Dealing with trolls and nazis on your social media- a thread.

We as a band have had some negative attention from the far right, online only, as they never dare come to our shows. It has never deterred us, because of how we deal with them as it happens.

We are pretty trigger happy with the 'banhammer'- if anyone posts anything discriminatory, fascist, or makes bad faith attempts to 'debate' us, they get instantly deleted and blocked, and we make sport of how quickly we can get it done after it is sent or posted.

There is no reason to tolerate personal attacks, threats, racism, homo- and transphobia, weird conspiracy shit, or any form of oppression and fascism on your social media, at all. This isn't something we are here to discuss either,

it is something that has worked incredibly well for us, and something we have seen many, many, people mismanage and be badly affected by. We strongly advise this action to counter these far right tactics online.

1. What, about free speech? Firstly, I dont think anyone should have free reign to spread bigotry, racism or fascism ever.

Secondly, even if you do think they have that right, they have the whole fucking internet to do that on, cleaning up your own comments doesn't deprive anyone of anything, but it massively reduces the harm those comments can cause.

2. "Its funny to leave it there, they are so stupid". This sucks, it's not funny, and at night when you're alone getting called racist or homophobic slurs hundreds of times it's really hurtful and affecting.

Its also up there for trans people, queer people and people of colour to see, and to read over and over again; people's attempts to dehumanise them.

Famous punch bag Rich*rd Spenc*r has talked at length about the effectiveness of presenting these ideas as humour and using visible dog whistles.

There is also no point replying to them, they dont discuss in good faith and are as convinced of their ideas as you are of yours, nothing good comes from legitimising their ideas by engaging with them. They are worthless harmful trash.

3.A core tenet of antifascism, proven to be effective countless times throughout history, is DON'T GIVE FASCISTS A PLATFORM. Its not an idea that has any value or positive worth, so never needs to be tolerated. Delete everything you can at every opportunity, and curb it's spread.

4. Shitposting of this nature is intended to discredit and punish you into not speaking out again in the future. It isn't genuine debate or 'marketplace of ideas' nonsense, it's a tactic to hurt you, and a tactic you can put a stop to easily.

5. Abusive far right posts are a way to spread nazi propaganda, ideas that have been debunked elsewhere, many, many times. We don't need to see that happen again, and allowing it emboldens them.

They are cowards and are more likely to post if they can see that plenty of their fellow scumbags have already chipped in. They want to give the impression that they are larger in number than they are, and that you in fact are the one with fringe beliefs.

6. They are for the most part cowardly, powerless, and tragically, often children. They pose very little threat outside of a comment section, and once banned and deleted are rendered entirely harmless to you and those around you.

Fascism is all about power and control, if you take that away in this setting then you lesson its appeal, potentially reducing the number of possible recruits and the spread of those ideas.

Cleaning up your comment section is a really mentally healthy thing to do, and lifts a horrid weight off your shoulders.

You are not obliged to tolerate them, they don't have a right to say this to you or anyone else and you do the internet a great service by combatting this far right tactic.
As a good friend once said about this, you are free to stamp on the cockroaches in your own backyard!