This is probably a good time to remind people of a few helpful things:

1) Please use hashtags like
#USPol
#USPolitics
so people can filter posts appropriately, especially those who are coming to the Fediverse for some kind of escape or relief. (Also proper capitalization is more readable by a screen reader.)

2) For newer people, please don't put an asterisk in words (e.g., Tr*mp) because then people's filters won't filter out the post.

3) We can also be using the Content Warning (CW) feature more as well, to give people warnings on triggering topics. (Newer members: that's one of the options when you create a post. You can put a descriptive line of your post and then people can choose to open your post or not.)

I know I could use some improvement on that end as well and I'll work on that.

4) Remember it helps to add alt text to all images including screen captures and cartoons in order to be inclusive of our poorly sighted and blind members.

5) If you are on the receiving end, please know that you can also add filters for words in your settings, even creating an entire "Politics" grouping of words that will either hide posts or completely leave them off your timeline, whichever you prefer.

Thank you all for considering my request.

@LoganFive good add-ins 👍

@LoganFive
The people who block the uncomfortable (not the nsfw), are the ones who most need to see the uncomfortable.

@Okanogen There are plenty of people who are seeing and experiencing terrible things already, who keep up with news regularly, but who also have a right to find a safe space to try to take a break from it.

@LoganFive
Like i dont?

@LoganFive Alt text is still missing from many screen captures, and cartoons. Please be considerate of poorly sighted, and blind, members.
N.B. AI alt-txt isn't as good as people think it is.

@Tooden I’ve tried to update this post, but it’s also mentioned on another post for newcomers as well. I hope it helps!

@LoganFive Thanks for the reminder! 🤦🏻‍♀️ I'm trying not to post about this right now but this reminds me that I probably should also be mindful about any “peripheral comments” I may make on, say, impacts.

@silver
It’s hard for me to remember too, but it’s nice to know people here care enough to try.

@danjones000 Good point. Post has been updated! Thank you!

@LoganFive Should we add these when replying, or are they inherited?

@swiftone A Content Warning post I believe also trickles down to comments, but if there's no CW, the hashtags from the original post do not affect the comments. So I recommend adding hashtags to your comments if they are also triggering in some way.

I hope that helps!

@LoganFive Perfectly, thanks!

@LoganFive Unfortunately today in particular people are starting to use more generic terms like "cabinet" and my filters aren't catching everything, with enormous mental health impacts as a result. Special scorn for people censoring certain words, as in "Tr*mp," which acts as a willful attack on those trying to avoid this.

@MisterMoo I honestly think that some people think that adding the asterisk IS a way to not see the full word and that it's supposed to help. Or it's possible that they themselves can't stand using the real name. But you're right, this is also helpful for people to know. I'll add it to my post. Hang in there.

@LoganFive I hope this gains traction, because I’m really close to just leaving Mastodon due to the stress of reading my own timeline.

@knightlie I understand and I'm terribly sorry.

Have you tried blocking certain key words? I know there may be a lot to block, but once you set something up with a lot of words, it should help a lot.
You can do this in your setting under the filter part. You can create a "Politics" filter and then add as many words as you want under it. It may not catch everything, but it should help. Again, sorry about all this.

@LoganFive I have a filter set up, but it would certainly make it much easier if people used hashtags, as there are folks I don't really want to block. Having said that, I guess it's a bit privileged to complain when there are people whose very existence is under threat. ☹️

@LoganFive Thanks I should remember to use them , ooops 🤦‍♂️

@MAJ1 I forget at times as well.

@LoganFive Thanks for the reminder, John.

@SnowshadowII 👍 I’m trying to be better about it too. And I know this is a hard time for a lot of us.

@LoganFive When I create a post I remember to add hashtags and always at the minimum #Politics. Replies however are another story.

@SnowshadowII
It’s weird because the CW affects the comments too. You would think we’d have a way to auto populate the hashtags from the post if we wanted. Idk.

@LoganFive Hmmmm. (thinking)_ it might be a suggestion for developers.