Global Chat regarding Current Events - ie virus talk

EMC is currently having a boom of global chat. While this is wonderful for the community, it is having a negative impact on some aspects.

When a discussion erupts over current events (virus talk) it can become heated quite quickly due to strong opinions and opposing views. This leads some of us to tuning out chat and ignoring everyone or to logging off entirely. This means that there is an issue that needs addressed.

Under 2 of the EMC rules, I believe that these discussions are required to be removed from community chat by the participants.
Rule 1 - Keep it family friendly = scary talk about death isn't friendly.
Rule 8 - Don't cause Drama = politics and Virus talk both fall under this category.

I would like to remind everyone that any public conversation should be moved to another chat channel if it continues more than several sentences (or replies) and that they mods should 'gently' remind everyone of this while we are getting used to the new Global chat.

If you need help with something, chat should not overrun and ignore you just because others are having a conversation.
You need help with turtles/bees? Ask chat.
You wanna talk politics/current events? Make your comment and move the chat to server channel or private channel.
Wanna talk hypixel? Go to hypixel, not chat about it on here.

Thanks.

I agree with this. I think that talking about the virus itself is fine in terms of family friendliness, but some of the things people are saying certainly isn't. I don't think we should ban or punish talk about the virus but definitely when things turn nasty or political or people spread false information/rumors which can be harmful, then that's time for interventions.

I do agree with this as we need to keep it family friendly.

I dont think anyone should be scaring anyone but this is a global issue that's now effecting everyone. I know this is a minecraft server but we are a community of people throughout the globe.

As for other people just generaly chatting on global chat. People are still trying to find our footing again (well i am) i want to explore 1.15.2 and i want to take everone with me (not literally lol)

Although it is a global issue, not all of us want to discuss it.
I play on here to have fun and to get away from all the talk about it. So having it argued about in front of me, stresses me out and will cause me to not play. Simple as that.

It does not deserve to be front and center on the chat all the time. I just want it taken to other, more private channels, where it is appropriate for the audience. Same goes for any other topic that people argue about, such as politics and religion, and that is why there are rules about these types of topics.

Well the topics like religion or politics are divisive and controversial by nature. I think it’s possible to have a civil conversation about coronavirus. Also, some people like to talk to and hear from a lot of people, to relieve stress on the topic. I’m all with you for shutting down discussions that get out of hand, I’ve certainly seen that, but I think it’s okay to allow as long as that doesn’t happen

Heh, from the title alone I thought this suggestion would be the opposite. But I see what you mean. I'm not sure what to do about it myself, though. If there's drama you can report it, but civil discussion should be allowed... and the different channels available are not for different topics, but for different levels of communication. I can imagine there are people that would like to discuss new COVID-19 regulations with everyone on.

From what I have seen, the mods don't all have the same idea on what should be handled and what doesn't need handled. Not gonna name names here. I would just like some clearer communication for when to suggest that a discussion needs moved off of the global chat and onto other, more private channels. Because it has happened several times when I have been on. The conversation turns into an argument over how bad it will get and how lethal - and that needs to be moved.

• Well you aren't taking this threat seriously and I could die from it!
• No, it's just like the flu. Just wash your hands. Not like it will burn up your brain or something.
• My grandparents catch it and they are dead, just like that. It is that simple. We are gonna die if we catch it.
• The numbers from flu from 1918 weren't really that bad, they didn't have medicine - so they all died. Not like it will be today.
• My brother has asthma and if he catches it, he will be a corpse in a week. And you aren't helping matters by saying it doesn't exist as a problem.
• It's the illegal immigrants trying to kill us all by making us sick.
• The plague killed everyone because of the rats. Just get rid of the rats and noone dies.

Those are all snipets that I have seen. They were all in heated arguments over the outbreak. While it may have started as a 'discussion' it did not stay there. Eventually the dramatic participants left. But there have been occasions where mods were asked about it and said 'There isn't any swearing or threats. It's just talk. Can't help'

I would like to see that type of talk taken to other channels that are not Global/Community. As it should be done with any other topic that is between a couple of parties and is in the way of community chat. If the parties don't listen and move the talk, they should be muted for 5 minutes to cool off. (or whatever Staff actually do for that)

I don't want anyone banned. I don't want anyone punished. I don't want anyone scared. I just want community chat to be ... a little more considerate to the age ranges, cultures, and backgrounds that we have here. The rules already say it and I would like it to be enforced -- in the same way -- by all the staff.
I imagine if 9/11 had just happened, there would be a similar amount of talk. We would not want any of that violence to be discussed in depth every time there was breaking news on tv.

I was watching a similar conversation to Katy's examples, and asked for help from a staff. Was told something along the lines of "I don't think there's anything political or controversial about corona".

In the current global climate, there's a lot of opinions. These conversations often turn political and grim very quickly. I would feel much better about chat if I knew all of staff was on the same page about the definition of that rule, and I want it enforced the way Katy is explaining.

(I have no hard feelings over the interaction I had with staff, and I probably could have explained then and there and gotten somewhere. But if we're having this conversation, then there's obviously a disconnect that needs solved at a larger level.)

I think knowing there is a 'universal' policy in place, at this point, is all that I need reassured of.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

These do sound like conversations that should be broken up or moved, if a stage is reached where such things are said! I'm glad that Krysyy seems to agree.

I agree. I used to have a lot of hypocondriac anxiety in the past and I still feel kind of uneasy when people start talking about this kind of thing. I'm sure there's other players who feel similarly.

I feel we should be allowed to talk about this but if it goes to far I would shut it down

Make Global chat a tune in, if you are;

/gc Gobal - You will see global messages only and send messages globally only.
/gc Global-Local - You will see server Global and Local messages, however global messaging will have priority.
/gc Local - You will see local messages only and can only send messages locally.
/gc Local-Global - You will see server Global and Local messages, however local messaging will have priority.

Tags would run according to which chat has priority.
G-C-U Global - Community - Utopia
L-C-U Local - Community - Utopia

G/L Would tell the user which global channel mode the message was sent or received in.

This should help.