Warning: Sock puppets and pharmashills on various forums - Page 2

[Taximom5]

Originally Posted by Rrrrrachel 

Where was that accusation made? I missed it.

I did not say that you made it.

[Rrrrrachel]

Uhhhh, neither did I? I was just wondering when it was made, because I missed it.

[purslaine]

Originally Posted by Imakcerka 

Taxi... you really think the voice of dissent is coming directly from that blog?  I'm pretty sure that both camps look else where for their information.  And I find it inflammatory that you feel that that blog is what is motivating people on here to argue for vaccines.  Or that they're copying and pasting pat phrases.

Imakcerka...I have seen posters on another forum urge members to come on here and "set them right" about vaccines.   It was not the forum Taxi posted.  Some are here.  Oh......And they might not be copying and pasting "pat phrases" but they are copying and pasting.  

I know some people are OK with it  - but I am not.

Can you imagine someone on the homebirth forum, for example, urging someone to go to another message board (like ivillage) and urging them to explain to the parents how misinformed they are to be considering a hospital birth?  How self-righteous!

Do I think most posters are genuine?  Yes, I do.  I am not naive enough to think everyone is.  Do I think those who cut and paste and are urged here by other posters on other forums are genuine?  Somewhat.  I do not doubt they believe in vaccines.  I also do not doubt they are pretty scuzzy.

Edited to add:  if anyone is genuinely curious about what site I am speaking of, pm me.  

[stik]

Taximom, lots of people come to MDC and debate issues surrounding a number of topics. If you think someone is trolling - ie., pretending to be something they are not, which sometimes happens and usually involves attempts to get people to send money - report it to the mods.

I've been an active participant in multiple online parenting forums since 1998. I've been active at MDC off and on since 2001. I am sometimes paid to write - about Star Trek, not about vaccines or crazy people. I am not amused by your blithe assumption, stated several times in several threads, that the people who disagree with you are faking fakers from fakeville. Real people in the real world really disagree about real things.

Here's something you may also want to consider: the belief that some of the people in your life are not real, and therefore don't "count" is known as depersonalization. Depersonalization is Easy on the Internet, but it's also a sign of bad things. It's often what is behind bullying among teens and preteens, both online and in real life. If you're fighting the urge to depersonalize people you are talking to online, or crossing the line over to encouraging others to depersonalize them as well, it might be a good idea to step away.

[Rrrrrachel]

If someone comes here to engage in a conversation about vaccines, why does it matter where they came from? Isn't that what a discussion forum is for? I came here on my own, but the reason I post is to share what I feel is accurate information. Call that pretentious if you want but I think that's probably why all of us post in this forum.

[Taximom5]

Originally Posted by Rrrrrachel 

Uhhhh, neither did I? I was just wondering when it was made, because I missed it.

Uhhh, I didn't say you did? Hello, i don't post copies of pm's I receive--but if I think it's appropriate (and obviously, I did) I may respond to them publicly, without calling out the pm-er.

I do hope that's okay with you.

And now can we please get back to the subject of the thread? Or do you guys feel the need to continue personal attacks and questioning my honesty? If so, please either use the handy little "flag" button, or take your personal issues with me to pm.

[Imakcerka]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

Imakcerka...I have seen posters on another forum urge members to come on here and "set them right" about vaccines.   It was not the forum Taxi posted.  Some are here.  Oh......And they might not be copying and pasting "pat phrases" but they are copying and pasting.  

I know some people are OK with it  - but I am not.

Can you imagine someone on the homebirth forum, for example, urging someone to go to another message board (like ivillage) and urging them to explain to the parents how misinformed they are to be considering a hospital birth?  How self-righteous!

Do I think most posters are genuine?  Yes, I do.  I am not naive enough to think everyone is.  Do I think those who cut and paste and are urged here by other posters on other forums are genuine?  Somewhat.  I do not doubt they believe in vaccines.  I also do not doubt they are pretty scuzzy.

Edited to add:  if anyone is genuinely curious about what site I am speaking of, pm me.  

Why didn't she go to the mods?  Why did she post it in this forum?  Almost as if she's trying to discredit anyone who has a differing opinion. 

No it's not right to go on a forum just to be a jerk but if her goal is to try to discredit everyone that opposes her position she's grade schooling it all the way. 

[Rrrrrachel]

Jeepers, I was just asking. "it was in a pm" is sufficient, really. No one is questioning your honesty or attacking you personally.

[stik]

Seriously, you're going to bring in your personal messages now? Did someone pm you to say "ooh, you caught me! I'm really a shill for Big Pharma"?

You know what, go for it. If you have, in your PMs, the names of 500 MDCers who are in the employ of nefarious drug companies, post them. Post them all. Dish. I'm on a deadline PLUS I have lessons to plan. It'll keep me awake. Anything In your pm box that you feel is important for the broader community to know, I will be happy to read.

