This message was self-deleted by its author

[Stinky The Clown]

This message was self-deleted by its author (Stinky The Clown) on Wed Jul 27, 2022, 02:54 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. No. It's helpful to have links. The person asking might want a link to share with others.

[CatWoman]

2. not rude, per se

sometimes people just forget, as it happened to me a couple days ago

[Phoenix61]

3. I wouldn't think so.

Lots of time there’s additional links or sources in the original article.

[Hugin]

4. Yes, it's called sealioning.

[mcar]

12. Asking for a link is not sealioning

It's asking for a link to ascertain the accuracy of a poster's statement.

[Hugin]

13. First panel, second row.

Oh, and a link.

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sea-lioning#:~:text=Sea-Lioning%20is%20an%20Internet%20slang%20term%20referring%20to,perceived%20online%20discussion%20tactics%20employed%20by%20GamerGate%20supporters.

It's all in how a request for a link is made. Often, GD is confused with LBN.

[Ms. Toad]

23. There is a difference between asking for a link to support an opnion

and asking for a link to suport a purported fact.

The cartoon is about an opinion, not a fact.

I don't generally ask for links to support asserted facts unless I have provided facts, supported by links, and someone tells me I'm wrong (expressly - or by posting alternate facts) - without also providing any supporting documentation.

[Hugin]

30. Many of these replies state they are asking for a link because they would like to share...

If the request is made in a courteous manner stating exactly why, I don’t think I have ever seen it denied.

However the put up or shut up sensibly dampens original thought. Because, what? Nobody on DU is capable of having an original thought?

[irisblue]

61. Not all original thoughts are facts. Those are very different things

Yesterday I asked DemocratSinceBirth about RoJo & codifying Marriage Equality, OP gave me a source, I could then go that source and copy *that* info & send it to a Wisconsin friend. Callalilly gave me a second one later. I appreciated that both of them shared their sources

Facts matter, opinions matter.

[msfiddlestix]

70. Interesting back story to something I never heard of read about until just now.. ty

[USALiberal]

36. Lol, nope! Nt

[Hugin]

38. Got a link?

Otherwise you’re wrong.

[SYFROYH]

65. No. Backing up claims is proper etiquette.

[msfiddlestix]

67. I've never seen this before, I love it!

[Hugin]

81. ...

I knew you would.

[Pobeka]

5. Asking for a source is not rude, it's prudent.

We can all be victims of confirmation bias. We can also all make mistakes. I have seen more than one post where the poster missed important details in the original article or link. I'd rather have a link than not. If the poster is offended by the request for a link, I think that's cause for concern about the legitimacy of the original post.

[Sympthsical]

6. I always want a link

Too many times, someone is characterizing something they've read or selectively editing it in the presentation by omitting contradictory or contrasting details.

I want to read the source for myself before forming an opinion.

If I had a nickel for every article I read online that did not say what someone claimed it said, I could have my own mega millions drawing.

[msfiddlestix]

73. +1

[Jirel]

7. Nope. It should be required.

If you saw it, link it. Readers have no idea if someone’s interpretation of a story is anywhere near accurate. Or if that story comes from OAN or Borowitz. Not to mention, it’s useless as a means to get news if every dang story we’re having to track the source down.

Not adding a link is lazy and rude.

[PortTack]

8. I don't think it's rude at all. Whether I'm being asked to provide a link or I'm the one asking

[Shermann]

9. Context is everything

You've got your basic request for more information based on a genuine interest in the OP.

Then there's a respectful challenge to a claim which warrants such a challenge.

Then there's the troll-like challenges for links with no intent whatsoever to read them.

[msfiddlestix]

74. ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ n/t

[cilla4progress]

10. I try to include links.

Good hygiene.

[lpbk2713]

11. Some times I would like to know where or when something happened.

And it is not indicated in the post.

[MyOwnPeace]

14. As much as we love to bash.....

FAUX SPEWS and the MAGAts for providing NO facts/data/proof - I think it is GREAT that DU'ers ARE asking for 'facts/data/proof' - we dare not go into battle uninformed.

