21/04/2023
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
I sincerely believe that there are too many Groups & Pages on Facebook which run very close to violating the basic tenets of Freedom of Speech.
This is either as a result of the administrators of these groups being afraid of Facebook's "community standards", or more often, administrators devising rules which are over pedantic.
Now, I know these groups & pages are private platforms, but how can they possibly serve the community if they are sanitised to the point of being ineffective?
For example; some of these groups exclude all "negativity". In other words, if you find a business or service that they advertise unsatisfactory, you are not permitted to say so.
To me, this is entirely counter-productive.
Of course, I fully support rules which exclude political, religious and sexual commentary on community forums, but when you are not even allowed to criticise your local supermarket for an obvious failing, then the group becomes nebulous to the point of being disingenuous and pointless.
And, dare I say it, WOKE!
Now, here is a tale about the worst kind of administration you can imagine.
This week I launched a new Facebook site called HOWICK UNCAPPED.
By design it will be a normal business promotion and discussion forum, but in my description of the group I made it clear that it will not be pedantically administrated like some local groups.
I tried to advertise this group on as many local Facebook groups as possible, including HOWICK BUZZ SA, and for my trouble have been personally removed from Howick Buzz by their administrator, Derrick Dos Santos.
Now, Derek Dos Santos is a nice guy, but he has made the mistake of assuming that my feelings about the overadministration of some groups is aimed directly at him and Howick Buzz.
So he has removed me from the Howick Buzz group, NOT because I broke any of the group's rules, but because I created a similar group, in the description of which I pass the opinion that I believe some groups and pages are a bit petty and pedantic when it comes to administration.
I am certainly NOT referring specifically to his group.
I believe that in doing this, he has lost all objectivity, and is putting his own feelings and pride ahead of the community his group is designed to serve.
Partisan politics at its worst.
A bit like the ANC government really.
To make matters worse, my partner, Leigh MacMillan, who runs an avocado distribution business called AVOlanche, has now also been arbitrarily banned, and her business, for no reason at all.
I have nothing to do with her business other than I help her with her marketing.
So Derrick Dos Santos is punishing her because he is angry with me.
If that is not the most petty, childish act of administration, I don't know what is.
He is effectively punishing his own members because her product is very popular and the public like to know where it is available.
I'm not an unreasonable man, but I do believe that Dos Santos's actions are a disgrace to the community.
Peace! 😍
DON CLARKE -The Crutchmullet.
