are. A block notice sounds helpful with regard to that.



_________________________

[Jon8503]

12. You know it could be accidental. The person may not even know

he did it if you don't talk to each other much.

[Warren Stupidity]

8. So I think that we can live with this.

However the rules ought to be amended such that an original post, if the OP has blocked any other posters, should not be subject to the 'continuation of the argument' rule. It was noted in another thread on this topic that a poster can start a new thread, block all those he knows to be opposed to his views, and then if any of the blocked opposition tries to start a new thread to present a contrary view, alert on that thread as 'continuing the argument'. This is unlikely to be an effective tactic as it is so much trouble, but very obnoxious if used at the right moments.

"Do not start a new topic in order to continue a flame war from another discussion thread."
This is the 'continuation of the argument' rule. I believe it can and has been exploited by blockers to stifle opposing views, or at least that claim was made here over the last few days.

[seabeyond]

11. what a childish way to interact with a bunch of adults. i cannot see myself

spending so much of my time deciding who to not allow to talk to me and who is allowed. i have a hard time embracing this type of mentality. totally beyond me

[Warren Stupidity]

22. Well it seems to be happening.

I agree about the childish part. I recently discovered that I was blocked, immediately reacted by counter-blocking my blocker, and then thought about the whole thing and decided it was, as you say, totally childish. This is a discussion board, a big fat debating society (and I am not calling anybody fat), so what is up with blocking opposing views? Anyhow, the end result is that I discarded most of my ignore list (most of which was tombstoned anyway, go figure) except of course for my blockee, who's status I cannot change for a while.

On the other side I suppose there are posters here who feel stalked and abused by contrary views.

[seabeyond]

27. exactly. it is the difference demanding personal power, for all,....

i can be offended by another or not my choice. and making a person powerless. shutting them up. i cannot, will not, refuse to take anothers power. doesnt feel like a good fit for me. no desire. BUT..... i will refuse aother doing that to me, also

[whistle]

20. I don't recall having any such dialog

[Warren Stupidity]

25. Huh?

Here is the link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3157888&mesg_id=3157888

I don't recall implying you did. By 'we' I meant 'DU'.

[seabeyond]

9. it feels crummy huh. it is saying shut up. beyond saying shut up....

it is MAKING you shut up. a person says something nasty, mean to you, you have the power to take it personally or not. you maintain the power. a person uses htis tool, you are powerless. they are able to take a persons power. it is about the most offensive thing that i can experience in this society. even with our laws, that chose to make a person powerless, is only a suggestion. i can still chose ot ignore, understanding repercussion. but this.... it literally is able to make a person powerless. that is bottom line, ALWAYS wrong.

[Lex]

15. I think you can just start a new thread with your own point of view

and block out that person (or not).

At any rate, that way you still get to put your point across.

Not powerless.


_______________________________

[seabeyond]

23. i dont want to do that. i teach my CHILDREN to go beyond that type

of behavior. it is not worth the effort or the time. i want to be able to have free speech to respond or not, along as i follow du rule of respect and no personal attack, but allowed disagreement. if it goes to the point of having to do a tit for tat, it is past what i am willing ot do. wont be feeding this.

[Lex]

28. Then that is the power that you have--choosing not to participate

is a power as well, if you actually wield it.



____________________________

[seabeyond]

34. of course it is. regardless at the point of a poster being able to shut me

up has taken power. example. when the poster made a snide remark and said i am blocking you, i posted a reply on my post. not disrespectful, mean or name calling, but challenged the snide remark made to me. the poster then says..... you subverted the block.... i am telling....

then of course i went into a giggle, posting on my post again. this person the ability to post on mine, me not theirs.

i got deleted.

if i can respond on the thread, not to the poster, i dont feel like i was shut up. but..... i am not allowed to do that. showing hte other side, my opinion on a thread that is not even started by the blocker.

yes.... i am empowered chosing not to do this. i am also empowered speaking out in these threads telling what i feel about this block and peoples usage of it. .... that is my thing.