Ask away - if you 'say' it - 'prove' it!

[questionseverything]

15. I love links but can't post a link from my phone

I have had a couple people be really rude about that But most du people are great

If I feel it’s an important point, I get my laptop out to post the link

[ecstatic]

16. I don't think so. Someone might

be interested in learning more about the topic or maybe wants to make a snap judgment based on the credibility of the information source. Honestly, I think it's rude not to put the link, especially when quoting material, unless the topic is super, duper well documented.

[duckworth969]

17. No, it's not

I always prefer a link to a cut and paste.

I usually use the cut and paste to get started on the topic.

If I am intrigued for one reason or the other, I bop on down and hit the link.

It’s not that I doubt someone’s intentions. But I just want to be sure I’m getting the info straight from the source.

Just best practice, I think.

[NewHendoLib]

18. Not rude. Essential.

[Peacetrain]

19. I think a lot of times people want to read the link, just to read more in depth

about what we are posting..

[Joinfortmill]

20. Depends on how they ask. Some demand.

[Lars39]

21. One of my first DU memories

was of nothingshocksmeanymore asking me for a link for whatever assertion I’d made.

[Iris]

41. Same! It was educational for me and I'm grateful

[Lars39]

53. Yes! Very educational.

Especially since DU has always been ahead of mainstream news.

[Thtwudbeme]

76. :) I need to email her

I miss her so much on DU. I wonder how she's doing.

I always think of you when I think of seeing the giant bird in NC!

[Lars39]

77. Me?! What giant bird?

[Thtwudbeme]

78. I am sorry- I thought that was you that saw the giant bird in NC

Now I can't remember who it was- I have been on DU for over 20 years.

Sorry!

I DO miss NSMA!

[Lars39]

79. Heh, no problem!

My brain pan can’t hold and recall everything that’s happened here either.

[Towlie]

22. If I want to alert someone else to the matter then I like having a link to refer them to.

 
←

So in my opinion it's common courtesy for the one who posted the claim to save others the trouble of searching for the original source by providing a link to it.

[Torchlight]

24. If the assertion is formal, I'd like to see the link.

But if it's not immediately supplied, I'd just dig for the information myself as it's pretty easy to do, and a few clicks more in my life adds no real burden. If the assertion is informal via content or qualifier though, I'd think asking for such in bad form.

Doing message boards since the early 2000s however (which may be completely different from this place-- but not really I think), I think that in more cases than not, it boils down to the manner of the request. "Link or it didn't happen" or "Fix your link!!!" is just begging me to dismiss the questioner and hence, the question. A sincere, polite question/response is my basis of online engagement, and isn't a very difficult thing to infer.

[ripcord]

25. If nothing else a link provides a frame of reference of people interested

They might also find details the person recounting the incident may not have included or been aware of.

[FBaggins]

26. It's incredibly rude... or entirely civil... depending on the tone

Which, of course, you can only imagine in most cases.

Though many seem to think they can just sense.

Isn’t the internet fun?

[Demsrule86]

27. No I don't think so. Sometimes you want to read further or evaluare the source...not

all sources are equal. I believe you should post a link unless it is an opinion that you are writing.

[LiberalFighter]

28. A link provides more credibility for the poster.

[LiberalFighter]

29. There are some that only provide a link without any excerpts too.

[malaise]

31. Depends

sometimes you need a link, but some DUers can be very lazy

[dalton99a]

90. Yep, it certainly depends on who is asking

[highplainsdem]

32. It depends on what had been posted. If it's just an opinion, there's no reason

for a link.

If the post is meant as a statement of fact and other DUers aren't familiar with those facts, or have a different understanding of a situation, then there's nothing wrong with asking for a link.

And some people will post "Link?" and nothing else, which seems abrupt, but IMO isn't intended to be rude.

Sometimes people meant to post links but forgot, too. And it certainly doesn't hurt to remind them when that happens.

[ProfessorGAC]

83. Exactly My Thought

I was about to reply to the OP, but you wrote my post for me.

