Read on Twitter
Happy Valentines Day to all pro-EU campaigners ...
whoever and wherever you are ....
This is a thread about love, hate and campaigning ...
and how we can be stronger together .....
whoever and wherever you are ....
This is a thread about love, hate and campaigning ...
and how we can be stronger together .....
I have seen several people I have campaigned alongside for 5 years say recently that pro-EU twitter is a difficult place to be right now
I agree. But it doesn't have to be....
I agree. But it doesn't have to be....
"Whatever it is, I'm against it"
I have thought hard about how to do this thread, without it coming out as a list of things I am against ...
Or sounding as if I have all the answers, which I don't.
None of us do.....
I have thought hard about how to do this thread, without it coming out as a list of things I am against ...
Or sounding as if I have all the answers, which I don't.
None of us do.....
Which is part of my point....
A lot of us have campaigned against #brexit for 5 years, and in that time we have had no one clear leader
We have had lots of knowledgeable and articulate people who have led parts of the movement
But no captain of the ship....
A lot of us have campaigned against #brexit for 5 years, and in that time we have had no one clear leader
We have had lots of knowledgeable and articulate people who have led parts of the movement
But no captain of the ship....
As a result of this, at times, the movement has broken into factions...
and sadly, factions are prone to fall out, blame and attack each other
Sometimes this can look like that fabulous film of the snowball fight that did the rounds recently ...
and sadly, factions are prone to fall out, blame and attack each other
Sometimes this can look like that fabulous film of the snowball fight that did the rounds recently ...
Unlike a snowball fight, Pro-EU factions attacking each other isn't harmless
In reality, it plays straight into the hands of people we are campaigning against
Totalitarians, the far right, Tory government, the racists, isolationists, etc via @YouTube
In reality, it plays straight into the hands of people we are campaigning against
Totalitarians, the far right, Tory government, the racists, isolationists, etc via @YouTube
Here is a not so fun fact
Some of the shadowy groups funding our opponents have donated large sums of money and paid people to get in amongst us and be disruptive
A figure of £2million was mentioned to me recently...
Some of the shadowy groups funding our opponents have donated large sums of money and paid people to get in amongst us and be disruptive
A figure of £2million was mentioned to me recently...
Divide and Rule
It works
Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense that they would try to derail the #remain movement by setting groups against each other
It works
Thinking about it, it makes perfect sense that they would try to derail the #remain movement by setting groups against each other
You can disagree without being disagreeable
Not suggesting here that there is "one best way" or we should all always agree with each other on how to campaign, what to do, which party or party leader to support ...
We can't & won't
But we don't need to be nasty to each other
Not suggesting here that there is "one best way" or we should all always agree with each other on how to campaign, what to do, which party or party leader to support ...
We can't & won't
But we don't need to be nasty to each other
"When they go low, we go high" Michelle Obama
In fact, disagreeing is often a good thing to do
But a suggestion is, that you say it once politely, then walk away
and do that even if the person you are talking to is being rude or aggressive already
In fact, disagreeing is often a good thing to do
But a suggestion is, that you say it once politely, then walk away
and do that even if the person you are talking to is being rude or aggressive already
A very small number of tweeters who identify as pro-EU are nothing but nasty and aggressive towards others
If a stroll through their timelines reveals 100% toxic content then steer clear, some are there solely to troll others
Life is too short
If a stroll through their timelines reveals 100% toxic content then steer clear, some are there solely to troll others
Life is too short
"Consider that you might be wrong"
Obviously, I don't mean about the EU!
There are all sorts of ways of campaigning, and many of us have used different methods to do so
Please respect what everyone else is doing, and has done
No one method or protest is more important
Obviously, I don't mean about the EU!
There are all sorts of ways of campaigning, and many of us have used different methods to do so
Please respect what everyone else is doing, and has done
No one method or protest is more important
You catch more flies with honey
A small point about abuse and name calling
Whether your target is a pro-EU person who you disagree with, or a leave voter...
No one ever changed minds by hurling abuse and calling their opponent names
It entrenches views
A small point about abuse and name calling
Whether your target is a pro-EU person who you disagree with, or a leave voter...