[Warren Stupidity]

33. Perhaps not.

See my posts up above and the link to the prior discussion of this. It seems that a strategy has developed where you post with a block list and then alert on the opposing viewpoint thread as 'continuing the argument'. I think this is hideous behavior myself, but the claim has been made that this in fact has been done, and it would appear to be an a new feature that is within 'the rules', intended or not.

[Lex]

49. Probably "continuing an argument" would be different

than putting across your own viewpoint about a topic in a thread you start yourself.

Substantively, there is a difference between continuing an argument, and starting a thread with your viewpoint on a topic.


I think that the Mods would be fair about this.



________________________________

[patricia92243]

10. It will hurt my feeling to find out someone has blocked me. I may already be on someone's ignore li

list - but I don't know it - therefore no hurt feelings. When you actually block someone and they get a notice about it seems sort of unkind to me.

[in_cog_ni_to]

32. I'm sure it gives the blocker GREAT pleasure seeing the Blockee's hurt feelings too..great satisfac

It is very unkind and hurtful. Just wait until DU publishes the names of the people who have been blocked! THAT may happen, it's being 'thought about.' That published list is meant to SHAME the Blocked people into 'behaving better.' :eyes: This whole Blocking issue is so juvenile.

[MadHound]

13. Yeah, I got my first block today

It didn't suprise me about who it came from either. He did a drive by slam, and then blocked any replies on my part.

Frankly I think this new block feature is the coward's way out, a way for these people to get in their little digs, and not have to be held accountable for it. Rather childish, and it goes to show that a lot of people simply can't stand to have an even-handed, adult conversation. They would rather post something vomitous and then not have to answer for it. Childish, immature, and cowardly. Like I said, it didn't suprise me who it came from.

I truly hope the admins see how badly that this feature is going to be abused and discontinue it. Otherwise I think this will lead to many people leaving this place. People aren't going to stand for the drive-by slam when they can't answer the person, and they'll get fed up and leave.

[seabeyond]

17. that was my one experience with it. hit and run and stand on the side line and

say na na na na na. silliest thing i have experienced in the adult world. i wasnt even allowed to chuckle at the childish behavior

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. You too

I tbink this is being abused, quite frankly

[seabeyond]

29. me too

and yes..... i see the majority of these blocks are an abuse of administrations intent. seems they thought it would be a minority, seems to be the strong majority of the blocks.

[senseandsensibility]

48. seabeyond

Do you actually get a notice from DU when you're blocked? Like a PM or something? I see that others have asked about this upthread and no one answered. I haven't waded through the huge threads about this topic, and might have missed something.

[Lex]

52. See the OP of this thread for your answer. nt

____________________

[seabeyond]

55. i didnt get a pm. when the person made the snide remark and then bold i blocked you

in such childish fashion, i went to giggle at them. when i hit send it told me i was blocked and wont take my message. i then posted it on my post and he answered on that one saying you diverted block, i told on you. reminded me of ... well not my children, they arent allowed that behavior, but some children.

[senseandsensibility]

58. Does seem childish

Thanks for answering.

[whistle]

14. This is the notice which popped up when I attempted to reply to the post

...it was only after I returned to the post that I saw on the bottom bar "Cannot Reply"

<message>
Sorry, IanDB1 has blocked you from replying to their posts

You are blocked from replying to this post because IanDB1 has placed you on their "Block Replies To Me" list.

This means that you cannot reply to any of this member's posts, nor can you reply anywhere in a thread started by this member (unless they choose to remove you from their list in the future).

If you would like to similarly block IanDB1 from responding to your posts and threads, or to select other ignore options for this member, click here.

To return to the previous page, click here.
<end of message>

I have no idea what the reason might be. Anyone else ever have this meaasge?