[emulatorloo]

33. I like links so I can read the whole story rather than snippets. I post links because I assume

other DU’er want to read full articles too.

[allegorical oracle]

58. Ditto. But have been knocked for posting links via MSN... so I go to the original source to check

if that story is behind a paywall or not. If it's not, I use the original source link. IMO, the news is more important than whether it's directly from the original source or comes second-hand, as long as it's verified as valid and credited.

[emulatorloo]

63. Same here, if I see something on Raw Story, I'll find the original article Raw Story quotes and

post a link to the original.

[Me.]

34. No

The info that can be posted is limited to 4 paragraphs and providing a link allows one to get the full story if they so wish.

[Skittles]

35. no, not rude

if there is a ink they should provide the link

[blogslug]

37. You know what's rude?

Telling members to just "google it".

[Iris]

40. Yes!

[Celerity]

43. +2

[Violet_Crumble]

52. This is even ruder....

I've been watching livestreams of cookers today, hence the search term

https://googlethatforyou.com?q=Do%20your%20own%20research

[USALiberal]

87. Well, googling probably answers 90% of the problems! Nt

[Torchlight]

92. lol ok! Nt

[USALiberal]

94. Lanternwaste, your back!! And removed your incorrect quote!!!

[Iris]

39. I've been here a long time and asking for a link was the norm

Actually, posting a link to back up what you said was the norm and if there was no link, someone would always ask.

Personally, I think it's helped this place avoid becoming a conspiracy theory rabbit hole.

[Celerity]

44. your 20th anniversary is in exactly 3 months, congrats in advance

[Iris]

45. Wow! 20 years!!!

Thanks!!

[Celerity]

47. I just looked it up, you joined the day Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash

[Iris]

85. Interesting. I'm sure Wellstone's death may have triggered my joining

But I always thought I joined closer to the 2000 election

[Spazito]

75. That's how I remember it as well...

If we were posting a fact, a link was expected while if it were an opinion, adding imo was a courtesy as well.

They weren't rules or anything but almost understood as a form of DU etiquette.

[Mariana]

42. It is not rude.

It is unreasonable to demand that people just believe everything that gets posted by randos on an internet message board. There's nothing wrong with asking for evidence for questionable claims.

[sinkingfeeling]

46. No, especially when the post is a tweet from some unknown person claiming knowledge

not easily verified.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

48. It's totally fine.

Especially if it's a news article.

[Lucinda]

49. In the early years it was standard operating proceedure

It was rare to see unlinked posts - unless they were opinion posts.
Many of us use the site to keep up with news, discuss varying positions, or collect resources to start our own reasarch...links are important

[tosh]

50. ...

[Hermit-The-Prog]

51. "I see this a lot." Do you have a link to prove that?

Ok, I never expected to get rich doing comedy, anyway.

Asking for a link may or may not be rude.
Here is a link that proves my position: http://endoftheinternet.com/

[betsuni]

54. I often quote from books, no links. I think everyone assumes I make it up, and

many people don't understand quotations. The " " things mean not MY words. It's weird.

[Hugin]

55. Yeah, this is a problem for those of us who have lives and draw on...

Resources and experience from outside of the “Internet” or more broadly the mainstream media.

I personally only expect the problem to get worse.

[betsuni]

57. Yes it will.

[Hugin]

59. Really...

It’s LBN creep. GD is for discussion, which may or may not include outside media.

DU has gone through cycles of this before.

[Novara]

56. Much needed

A lot of times I want to read the whole thing myself, not just someone's comments about it

I think it's kind of thoughtless not to provide a link and/or any context at all. Sometimes someone will post one statement and I can't tell what in the world it's in reference to or what they're trying to say.

Early in my career I had a boss who counseled me: "Write not so that you can be understood, but so that you can't be misunderstood." I do technical writing and have used that principle all my career (30 years).

[kentuck]

60. I prefer original thoughts.

I think many of the writers here on DU, mostly opinions, are brighter than most of the links requested.

That's just my opinion.

[MissMillie]

64. that's fair, but links can provide context

don't you think?

