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How to keep mask debates civil on social media

Moderators of local Facebook Chatter pages recommend not engaging in arguments with people with differing views because those comments will likely be removed.

CARMEL, Ind. — Talk of possible mask mandates has caused several school board meetings to erupt into ugly arguments. And now, those toxic debates have carried over to local Facebook chat pages.

“We don't want to run a page where everybody’s just bashing each other,” said Greg Cooper, the administrator of the “Carmel Social Media” Facebook page.

“Right now, I cannot keep up with all the constant arguing and bickering,” said Ron Mathews, the administrator of the “Brownsburg Chatter” Facebook page.

So, is the topic of mask mandates the most controversial topic on social media since last year's election?

“The answer is ‘yes,’” Cooper said. “It's a big one and probably the biggest in a long time.”

“This is, by far, the most divisive thing that we've had,” Mathews said. “It's really taken a toll on the community, too, because everybody's just at each other's throats all the time.”

It’s so divisive for local Facebook chat groups that the "Center Grove Chatter" page has banned mask and vaccine talk altogether, last week posting the following message:

“Any post about COVID, masks, school quarantine, etc. will be removed.

These topics only divide the community and make people mad, regardless of the side that you’re on.”

But the administrator of the Brownsburg Chatter Facebook page is hesitant to go that far.

“The issue with that is there is certain information that people will need,” Mathews said about his page. “I don't think it's healthy [to] just do a straight ban across the board. I am going to implement a rule that anything mask and vaccine related has to pertain to Brownsburg.”

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“Delete the negative comments!” That’s the motto of the Carmel Social Media Facebook page with its almost 17,000 members. 

“If people want to have a civil discussion, that's OK,” Cooper said. “As long as people are polite and respectful to each other, but once name-calling and this and that and the other thing start from any perspective, I'm going to get my big eraser out!”

Facebook as a company is also instituting new guidelines to keep things civil. 

“They have a tool that when Facebook deletes something, they mute that person for seven days,” Mathews said, adding that has helped.

So, what should you do if your well-thought-out comment gets bombarded with negativity?

“Don't get into the fight with them because it's all going to go away if you do that,” Cooper said. “If you have a great, constructive, respectful comment, you're gonna get left on the page. Don't get into the argument! Just report it to the administrators on our side, and we'll take care of it for you.”

After running the Brownsburg page for the last four years, Mathews broke down this controversy very simply.

“You have three sides: You have the pro-mask people, you have the anti-mask people and then you have the rest of the community who have to deal with their arguments on our page," Mathews said. "We have extremes on both sides that are exhausting people in the middle.”

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