# Consensus opinion on "shocker" links?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consensus-opinion-on-shocker-links/234105>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [March 13, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consensus-opinion-on-shocker-links/234105 "2004-03-13T19:24:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consensus-opinion-on-shocker-links/234105/1 "2004-03-13T19:24:59Z")

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Is there a consensus opinion on posting “shocker” links with little other redeeming value besides outrage? E.g., the “father rapes and kills daughter” kind of link that is just sad and disgusting. I know for awhile people were posting these with great regularity in The Pit but I haven’t been reading the board very much the last few months, and was just wondering what the status quo is.

(I guess that sort of ghastly link also has rubbernecker / gawker appeal, but that’s about it.)

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**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consensus-opinion-on-shocker-links/234105/2 "2004-03-13T22:11:40Z")

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I don’t think there _is_ a consensus opinion on it, apart from “If you don’t like it, don’t click.”

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**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consensus-opinion-on-shocker-links/234105/3 "2004-03-14T12:40:51Z")

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My view of what I think you are talking about was articulately addressed by the wise and distinguished Dr. **CrankyAsAnOldMan** in this earlier [Pit Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=198329).

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consensus-opinion-on-shocker-links/234105/4 "2004-03-14T14:51:37Z")

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Our guidelines are something like these:

- If it’s a link to something visual that’s really disgusting or that someone might think is pornographic, try to make it a two-link process.

- Be reasonably explicit in describing where the link goes or what it’s all about.

- Try NOT to link to something that is patently false. Providing a link to an obviously phony “news” story and trying to get people riled about it is a form of trolling. Don’t do that.

Lots of our members read the Message Board while in a location where others might see what’s on their screen – like at work, like at home with the kids playing under your legs, etc. Hence, the rules about double-click and explicit descriptions.