Warning! Contentious Issue: Live Chat Abuse

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As I write, it is 08.05am in sunny Johannesburg - a beautiful, if rather cool, Friday - yay, we are almost weekending! The purpose of this blog is not, I repeat, not, to create an argument or revisit old arguments. The purpose of this blog is to recommend some Rules Of Engagement. Having said that, the topic is still Warning! Contentious Issue: Live Chat Abuse

Everybody Is Fighting Some Kind Of Battle

We can start at this premise. Everyone really is fighting some kind of battle or another, we really do not know, understand or relate to each other's challenges. Keeping this in mind helps us to approach others with caution and even with some care.


The Unkind Need Kindness The Most

When someone approaches Live Chat with all guns blazing, it may help to consider the fact that the unkind are those that need kindness the most.

I am not suggesting that you be kind necessarily, but I am suggesting that you do not meet unkindness with unkindness. That just makes you the same as the other person.


Recommendations To Handle Live Chat Abuse

1. Do not engage with the individual abusing live chat with abuse or name-calling. Be kind. Be gentle.

2. Report the abuse.

3. If another member is giving advice to the abuser, i.e. "please refrain from bad language on this platform". Do not add your two cents. Allow one member to handle the abuser.

4. Report the abuse

5. If the abuser continues with their vitriol, do not engage at all. Ignore the individual.

6. Report the abuse

7. Report the abuse

8. Do not engage again no matter what the abuser is saying or doing. Continue on Live Chat with members who are there for good reason.

9. Report the abuse

I cannot emphasis this enough - engaging in abuse and name-calling is a slippery slope - it'snot good for you, it's not good for the community and it is certainly not good for your business that you are working so hard to build.

Report The Abuse

Yes, I have said this a number of times because this is the ultimate tool we have to manage anyone who becomes abusive within Wealthy Affiliate. The majority of us BY FAR, are here to work hard, enjoy the platform and create sustainable online businesses. Let's not allow the abusers, who are in the minority, to distract us from our real purpose here.

Below you will find an example of where and how to report abuse in live chat. It's simple, click on actions and select "Report Spam". You could also opt to send a private message, just be sure to have your ducks in a row and know that you can manage anything sent your way. No matter how kind you are, there are people in the world who do not respond with kindness.

Incidentally, the screen grab below is no reflection on NateTomas7 or Waldman, they just happened to be Live Chat at the time I needed to do the snip.

Why Does This Mean So Much To Me?

These are in no particular order, just my thoughts:

1. One of my highest values is kindness, this has not always been appreciated or believed within the WA community, but it is the truth.

2. My number one reason for being in WA is to build a sustainable online business where I can create a life of financial freedom, geographic freedom and make a difference in the lives of others. I am sure you are here for at least one of these reasons too. Let's keep the main thing, the main thing in all our WA conversations.

3. We have newbies joining WA all the time, we should be showing them the way with professionalism and kindness, The best way to do that is to ignore the haters and get on with the job at hand. Helping one another in Live Chat.

4. The Super Affiliate Challengers have been given the task of spending 15 minutes per day in Live Chat. The purpose for being there is not to be witness to abuse but to learn and teach.

5. This is a repeat of number 4. Only it applies to all WA members, the purpose for being in Live Chat is to learn and teach.

Let's keep the main thing the main thing - Pretty Please?

Ending off, I realize that not everyone will agree with these recommendations - each one of us has the urge to step up and be right, have our say, have the last word. Not every one of us allows this urge to rule us.

Thank you for reading this blog, it's not an easy topic. However, you were pre-warned, I did start with the subject: Warning! Contentious Issue: Live Chat Abuse

Blessings to you all, always

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Recent Comments

194

Thank you Louse for tackling this issue, which some of us neither had the courage nor urge to tackle and saw us crawling away from live chat and concentrate on other 'safer' areas. This is well appreciated.

More love

Kundai

Hi Kundai
I can so relate to the "crawling away from live chat" as I have done exactly that on more than one occasion. Reality is that live chat is here for the benefit of all members, it just needs to be used in the correct manner. Hopefully, I have contributed to that now.
Blessings & more love to you my fellow Zimbo :-)
Louise
PS I am at a meeting tomorrow in Jhb as a part of a volunteer team putting packs together to go to Cyclone Idai survivors. Terrible to have this situation to content with but amazing to see how people have pulled together!

