To Deaf UK members
I am writing to express concerns surrounding recent emails in Deaf UK, its moderation and actions that have been carried out and are continuing to be carried out by the current Deaf UK moderator.
Deaf UK was established in June 1998 by John Savva. The group was unmoderated at this time. Alison Bryan joined John Savva as moderator in late autumn 1998. Subsequent moderators after this time include Jen Dodds and Alison Hicking. Deaf UK was set up on the premise that it was intended to be a forum whereby it was Deaf space, space on Deaf people’s terms. At present it is being moderated by just one person.
I would like to raise the following points:
1) Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas have all been recently banned from Deaf UK, without members’ approval. The moderator took the sole decision to ban them. In the past, only one member has been banned from Deaf UK, and the decision to ban was made by poll. It seems, therefore, in 8 years, only one member was banned. However, in the last two weeks alone, four members have been banned, two of who were previous moderators. I therefore have concerns about the democratic process in which this decision was undertaken.
2) Whilst I appreciate that it is a big responsibility for one moderator to maintain a list with 2,594 members, there are some concerns that the current moderator is unable to maintain both his boundaries and ethics. Therefore I would like to propose that any personal grievances are taken outside the Deaf UK domain in future, and that Deaf UK is moderated by TWO moderators. The current situation makes members anxious about posting emails and the possibility of getting banned.
3) Despite repeated requests by members for a poll to be set up as to whether the group should be moderated or unmoderated, the sole moderator has refused this request. Section 19 of the Deaf UK Policy states that: “The moderator’s role is to oversee discussion, and act as a point of referral. It is not intended for the moderators to act as a nanny to this group.” Again no consultation or discussion has taken place with members. The most democratic way to do this would be to set up a poll and put personal grievances aside.
I therefore suggest polls on the following issues:
a. Moderation
i. Deaf UK to be moderated (have all messages pre-approved by the current moderator); or
ii. Deaf UK to be unmoderated (but new members need to have messages pre-approved for a specified length of time).
b. Banned members – Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas should all be reinstated as members of Deaf UK. If the moderator continues to have issues with their membership, then a full explanation should be given, and debate allowed:
i. Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas to be banned; or
ii. Alison Bryan, Jen Dodds, Joseph Gwynne-Jones and Tony Nicholas to remain members of Deaf UK with all privileges enjoyed by other members.
I would very much like the moderator to adhere to my request and to see the polls set up, with a deadline imposed for members to respond.
Rob Wilks
Wow, that is some post……… I don’t know what to say.
Just to let you all know, my post to Deaf UK was rejected. I am very disappointed about this, but what can I do? At least my take on the situation is on my blog for all to see.
It’s nice of you to say this Rob, but honestly you are just wasting your time – It’s not Deaf-UK anymore – it’s Savva-UK now, where all posts are approved as long as it meet Mr Savva’s approval. If it’s not what he like, no matter how reasonable you are as you was in your blog post above, it does not matter – he will deny it.
The irony is – Mr Savva publically decleared that he believes in freedom of speech on Deaf-UK.
Yes as long as it’s Freedom of Savva-Speech.
Why don’t you reprint the rejection notice?
Done.
That is interesting ….but at the end of the day, we will see some reconcilation. I believe for now the Deaf UK group is not too controlled, but certain issues are best discussed with smaller groups rather than to everyone.
We need DeafUK and I would hate to see actions causing it to close.
Thanks
Penny
Deaf-UK not too controlled?
Then please explain why at least three members have been banned for breaking NO rules according to Deaf-UK policy.
All those three members did not swear.
All those three members did not abuse anyone.
All those three members did not mock the Deaf
All those three members did not break a single rule according to Deaf-UK policy.
Yet John Savva saw it fit to ban them all. And block all emails that questioned this action.
Without freedom of speech, it will never become a free place for the Deaf. Deaf-UK is dead unless it’s unmoderated and people allowed to express whatever they feel regardless of what a single person may think.
I’m banned, so are 3 other known people. There is no justification for banning, and is not in line with policy. There is absolutely nothing in the policy that John could use to ban 3 out of these 4 people.
People aren’t allowed to speak their mind. Now I’m being told “Deaf UK is not too controlled”. Way off the mark, there’s a lot of angry people out there. People are being denied a voice, thus going to any means to get this voice. This is the same with any oppressed group, existing alongside a dictator.
John / Betty have already come to the conclusion that Jen and I were responsible for sending those e mails (in his name) to DUK, which is not the case. So many assumptions and conclusions are drawn, without any evidence, that it amounts to libel. It was done independent of me.
Deaf UK is no longer a valuable resource, because key people who have posted there, and even built up that list, can no longer do so. How can it be a valuable resource if you are banned? To support with such statements, is to endorse oppression.
Up to this stage, I’ve held back from commenting in the interests of personal issues. However, I wonder how many of us are being paternalistic here? No matter what personal issues you have, it doesn’t give you the excuse to lash out at several people in public, unprovoked and for no reason at all (since those people had done nothing to you in the first place). Since I still do not know what I was meant to have done wrong in the first place (apart from John’s expectation of me to *work whilst travelling / sorting out major family issues, and do it now cos I’m impatient*). I don’t have anything to apologise for, thus I don’t know what people expect of me?
For the record, the posts Rob made here was in conjunction with someone else (not listed as the 5 people mentioned). I did not know of this letter, and subsequent posts, until it had been written, likewise other people. I said back then it was a waste of time, and I was focusing on other things.
I’m pointing this out, because there’s a lot of paranoia re some great mastermind here. People are individuals, and doing things on this off their own back.
John Savva has completely lost the plot! He has blocked message from me as well as other people too. I think we need to take some kind of action against him. Let us march in central London and petition the prime minister!
Why was my post deleted?!
Christof – think its in another thread here:
http://www.robwilks.com/blog/?p=315
Jen did a vlog on this:
http://www.grumpyoldeafies.com/2006/12/the_state_of_things.html
Ah, my mistake – thanks Alison!! Duh!!
Not only you lot are banned,Rob post been rejected as so have mine.
I am under moderation and i wonder how many people know if they are under moderation?
Include me as well!
I’ve post a reply supporting to your posting at See Hear Forum about See Hear’s interview with Dictator John Savva.