[AbbyGrant]

      Quote:

Originally Posted by Taximom5 

And now can we please get back to the subject of the thread? Or do you guys feel the need to continue personal attacks and questioning my honesty? If so, please either use the handy little "flag" button, or take your personal issues with me to pm.

I thought we were discussing the subject of the thread which was you accusing people here of being sock puppets/shills of big pharma who are engaged in a conspiracy to bring down the anti-vax movement.  And I already used the handy red flag button to report your OP, but in the mean time, let's discuss. 

[Imakcerka]

Taxi you should know, just because we disagree on the vax issue doesn't mean we shouldn't be here.  Lots of us have really benefited greatly from friendships we've made here and the great advice we have gotten on the other forums hosted on MDC. 

Honestly I think this is just a bad judgement call on your part. 

[Super~Single~Mama]

I'm personally shocked and horrified that you are 'shocked and horrified' to find that this actually happens. You have accused many of us vaxers and believers in science of being trolls many many times. Before you posted this nonsense. And been called out on it by mods. Publicly. Maybe they will finally ban you from posting here? I think if anyones a troll it's you.

[BeckyBird]

So, do you think sockpuppets are fictional conspiracy theories? They are not.

Taximom was simply pointing out something she found on another site. I don't see the problem with that.  If you found evidence of a non-vaxxer sockpuppet on a vax board, you would probably say something.

Depersonalization on the net...

"Here's something you may also want to consider: the belief that some of the people in your life are not real, and therefore don't "count" is known as depersonalization."

Do some of you depersonalize the mothers here? Mothers who talk about their child's vaccine reaction?

The way I see it--most vaxxing moms don't want to hear online negative vaccine anecdotes (which is a form of depersonalization), and non-vaxxing moms often wonder who is "real" and who is a shill. Since shills/sockpuppets do exist, you know.

Can't really trust anyone on the internet, I guess. This is a tough one.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Beckybird - there are also non-vax shills. They don't get paid, but they exist. Maybe on my lunch tomorrow I'll try to find you some proof.

[Imakcerka]

And when someone comes on just to troll a board they need to be reported.  And then the Mods can take care of it.  As they have so many other times. 

[AbbyGrant]

     Quote:

Originally Posted by Super~Single~Mama 

Beckybird - there are also non-vax shills. They don't get paid, but they exist. Maybe on my lunch tomorrow I'll try to find you some proof.

I am certain there are anti-vax shills that stand to profit financially from promoting certain ideas.

[slmommy]

Originally Posted by Super~Single~Mama 

I'm personally shocked and horrified that you are 'shocked and horrified' to find that this actually happens. You have accused many of us vaxers and believers in science of being trolls many many times. Before you posted this nonsense. And been called out on it by mods. Publicly. Maybe they will finally ban you from posting here? I think if anyones a troll it's you.

non/sel/del vaxers are not "believers in science?"

In the thread you are referring to where taxi was asked to clarify/apologize, I believe mod also implied YOU do the same, to which you never did.

I don't know much about the OP of this thread... I don't go to these sites. Another poster here did bring up a similar issue she saw on a pro-vax site a few weeks ago.

[AbbyGrant]

Originally Posted by BeckyBird 

So, do you think sockpuppets are fictional conspiracy theories? They are not.

Taximom was simply pointing out something she found on another site. I don't see the problem with that.  If you found evidence of a non-vaxxer sockpuppet on a vax board, you would probably say something.

Depersonalization on the net...

"Here's something you may also want to consider: the belief that some of the people in your life are not real, and therefore don't "count" is known as depersonalization."

Do some of you depersonalize the mothers here? Mothers who talk about their child's vaccine reaction?

The way I see it--most vaxxing moms don't want to hear online negative vaccine anecdotes (which is a form of depersonalization), and non-vaxxing moms often wonder who is "real" and who is a shill. Since shills/sockpuppets do exist, you know.

Can't really trust anyone on the internet, I guess. This is a tough one.

I think we all know there are trolls on the internet. I don't think anyone needs reminding.

And she didn't just point to something she found on another site.  She went further and said "I am highlighting some of that trolling advice, because it looks very much like some of the things we have seen recently at MDC, and I think it would be a good idea to keep this in mind when researching the vaccine decision."

[Imakcerka]

And again if it's an issue tell the mods rather than trying to create a witchhunt and discredit anyone who has a different opinion or belief.  It's never cool to go onto a forum just to poke at people.  She could have put it in the "I'm not vaxxing forum" but she put it here which makes it obvious what her intentions were. 

[Rrrrrachel]

I'm interested in what recent activity she thinks looks like this.