Hey Louise,

Thank you very much homie and thanks for everything you are doing for Cyclone Idai survivors. I am currently stationed in Mutare and I have worked in Chimanimani before so you you can imagine how closely connected I am to the affected communities. I spent the better part of last week on the same project as I am part of our bank's task force team. People from all walks of life have been doing an amazing job pulling resources together. I could write a book on this...

Thank you for all that you are doing.

Kundai

Very well said Louise!

Thanks so much for taking the time to write the blog. I'm sure there is something within your words to help anyone and everyone!

Helen

Hi Helen

Glad you appreciated this blog. It was in response to some activity I witnessed in Live Chat yesterday. Hope it does help :-)

Blessings
Louise

Thank you for brining this to all our attention. Being kind to one and other makes a more pleasant experience for everyone. That’s what brings success to us all, working within a positive environment. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Matthew
Agreed, that is what brings success to us all - right on point!
Thank you for stopping to read and comment.
Blessings
Louise

Thanks for posting this Louise. Happy weekend! :)

Hi Terri
Happy weekend to you too!
Blessings
Louise

I don't think it's particularly contentious.

It's a popular topic to bring up from time to time, certainly, because people like to talk about this sort of thing. As a result, people will like the topic, comment on the topic, etc.

It's interesting that one of the tasks of the SAC is to hang around in live chat to learn and teach. I wonder if a side effect of that is elevating new members to premium members and generating revenue in the meantime. Not a bad idea!

Certainly the SACers presence will elevate the quality of live chat.

Nevertheless, the purpose of any live chat is also to socialize, jabber, crack jokes, and yes, you'll get the abusers trying to chime in trying to get their jollies. It's inevitable.

No, it's not just learn and teach.

Hi Marc
Thank you for stopping to comment.
You have an interesting view of the world and I appreciate you sharing the way you see things.
Blessings
Louise

Thanks Louise; truth be told I don't get a lot of mileage out of Live Chat, so mainline users like yourself definitely need to chime up about problems.

If this chat abuse problem is as out of control as it seems to be, nobody is going to use it. But even at it's height, AOL chat had more cool people than idiots :) so I can't imagine it's all that bad. here at WA, a much more select group.

Thank you for posting this! I was thinking the same thing. I kept thinking, this sure makes it hard to ask a question in the middle of a fight.
Kindness matters. Love everything you wrote.

Hi Mattie
Thank you so much - agreed, it's very difficult to participate in Live Chat in the middle of a fight.
Wishing you every success so that you can bring your husband home to live your dream family life.
Blessings
Louise

Personally I don't feel there is any place for abuse on this platform. If you have an issue with someone then contact them directly.

Nobody needs to read the 'dirty laundry' of others.

As you said Louise, we're all suppose to be professionals here and hard at work.

Greg

Hi Greg
Absolutely, and even in private chat, we can all be kind, or civil at the very least. Professional is the best way to go.
Thank you for weighing in here.
Blessings
Louise

Worthy Post Louise. I am not a fan of 'live' anything, preferring to postulate in my head longer. I have used it on occasion whilst waiting for an answer to a question, just in case anyone is around at the time that might be able to help.
As per the SAC I have started to make an effor to do my 15 minutes a day...my timing is truly impeccable. Yesterday I witnessed the 'battle' and today I saw another 'skirmish'...didn't get my question answered but hey, they had more important things to be getting on with.
Have a wonderful day.

Hi there
Thank you so much.
We must have witnessed the same battles and skirmishes - really disappointing. As you say, you didn't your question answered, that is a big challenge in my mind. We need to have access to information and help here. Hopefully, the WA members will be more mindful going forward.
Wishing you an awesome day too.
Blessings
Louise

Thank you Louise, It was more of an intended 'distraction' forthose onthere at the time...failed miserably but resolved my issue anyway.

Agreed Louise, excellent blog and one everyone should read. I spend a fair bit of time in chat (OK maybe too much) and I have witnessed some fairly unsavoury comments and ill advice.

Likewise, I have made fantastic friends and colleagues and received some wonderful tips, tricks and advice there.

Keep it professional peeps. Just remember you are the face of your business. Make sure you are portraying yourself as you wish to be perceived.

Hi Heidi
Thank you so much for your input, I agree, we are the face of our businesses, keeping it professional is key. I should have included that :-)
Blessings
Louise

Blessings Louise

You too, Fleeky :-)

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