First some background. Recently, a blogger (at Skepchick.org) started a campaign to inform movie theaters about the advertisements that SafeMinds was placing on their screens. The theaters decided to pull the advertisements. In response, SafeMinds, through their media outlet Age Of Autism and the AoA facebook page, launched a petty attack on Skepchick. The attack went beyond typical cyber bullying, with at least one comment that went beyond the pale. After many hours and much pressure, SafeMinds and Age of Autism edited many of the comments. They have now pulled the discussion entirely from their facebook page. An apology would certainly be in order, and I would appreciate it that if anyone knows of such an apology that they let us know here.
Even in absence of an apology, I would like to thank SafeMinds and Age of Autism for pulling the discussion. It only served to embarrass the autism communities.
Unfortunately, there is more fallout from the harsh response that SafeMinds and Age of Autism brought in response to the theaters’ decision to pull the advertisements. Liz Ditz at I Speak of Dreams reports that the theaters are now refusing actual public service announcements involving flu vaccines.
I wrote too soon. Looks like SafeMinds may have been forced to take down the discussion.
http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/12/hey-facebook-get-my-face-down/
Sadly enough, I do not think that SafeMinds or Age of Autism removed the discussion. I have reason to believe that it was pulled by persons at Facebook without the consent or approval of either SafeMinds or principals at Age of Autism.
Given that around 200 comments were posted (many deleted) and 5 1/2 days passed from the time they posted the picture of me and my daughter, and the fact that Kim Stagliano defended her posting of the picture, I’m guessing the post was deleted by Facebook and not deleted willingly by AoA in a moment of ethical enlightenment.
I’d imagine that a realization that they did something horribly wrong would result in at least a private apology.
Elyse Anders,
Thanks for commenting. Sorry for the abuse they’ve heaped on you and your kid.
There are at least two levels of mistake that safeminds and AoA might recognize.
First is a mistake that costs *them*. A Public relations mistake in this case.
Second is a mistake that hurts others. Of course these are tied together. The reason their mistake is hurting their PR is because it was a personal attack.
AoA is not motivated to correct inaccuracies. There are so many examples where they leave information they know to be incorrect up. I don’t recall them ever acknowledging an error. The closest they came was when they pulled their awful thanksgiving post which depicted people they dislike sitting down to a roast baby. They pulled that one, but never apologized.
Elyse Anders,
In their fund raising literature you will find that they plan to continue to…
I guess you and your kid are the target of SafeMinds’ thorns.
“I guess you and your kid are the target of SafeMinds’ thorns.”
Which says a load about how much integrity they have.