this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2025
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I get it. There's some real jerks around here. Whether they're constantly argumentative, downright rude, always acting in bad faith, just plain trolls, overly opinionated on every subject, have the social skills of a Nausicaan, or whatever - the Fediverse is growing, and it's bound to attract toxicity in one way or another.

This post is mostly a PSA for anyone who's feeling like leaving because they're tired of dealing with things like that. I've been there several times myself, I know exactly how you feel, and I'm tired of seeing good people harassed off the platform.

Just remember that blocking is a very powerful way to stay in control of your experience. Be it a set of users, me specifically, a list of keywords, a whole community, or an entire instance: if it's causing you nothing but stress, hit that block button and see if that improves your experience here. Unlike the alien site, there is no limit to the number of entities you can block; you're in control.

Another thing to keep in mind is different instances have different vibes, and the experience can totally differ depending on the instance's moderation and federation policy.

In conclusion, your experience here can be what you make of it; don't be afraid to just block the parts that stress you out. You're not "creating an echo chamber" as everyone likes to say (often in bad faith) -- you're just taking care of yourself.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

In conclusion, your experience here can be what you make of it; don’t be afraid to just block the parts that stress you out. You’re not “creating an echo chamber” as everyone likes to say (often in bad faith) – you’re just taking care of yourself.

We really, REALLY need to de-stigmatize blocking people. Bad-faith concern trolls have successfully convinced people that "choosing not to interact with someone" is akin to censorship and also bad for us because what do you MEAN you don't want to be disrespected by a complete stranger? Are you creating an echo chamber by preferring to be with people who are nice to you?!?!?!?

Like. No. Fuck off. That's not how it works in real life. We're not friends. We're not even co-workers for me to be stuck having to be polite to you even if you're an asshole.

You're a complete stranger and you're saying rude shit at me (or even at other people with me bearing witness), at best I'll walk away because I don't need that shit, at worst I'll call you a wanker and hit you in the face.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

By all means, use the block feature to remove stressors if it helps.

For me personally, unless someone is actively haranguing me in DMs I'd rather not block them. Sure people can place comments that get me riled up. Or sometimes they seem downright hostile. Maybe they're having a bad day, you can't say. But it goes both ways, if I'm tired or having a bad day I could be misinterpreting people's comments and blocking them for no reason.

If a comment is so bad/rude it becomes rule-breaking I'd rather report it and have a moderator tell them off, it might be a valuable lesson for them or if they are repeat offenders the mods can dish out appropriate punishment. This keeps the instance and community in question healthy.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I have blocked 264 users, 9 communities and 4 instances and it's made Lemmy much better for me toxicity wise. Whenever a debate gets toxic or someone starts just insulting or discussing in bad faith or I just get a bad vibe from them - I block.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I'm with you in spirit if not numbers. My experience with hexbear users led me to blocking the whole instance, and I regularly block people I don't even converse with based on how they treat other users or other topics. If someone has such a bad take on topic A, I don't care about their possible opinions on topic B and C in the future.

I get the argument of echo chamber isolation, but most of the things I'm willing to block people over are also things that I won't be changing my mind about because of a forum post.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Thanks for reminding the people arguing with me, personally im going to just let them deal with me

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

I never thought I needed to block any user, because, you know, I'm a big kid and I can handle any of the dirty words. Turns out, there are just reavers out there in space with their cores exposed just letting the hatred and radiation wash over them. I have all this empathy and I know they were once people and maybe they can be redeemed, but no. They are reavers. Block and move on with caution.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

I've blocked communities and instances that don't speak English, ones that have absurd ideological basis (anarchy supporters), and occasionally people who just say really dumb things, a lot.

I vastly prefer encouraging blocking over censorship/moderation. If someone is being an asshole, having the ability to say it, vent those feelings for a moment, then readjust is a catharsis that's been nearly outlawed especially on platforms ~~on~~ like TikTok.

Obviously not everything should be permitted and everything has its limits, but the internet seems to over correct things into a passionless husk of forced friendliness. To shove people into forming a facade that feels like a shrinking cage. Sterile.

Curating my own experience has been invaluable and I highly encourage it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

absurd ideological basis (anarchy supporters)

I am not a community but can you please add me to your list

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

This wasn't an open invitation for everyone to out themselves but sure, take care.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Blocked for calling anarchists absurd.

That is a dumb take and you could look it up on Wikipedia if you cared and iota to read many influential anarchist authors e.g. Kropotkin or Grabber, but trying to prove wrong every wrong person on the internet I'd never have time for myself so I'm moving on.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Obligatory this isn't an airport you don't have to announce your departure joke.

I've never shyed away from arguing with anarchists but this is already resolved so thank you? The enlightened anarchist simply has no time for the meager law loving peasants.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Filters are nice too, if you're here for escapism rather than news.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I tried filters on other platforms, the results weren't that good. Yes, you blocked a word, but people often use images with text for some reason, and filters don't work with them.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

How do you do this - I think I need this

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Musk agree with this, filters work wonders.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Currently, only lemmy apps support keyword filtering. But on lemmy 1.0 we're going to get proper keyword filters :DDDD

https://github.com/LemmyNet/lemmy/pull/5263

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Wait, were not even on 1.0 yet?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Nope. Latest version is 1.19.11 but next should be 1.0

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I'm only here for politics about to put "puppy" on my filter

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

honestly too much cute shit weirdly ruins it, like loops is all peoples pets and im over it

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Better put owl and cat on there too while you're at it

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

Your filter list is very similar to mine. Makes a hell of a positive change.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Make sure to also report the people you see being toxic, astroturfing, or downright attacking users. Many instances have policies against this and reporting them will increase the likelihood they'll be dealt with, in some cases permanently.

This is something that should be discussed more since blocking is not a moderation function that makes the platform better, it's a tool for people to pretend the problems don't exist. I'm not a fan of pretending issues don't exist, especially since I'm a mod and that would be insanely counter-productive.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Oh, yeah, that goes without saying. Report anyone whose behavior warrants it. I'm just mainly reminding people that blocking can be a way to take control of your experience. It took me a while to fully appreciate the block button and get over my FOMO (in the earlier days of Lemmy, blocking even a few people would cut down the amount of content drastically; thankfully that's no longer the case).

Semi-specific (but still intentionally vague) example for "block" candidates are some accounts that even the mods are like "Look, I don't like them either, but they're not breaking any rules". But, in general, just don't be afraid to block what or whoever stresses you out.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Block is useless on lemmy. They can still cause a nuisance. Just becuase you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there..

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago

It's nice not having to look at Blaze or some of the other trolls at least.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago

The point of my post is protecting one's own mental health. I'm not here to police the Fediverse. Report people if it's warranted, block if they're a source of stress or make the place unenjoyable.

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