[kentuck]

66. Sometimes...

Unless, of course, you think the link may be giving the wrong perspective? Then, in my opinion, it is more interesting to give another perspective than the one linked to TV news shows or mainstream newspapers and their reporters. Just my opinion.

Much of the stuff is regurgitated baloney.

[DFW]

62. I think it depends entirely on how the request is made.

If a claim or assertion seems dubious, or even merely insufficient, one could always ask, „do you have any link(s) to further information on that?“ One could also post, „LINK????“

The second way might be just a wee bit more arrogant or offensive, but it does often seem to be a preferred method of making the request.

[kcr]

68. I think if the request is polite, it's okay

I've read posts without links where I would have liked to read the source itself. Sources such as articles tend to go into a little more detail and give more context than the OP provides.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

69. Verifiable fact and truth are the enemies of the RW, and RW trolls.

I have no problem whatsoever with folks asking for credible source information under many circumstances.

[demmiblue]

71. No. n/t

[karynnj]

72. If you are concerned, phrase the request in a way that is completely non threatening

Ie, That is something I did not know, do you have a link?

[BannonsLiver]

80. Hmmm

Is this about the poster who claims a family member got Covid and died 3 months before the first case was detected in the US? Because I had some questions about that as well.

[Kaleva]

82. Not rude at all. We strive for accuracy and facts.

Many times inaccurate or misleading news or tweets have been posted here. Links help fact check.

[Iris]

86. this

[Kaleva]

88. I think it is a courtesy to include links to sources...

that support one's argument.

[Caliman73]

84. I don't think it is rude. It isn't about believing or not to me at least. It is about source...

A link to the source from which you obtained information provides a deeper context, which can create better discussion.

When people give their opinions about a situation, like "I really like candidate/politician/etc.. X, because (states reasons)" people do not typically ask for a link.

It is when people are making a claim, or a statement of fact, that other want to see the context.

[Kaleva]

89. It would help if the poster made clear they were expressing an opinion.

and not making a statement of fact.

[Caliman73]

93. I agree.

My posts tend to be longer, typically because I spend some time explaining what I am saying and why. Context is very important in understanding.

There are a lot of posts here that just "say something" without any context, as if we are all in the same room watching or reading the exact same thing.

I don't like some of the actual rudeness I see here at times, but asking for context, or a citation, or some kind of explanation, in my opinion, is not rude.

[herding cats]

91. It's not rude when someone is saying something they read or saw someplace.

Then we (me!) want follow up and the nuance of the article. That's what makes this place good. We link sources and backup our assertions. I learned this way back in 2004 here and luckily it's never changed. We're truly information junkies. Which is why I've been here for so many years!

If it's an opinion, then it's on them to say it's just their opinion. Many other corners of the web are now wanting sources linked. It's too easy to add your personal bias otherwise and twist it up in a portion of what you've read elsewhere without context.

If you ask rudely, then that's slightly different. But, it takes just a second to say, "do you have the link to the article, please?"

Honestly, I usually just do a search on the topic and info and dig up the article myself. Only if I can't do I ever ask.

[kentuck]

95. Are we talking links for GD and Lounge or LBN ?

I've noticed that if anyone says something incorrect, anywhere on DU, someone will correct them fairly quickly.

[dwayneb]

96. Not at all, if it is asked in the right way

I usually try to provide links but sometimes if I am in a hurry, or think it is common knowledge, I might not.

When I get asked, I don't take it personally, it is a reasonable request (as long as the person asking is not just being a dick).

Just common sense in all of this. Don't be a dick. Treat people with respect and it is all good.

[Stinky The Clown]

97. I am LOCKING this. It is amazing how a throwaway, but serious, thread takes on a life of its own.

I am self deleting to get this to lock. No point going further with it.

For the record I am almost never asked for links myself because I include them in serious stuff and don't both with bullshit threads or my opinion threads (which some might see as one and the same.

Anyway . . . . Have fun, everyone.

And lighten up.


Also for the record, here is the deleted OP:

DU ettiquite: I see this a lot. Is asking for a link rude? As if the poster is not believed.

I have always thought it was.