Very good article in the telegraph.

It is behind the paywall so you might struggle to read it. But if you can, it's not bad actually it's quite good  I recognise a lot of myself while reading it  

...... 

I have autism and ADHD. Finally I understand why I have no friends 

Okay, now I am being frustrated. It seems that Forum site will not allow me to paste a link to a national newspaper website.!! if you go on the telegraph website and paste that title you should get it. 
Harumph. 

  • Hi everyone

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the moderation action I took yesterday. I want to acknowledge that I could have handled the situation better and I’m sorry that this has caused hurt and damaged trust in the Online Community

    To be fair, the acceptance of 'I could have handled better' is a rare from any 'authority', and should be applauded ... Although I agree with the general sentiment expressed around the censure 

  • What the hell is going on with the people running this forum?! So weird. I don’t like it. 

  • From Sharon's post this seems to have been taken on board

    I'm a little concerned that there needed to be protest before realisation set in though.  Clearly they thought it was okay to have this agreed procedure, and that is worrying. 

    I worry about the decision making process that leads them to these rules in the first place. 

  • I do wish that the person who spotted the transgression had either dropped me a message, or commented that it was a breach - allowing me time to remove the post - rather than to be quick to report and so draconian.

    From Sharon's post this seems to have been taken on board:

    Moving forward, in situations where a post may breach the rules but doesn’t pose a risk of harm to the user or others in the community, moderators will contact the poster privately first, before taking further action.
  • I've already given my opinions to this via email and earlier in the thread but I'm grateful that common-sense seems to have prevailed this time. 

    The more rules a forum has, the more danger that someone may breach them.  It should be quite obvious whether someone has done so intentionally, or by accident.

    There's a big difference between someone who posts content that is clearly spam, or uses the forum when underage - or advocates harm to others on one hand - and someone who inadvertently copies and pastes something for the greater good on another.

    To the letter of the rules it is wrong, and doubtless the NAS fear a lawsuit - or a solicitors letter from the Telegraph. 

    However, we are mostly all Autistic people here, and I keep coming back to the fact that I thought I'd joined a community, not returned to school.  I didn't realise I was in danger of exclusion for posting this, and I am reminded of the saying 'no good deed goes unpunished' as it seems apt.

    Nobody is perfect - even an Autist.  As I've said now three times, I do wish that the person who spotted the transgression had either dropped me a message, or commented that it was a breach - allowing me time to remove the post - rather than to be quick to report and so draconian.  It does make you think of the motivations behind that kind of action when there are always more decent alternatives. 

  • We’re also in the process of creating a survey to gather feedback from Online Community users about all aspects of the forum, including the rules and how moderation is handled. Your input will help us make meaningful improvements.

    This is a good initiative.

  • Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the moderation action I took yesterday. I want to acknowledge that I could have handled the situation better and I’m sorry that this has caused hurt and damaged trust in the Online Community. 

    This kind of feedback is invaluable. 

    Thank you Sharon.

  • Hi everyone

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the moderation action I took yesterday. I want to acknowledge that I could have handled the situation better and I’m sorry that this has caused hurt and damaged trust in the Online Community. 

    Moving forward, in situations where a post may breach the rules but doesn’t pose a risk of harm to the user or others in the community, moderators will contact the poster privately first, before taking further action.
    We’re also in the process of creating a survey to gather feedback from Online Community users about all aspects of the forum, including the rules and how moderation is handled. Your input will help us make meaningful improvements.
    We highly value the Online Community and it would not be such an amazing resource for autistic people and their families without all of you. Please do email us on communitymanager@nas.org.uk if you have any questions, suggestions or concerns. We are keen to listen and improve.
    Thanks again,
    Sharon Mod
  • I was just speaking to someone away from the forum about it - and the article itself.

    We were saying that it was a shame that the author didn't see fit to share with the wider Autistic community rather than go to the Telegraph - possibly accept a fee - and stop many Autists from seeing the piece who didn't have a subscription. 

    If I had a story to tell, that hinged on greater awareness - I'd not wish to limit who read it. 

    And The Telegraph isn't even mainstream amongst media.  It all seems very odd. 

  • Sorry to hear that O and U, didn’t even think about that and not sure Daily Telegraph would be that concerned about such a trivial infringement. Seems very draconian to me….good word though draconian like to use it more often

  • I received an email telling me they'd deleted part of the post because I'd possibly breached the copyright of the Daily Telegraph.

    This was from the Community Manager whom I suppose ranks higher than the Mods. 

    I replied saying I didn't consider copyright when I did it, I was just being helpful.  I also asked them what the point was in deleting just a portion of what I'd copied - but no matter.

    It does make me wonder WHY whoever had spotted I had made this mistake - be it another member or a mod - couldn't have just alerted me.  I'd have just removed it.  So thanks very much to that individual.  It really makes a person feel at home here.  

  • That someone like you should be told this in a warning style, considering all the help you give on this forum, really saddens me.

  • I really feel it is repellent - in a forum set up for Autistic people to help one another - a community - that we should be spoken to in an authoritarian way by a functionary of a charity that says it is there to further OUR cause.

    I agree.

    I'm quite shocked actually and I'm pretty sure (but not certain) that this is a new thing.

    Ugh.

    and no, it won't encourage people to join and will discourage people from staying.

    Frowning2

  • I've never seen this before.

    Me neither.   However what I see is different mods writing different messages, and the email coming through from the Community Manager not always matching the tone of these messages.

    I really feel it is repellent - in a forum set up for Autistic people to help one another - a community - that we should be spoken to in an authoritarian way by a functionary of a charity that says it is there to further OUR cause.

    I repeat - a charity.   

    Can you see Autistic people all over the country reading statements like that and rushing to join up?  

  • Two minor breaches will result in a ban. Serious violations will result in an immediate ban without notice.] 

    I've never seen this before.

    So you WILL be banned from the forum by making a mistake twice. 

    exploding head

  • Out of interest, why could I not do that in the first place?

  • I can relate to a fair bit of this, although I have some really good friendships ... Most are a bit like me !!

  • Thanks O&U. It looks like it could have been written by one of our forum members. 

  • [Update from mods 11:08 25/04/25- this post has been removed at the request of its author.]