‘Friendly Narrowboat Group’ - any criticism of CRT now banned on their platform

[Llamedos]

I’m not a member myself but I understand the Friendly Narrowboat Group on Facebook have, as of yesterday, banned all of its members from criticising CRT saying they are a pro CRT group and it won’t be tolerated. They’ve even made it official by adding a new group rule to that effect. Persistent offenders are to be banned in future. 
 

Not surprisingly there has been an outcry from many of their members saying this is an attack on their freedom of speech and restricting healthy debate, but apparently the moderators are unrepentant. I think it’s likely many members will now leave and join this forum. 
 

This isn’t a joke btw. Here’s their new rule …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GUMPY]

They are about as friendly as a hungry Tiger🫢

[IanM]

19 minutes ago, Llamedos said:

Not surprisingly there has been an outcry from many of their members saying this is an attack on their freedom of speech and restricting healthy debate, but apparently the moderators are unrepentant. I think it’s likely many members will now leave and join this forum.

 

FFS people forget that they don't actually have a right to post what they want on someone else's group or website.  If the site/group owner doesn't want certain things to be discussed then that's their decision.  Their group, their rules.

 

If people want to start a slag off CRT group then no one is stopping them although I'd like to see how far that gets before things get a bit legal.

[MtB]

34 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

They are about as friendly as a hungry Tiger🫢

 

Mind you, the persistent and mindless harping on about CRT and their perceived failings get more than tedious in some circles. Has it been a problem on that group then? 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 13:17 by MtB
Finesse the point.

[GUMPY]

Just now, MtB said:

 

Mind you, the persistent and uncompromising harping on about CRT and their perceived failings get more than tedious in some circles. Has it been a problem on that group then? 

 

 

No idea,  the group is the owners fiefdom, no need to say more.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, IanM said:

If people want to start a slag off CRT group then no one is stopping them although I'd like to see how far that gets before things get a bit legal.

 

I'm just mulling over what title could be chosen for this group....

 

"CRT are effing useless as any fule kno"

 

"For cod's hake CRT, get a grip"

 

"We are unreasonable boaters, WE HATE CRT"

 

 

Any more?

[IanD]

8 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I'm just mulling over what title could be chosen for this group....

 

"CRT are effing useless as any fule kno"

 

"For cod's hake CRT, get a grip"

 

"We are unreasonable boaters, WE HATE CRT"

 

Any more?

"NBTA and friends"

[robtheplod]

seems odd to have a forum where everyone is required to have the same view?

[Unicorn Stampede]

As far a place to get information from, it's pretty useless. Lots of repetitive questions, an awful lot of simply wrong or useless responses and manages to maintain an ability to typically be unfriendly from what I've seen.

 

Joined it a few weeks ago to have a nosy at one or two particular posts and since I've been part of it, most of the stuff posted isnt worth my time.

 

Not entirely sure what people get out of it.

 

However it's their group and their rules. The mods of the group have come across a little egotistical ('we have done our research, have you?') but that's expected from any private group on a social media platform.

 

As much as canal world is temperamental and sometimes hostile, there's a wealth of useful information here from members who know their stuff and are generally happy to help (even if some people's tones doesn't suggest it).

Just now, robtheplod said:

seems odd to have a forum where everyone is required to have the same view?

Social media is an echo chamber...

[Peanut]

People tend to read papers that conform to their own viewpoint.

[NB Thistle]

Private Facebook groups have no expectation of freedom of speech. I confess I left that group a month or so ago as I was finding the steady stream of climate denial and CRT bashing aggravating.

[EventualBoater]

14 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

seems odd to have a forum where everyone is required to have the same view?

No different to a political group where they have the same view. 

A lot of people dont like hearing an opinion that differs to theirs so will actively avoid it. 

 

I get it if they want to keep the group friendly, just help each other, post pictures etc (not a member no idea what happens).

 

This is where this group wins a lot. A lot of very differing views, numerous disagreements etc. I feel that anyone can state a view here though. 

[Llamedos]

1 hour ago, IanM said:

 

FFS people forget that they don't actually have a right to post what they want on someone else's group or website.  If the site/group owner doesn't want certain things to be discussed then that's their decision.  Their group, their rules.

 

I hear what you’re saying but I’m not sure how I feel about it. They have well over 42000 members making them a very powerful influencing force in the boating community, giving the site owner a lot of power. It makes me uncomfortable that he is able close down debate across that many people in this way.
 

As others have said however, this is Social Media and that’s the reason I stopped using it a few years back. 
 

 

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Unicorn Stampede said:

As far a place to get information from, it's pretty useless. Lots of repetitive questions, an awful lot of simply wrong or useless responses and manages to maintain an ability to typically be unfriendly from what I've seen.

 

Joined it a few weeks ago to have a nosy at one or two particular posts and since I've been part of it, most of the stuff posted isnt worth my time.

 

Not entirely sure what people get out of it.

 

Seconded. I'm a member of that group but I've never seen or read anything there worth a reply. 

 

I should probably leave it. 

 

 

[GUMPY]

How long before someone on there complains we are discussing/running them down on here.

 

 

5

 

4

 

3

 

2

 

1

 

Has it happened yet?

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

seems odd to have a forum where everyone is required to have the same view?

Not odd really, that is the essence of Facebook groups and why I think they are the devil incarnate. You set up a group and surround yourself with like minded “groupthink” people, no dissent allowed. And then you think that is the only valid truth because everyone agrees with you.

[IanM]

12 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Not odd really, that is the essence of Facebook groups and why I think they are the devil incarnate. You set up a group and surround yourself with like minded “groupthink” people, no dissent allowed. And then you think that is the only valid truth because everyone agrees with you.

 

We had a local group around here which turned into about 5 due to people falling out with each other or something and starting up another rival group which promised to not be like the first.  Before long something else happened and another got set up and on and on it went.  The thing is that people in each group considered theirs to be the only one that mattered and their opinions were correct.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, IanM said:

 

 

If people want to start a slag off CRT group then no one is stopping them although I'd like to see how far that gets before things get a bit legal.

Thats interesting because there is a CRT group out there that is nothing to do with CRT and they cant do anything about it (1) Canal & River Trust | Facebook

[nicknorman]

Just now, IanM said:

 The thing is that people in each group considered theirs to be the only one that mattered and their opinions were correct.

How fortunate we are that we don’t have people like that on here.

[IanM]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

and they cant do anything about it

 

Says who?

[IanD]

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

How fortunate we are that we don’t have people like that on here.

If the hat fits... 😉 

[Llamedos]

A little context here. I really don’t think CRT would get ‘legal’ against anyone criticising them in a constructive way that sparked healthy debate. If it was something personal about one of their people or an unfounded accusation they were doing something illegal themselves that would be completely different, but that’s not what we’re talking about. It’s the freedom to say we don’t agree with something they do and invite the opinion of others. I don’t think anyone reasonable would disagree with that. 
 

In the main I’m very supportive of them, but they do occasionally do things that I disagree with and I wouldn’t want to feel I couldn’t speak my mind and discuss this with other people. Doing that might change my opinion after all. That’s healthy debate - shutting it down does no one any favours in the end. 

[frangar]

I got banned from there ages ago.....mind you Im also blocked from the CRT boating page on facebook!!....found both quite funny

 

[MtB]

3 hours ago, nicknorman said:

How fortunate we are that we don’t have people like that on here.

 

They've all been banned! 

 

 

(Except one....)

 

 

 

[IanD]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

They've all been banned! 

 

 

*Oh* no they haven't... 😉