I dont like to say this, but she's been bullying me for a while now. And tonight was just the last straw. Please go tell her "stop being a butthead" guys. I cant stand it anymore
YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK TWICE ABOUT POSTING A CALLOUT.
It’s no surprise that Tumblr has grown quite comfortable with its callout culture. What you may not know is that the post you’re reblogging, whether you believe it’s justified or not, can be illegal. This post, however, is not to determine who is right or wrong in the situation, but more a guide on how to deal with such posts and what risks you might run into.
It’s no doubt that callout posts have indeed help saved our community from scammers, predators, and etc, but, what you may think is justified may not be justifiable by law. Whether you think it’s silly or not - what you say on the internet can cause harm to another human being or multiple at that. It is expected by searching the internet to see the casual gray faces making crude remarks while trolls looking for a reaction. Here are some of the few things that can be considered a crime with online callout posts:
Harassment i.e. you won’t leave someone alone
Menacing behavior i.e. you write something that may scare someone
Threatening behavior i.e. making someone believe you’re going to hurt them
Grossly offensive comments i.e. saying outrageously nasty things about a sensitive issue
What does ‘grossly offensive’ mean though? And what counts as ‘sensitive’? The truth is no one really knows right now. While one person might get away with saying shocking things, another could end up in court when the law cracks down to make a point. This is why you need to be careful.
You don’t have to agree with these laws and may think they’re the dumbest thing ever. Many think you should be able to say whatever the hell you like online. We live in a free country, right? Also, people get away with saying horrific stuff online all the time. Why can’t you?
The trouble is the law is constantly changing and you don’t want to suddenly become a test case. The reality is you have no idea if your tweet is the one that’s picked up on.
“Just because you didn’t know the law, doesn’t mean the law will treat you any differently if you break it,” says David. “What people need to realize is that social media is not a safe place and getting a criminal record could destroy your future career.” - themix.org
WHEN IS IT OKAY TO CALLOUT ANOTHER PERSON?
As you can imagine it’s not your position to decide when you can participate in slander. If you would prefer a safer and legal way to resolve the situation make sure to contact the person first. Print Screens and proof of text messages and etc will not justify a callout post any more than someone who doesn’t have the same amount of proof. At the end of the day callout posts are always seen as “they said this and they said that” which can be damaging if there's an actual serious case.
If you believe that someone has committed an act against the law and a danger to the community than you’d best be contacting TUMBLR STAFF or if worse case scenario the police. As much as you might think your callout post is for the best as far as protecting the community it really only turns into another post and drama that will last for the day. This is not saying your post isn’t important, but if you feel it’s important matter it’s best to take it to someone who feels the same. Some people argue that it’s a way to warn the community, but others argue that most callout posts these days are not based on someone committing a horrible act or a crime, but more so people calling out others because they’re deeply offended while a majority might not have considered it crude at all.
WHEN CALLOUT POSTS ENCOURAGE BULLYING
Sure. You’ve seen it. When the #squad joins in after the post. What you might not realize that them adding in support can fuel a bigger fire. If you tag / send hate to a person because you believe they’ve done what the callout post says let me tell you that you’re part of the problem. It’s one thing to handle things with maturity and grace, but when others get involved and start to participate in the slander it can fall on you and them. If someone has done something horrendous it does not give you the right to treat them the same way nor does it make you any better.
Even when the writer of a callout post has good intentions in mind, unfortunately, a multitude of people on the Internet do not. By making a problem public, you invite the commentary of millions of often anonymous users who may escalate the problem beyond the original poster’s intentions. This mob mentality encourages people to say things they often would not say in person. If at all possible, it is better to resolve issues privately before resorting to a call-out post.
WHY CALLOUT POSTS HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE COMMON
As stated above: Drama. It’s safe to say that most of the RP community enjoys a little drama and some people enjoy being the people to feed the craving. It seems everyone has an opinion and if someone disagrees it’s easier for them to @ you then to come to you in private & talk about it. What people might not realize is how damaging these callouts are and what tension it brings to the community. I also believe that the line of what to call people out on has widened as some people have pushed the line of calling out people on ships and portrayals. People need to ask themselves if their post is worth slander - if it is worth dragging another human being.
LETS AGREE TO DISAGREE
It’s obvious not all of us will handle things appropriately, but it’s a reason to try for now. As much as no one would believe that anything would go to court over up? the future is always changing and you really never know. However if someone has done something to be offensive, crude or mean then, by all means, you do not have to interact with them or agree, but do not put yourself in harm's way even if you feel you’re doing the right thing.
One sentence you make can change a callout post into a form of harassment. I don’t expect this post to stop call out posts altogether, but I will hope that others will take a second look or remove themselves from the keyboard for a moment and take a deep breath. Some people will argue this post saying that I'm saying that people should sit down and do nothing. However, that is not the case. What I am saying is that you can get in trouble and put yourself in harm's way when you’re blinded by thinking you’re right.
HOW TO HANDLE CALLOUT POSTS
If you’re writing them: make sure you’ve contacted the individual or group first before making such a post. If you feel you have enough proof or are willing to take the risk for slander than follow suit, but make sure to avoid crude language and false accusations in your post as it can cause damage later. Make sure that your heart is in the right place when making such a post it might be best to get a good night sleep and rest on it before burning bridges and causing a potential uproar.
If you’re in them: it’s been very rare when I’ve actually cared so much for a callout post or when I made sure to unfollow another person which usually was because of theft or they’ve done something I don’t agree with. If you feel that you haven’t done wrong or are innocent I would suggest talking to the other if you haven’t had prior and simply seeing if you could sort out the problem. If that doesn’t work then maybe the best way of handling it is by going to a lawyer or seeking out a legal way to deal with the post.
If you see them: Before you hit the reblog button make sure to actually read in full what you’re reblogging. Some or many people get mislead by PSA TITLES and among other things what is in the context. If you agree no one can stop you from your action, however, it could reflect badly on you. Simply make sure to know what you’re commenting on rather than throwing into the comment section to make a point.
