Vigilance
As we move into a critical phase of our negotiations with the UK Government, interest from the media is increasing. This has unfortunately led to members of our community being targetted and contacted by people pretending to represent LABRATS, unsolicited media contact and by fake profiles commenting on social media posts.
Social Media
Our Facebook groups are monitored by a group of volunteers and in the past week, we have found:
Fake profiles that have infiltrated groups promoting a particular narrative
Abusive messages to community members
Abusive messages to administrators
We all must remember that whilst Social Media is a great place to raise awareness, ask questions and promote our cause, there are bad actors who use it to make money, cause disruption and cause distress.
The comunity is one which has already undergone traumatic events, we are a group that has endured the lognest running scandal in UK history and we must ensure that the vulnerable members are protected and not targetted. Recent targetting includes:
Targetting a bereaved family just after the veteran had passed away.
Sending private messages to members of the community asking for media opportunities.
Targetting new members of the community, who have just learnt about the veterans participation for comments and interviews.
Continuing to harass community members who have told them that they have health issues.
All of these are unacceptable.
Nuclear Truth Protocols
LABRATS signed up to the Nuclear Truth Protocols by the Nuclear Truth Project:
These protocols aim to protect the community from any person or organisation that seeks to exploit the community for financial gain, they shield the vulnerable and protect us.
Media Outlets
If you are approached by anyone asking for your story, asking for quotes and you have had no contact with them before, ask them if they have signed the protocols and always ask the following questions:
Who are they representing?
What is their organisation or are they a freelance journalist selling a story to multiple outlets?
Why do they want your story?
What is their story about?
Where will it be published? (Online, Newspaper, TV, book)
Can you see the full article before it is published?
How long do they want an interview to be?
Do they want pictures of family members?
Do they want you to appear on TV?
Before you agree to any interview, you can check with us to see if they are reputable, if they have worked with us in the past and if you would prefer us to speak to them first. Check the small print of any agreement they ask you to sign as you may sign over limetime rights to the person.
Unfortunately, our community has had many isntances of abuse within the media, quotations and stories which have not been used as they were discussed.
Impersonators
We have also received reports of organisations contacting community members saying that they are representing LABRATS.
In this digital world, communication from people is easy, please be vigilant and check with any of the LABRATS Directors first if you receive any communication that asks you to verify your identity or from a media organisation that we have not endorsed or any event that we have not announced. Always check if you are unsure, listen to your instincts.
This is not censorship, it is protection for the community from further trauma and harm. The average age of a Nuclear Veteran is 89, we lose too many every week and for the families, this is a traumatic event and they need support and help, not harassment from media outlets.
Our social media team has updated the group rules, these have been updated for the protection of the group, so that you are not inundated with emails and subscription requests after signing up to read posts that offer a free post and then encourage you to subscribe because the next post is behind a pay wall. These emails can be confusing and lead to payments being taken. As we all suffer from the cost of living crisis, every penny counts and we do not support posts that switch between free and paid susbscription methods. This is a phishing technique to draw you in.
It is a sad world that we live in where members are being targetted, where members are being exploited. But if we stay vigilant, help each other and work together, then we can ensure that our spaces are safe spaces and we help each other, especially during times of bereavement and ill-health.
If you have been a victim of any of these targetting methods, please contact us so that we can ensure that the fake profiles and the unwanted, unsolicited communication can be addressed.
We are a unique community and passions run high, we are all angry at the treatment of the community by the UK Government, we are all working towards the same goal. Please respect each other online, think about your comment before posting, think about what that person is going through right now, their emotions and their physical and mental wellbeing.
We encourage healthy debate, awareness raising and interaction, but treating each other with respect and kindess is essential.
Stay vigilant everyone.
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