[MoonRiver]

16. Does the notice say who blocked you?

Btw, I didn't know one gets a notice.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Yep when you try to reply to usually a

drive by post, it says so, you cannot reply

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

39. It's Not A Notice. It's The Generic Message That Comes Up When Someone Clicks On The "Cannot Reply"

button.

[gratefultobelib]

19. What does a "block" mean? Does it prevent the blocked person

from responding to a particular OP or another poster in a thread? Does it thus prevent everyone from reading the blocked person's post?

[undeterred]

21. Maybe you should have a "block" party!

:hi:

[whistle]

37. I would if I could find other blockees! I think that would be the correct term...

... i.e. defender vs defendee; screwer vs screwee; blocker vs blockee..

:hide: :yoiks:

[lonestarnot]

53. or blockheads.

[undeterred]

54. blockheads, blockettes, blockbabys, blockabees

Don't take it to heart.

[lonestarnot]

26. Spilt milk. Drive on.

:hug:

[Puglover]

30. In my 4

years on DU I have never seen the admins do other than smart, savvy and admirable things. This blocking feature is asinine and that's the nicest thing I can say about it. I have yet to use ignore for that matter.

[seabeyond]

38. i am with you

i have the greatest respect for the board and the people that run it. all post suggest that. i have a long list.... 24k posts of respect. even the few times they chose to delete a post, i knew i went over the line. until..... the BLOCK

bah hahahahhaa

[donsu]

31. blocking seems a cowardly thing to do - this is a discussing forum for shit's sake

nt

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

35. That's The Message You Get If Someone Has You Blocked And You Try And Reply. What's The Mystery?

And so someone blocked you. Well ya have just a couple thousand of other posters you can still reply to. I'd say it isn't the end of the world.

[Dude_CalmDown]

36. You get notified now? And here I thought I was on everyone's blocked list.

But no notifications yet.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

41. No, You Don't. It's The Same Message Anyone Would Get If They Tried To Click The "Cannot Reply"

button.

[Dude_CalmDown]

46. Oh. OK. So I guess it's still possible I'm on many lists.

Good.

[whistle]

43. Me too, in fact I went to my psychiatrist the other day and said

....Doctor, I feel everyone is ignoring me." My psychiatrist said, "NEXT!"

[Dude_CalmDown]

47. Did somebody say something?

I guess not.

[B Calm]

40. Does making this public discourage people who block????

[Neshanic]

42. Help me out here, so you cannot even post on ANY topic by the person blocking you?

[Warren Stupidity]

44. You cannot post in reply to the blocker.

If the blocker starts the thread, you cannot post in that thread at all. If the poster is at the above you in a subthread, you cannot post in that subthread.

[in_cog_ni_to]

45. CORRECT. If they have blocked you, you cannot post in a THREAD they start or you cannot post to that

person within any thread THEY have posted in. You can NEVER respond to anything that particular person posts.

[Neshanic]

57. Who institues this? The moderator, or the complaining party?

[whistle]

51. It appears that way, I only looked at the one topic but then noticed

...afterwards that I am blocked from replying to any of the posts by this DUer. I only posted here because I just thought that IGNORE meant my posts and replies would be ignored. Now I see that it is true censorship control and prevents me from even expressing a reply which people other than the poster may read.

[liberal N proud]

50. I have had many disagreements on this board but never been blocked

To my knowledge, I have never been blocked.
If you can't take a little heat over something you posted, you should stay out of DU. Blocking someone would be something that people who are closed minded would do.
If blocked, I would shrug it off as someone who just can't take what they give.

[salin]

56. What I don't understand is why the blocker can keep responding

to the blockee, even though the blockee can not respond. That seems like taunting/goading.

[B Calm]

59. I agree. If someone blocks another, then that person shouldn't be

able to respond to a person they have on block!

[Skinner]

60. Locking.

You are welcome to start threads on topics of your choosing. But please don't start threads to call out people who blocked you.