No one ever changed minds by hurling abuse and calling their opponent names
It entrenches views
"compassion for the conned, contempt for the conmen" James O'Brien
When publishing your thoughts on twitter (& you are publishing, this isn't a private place to kick a wall)
it is counter-productive to push people away, there is a difference between the liars and the lied to
When publishing your thoughts on twitter (& you are publishing, this isn't a private place to kick a wall)
it is counter-productive to push people away, there is a difference between the liars and the lied to
Unfortunately, there are some very bad actors out there!
People who pretend to be pro-EU in order to cause disputes and disruption ...
How can we find them, block them and get them out of our discourse without accidentally causing attacks on innocent people?
People who pretend to be pro-EU in order to cause disputes and disruption ...
How can we find them, block them and get them out of our discourse without accidentally causing attacks on innocent people?
In the last few weeks I have seen pile-ons organised against some very good people
A suggested code of conduct
Do not (re)tweet the names of accounts to block, nor join in public attacks about other activists. How would you feel if it was a discussion about you?
A suggested code of conduct
Do not (re)tweet the names of accounts to block, nor join in public attacks about other activists. How would you feel if it was a discussion about you?
If you must do this, perhaps set up a Direct Message (DM) group to do it..
But do temper this with the thought that real lives have been threatened by unfounded attacks
Please try to be grounded in reality/seek evidence
Remember, harassing others on twitter breaks the rules
But do temper this with the thought that real lives have been threatened by unfounded attacks
Please try to be grounded in reality/seek evidence
Remember, harassing others on twitter breaks the rules
The only people authorised to police Twitter are Twitter...
and the police...
So any other group advising you to block or report other accounts may not be giving you good advice
The responsibility is yours, report things that upset you, not things that others tell you to.
and the police...
So any other group advising you to block or report other accounts may not be giving you good advice
The responsibility is yours, report things that upset you, not things that others tell you to.
So, having talked about our opponents, what about our friends?
How do we find people to follow, decide who to trust and not be sidetracked?
In October 2018 I was the 1st person in the UK to use and promote #FBPE and I did this for reasons which are still valid.....
How do we find people to follow, decide who to trust and not be sidetracked?
In October 2018 I was the 1st person in the UK to use and promote #FBPE and I did this for reasons which are still valid.....
Yes - we need to build our followers and our collective voice
Yes - we need to find other like minded people to follow and retweet
But we don't and shouldn't slavishly follow everyone who follows us..
It is still a choice. The PE stands for Pro-EU
Yes - we need to find other like minded people to follow and retweet
But we don't and shouldn't slavishly follow everyone who follows us..
It is still a choice. The PE stands for Pro-EU
Check that people using this tag are pro-EU
for eg that they are tweeting more about EU issues than about the followers they are gaining
Select new followees from people who are sending out good tweets on this issue...
for eg that they are tweeting more about EU issues than about the followers they are gaining
Select new followees from people who are sending out good tweets on this issue...
A heads up /reminder, tweeting lists of twitter handles with scant other content, is regarded as spam by twitter. It artificially inflates mentions and fills timelines with meaningless lists of people that many of us follow already. The rules are here: https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/platform-manipulation
One last point, I am always wary of people who are seeking followers, who openly admit that they have lost an account
I have to ask myself, why did they lose the account?
There are 2 main reasons for this
1) They have lost a PW and been locked out
2) They have been banned
I have to ask myself, why did they lose the account?
There are 2 main reasons for this
1) They have lost a PW and been locked out
2) They have been banned
If you have got tied in knots with email, phone number etc and locked out - best to say so
If twitter have banned an account, then exactly like Mr Trump the person shouldn't be here. Simple as that
The rules apply to all of us.
If twitter have banned an account, then exactly like Mr Trump the person shouldn't be here. Simple as that
The rules apply to all of us.
A kind, friendly, constructive pro-EU twitter, in which people respect each other and discuss things pleasantly, will be one which is visited by more pro-EU activists.
Activists who talk about the issues, highlight them and help make others aware of them
Activists who talk about the issues, highlight them and help make others aware of them
A place interesting enough to get activists come here, not drive them away in annoyance & frustration with in-fighting
That in turn will help our voice grow & thwart bad actors trying to divide and turn us to hate
I may, of course, be wrong. I have considered that
Ends
That in turn will help our voice grow & thwart bad actors trying to divide and turn us to hate
I may, of course, be wrong. I have considered that
Ends
