# Does the Don't Talk About Your Ignore List rule cover muting? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 27, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201 "2022-02-27T20:26:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/1 "2022-02-27T20:26:43Z")
I know I’m not allowed to talk about the specifics of my ignore list outside the Pit. Does the same go for if I’ve just muted notifications from someone, but they’re not actually on my ignore list i.e. I still see their posts but don’t get notifications of replies? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/2 "2022-02-28T02:50:16Z")
It’s similar enough that the same rule applies. Don’t say that you have someone muted in any way, or even hint at it outside of the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/3 "2022-02-28T06:03:28Z")
If they ask why you haven’t replied to a post, would a “I can’t talk about why I didn’t reply” count as a “hint”? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/4 "2022-02-28T06:08:22Z")
You could just say that you didn’t see their post. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/5 "2022-02-28T06:11:26Z")
That’s not very convincing when Discourse alerts us whenever someone replies to our posts. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/6 "2022-02-28T06:14:57Z")
You’re not required to look at or to respond to every notification. You are also not required to respond to someone asking why you didn’t respond to a particular post. If you have a better suggestion this is the place to discuss it. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/7 "2022-02-28T06:18:35Z")
Not _required_ to, agreed. Look like a coward or a person with no rebuttal, guaranteed. Especially in GD. I don’t think the mute function _should_ be considered the same as the ignore function for purposes of explaining why you didn’t respond. Saying you’re ignoring someone is a personal insult. Putting them on mute might just be that you’re getting too many notifications from fast-moving threads - I mute school and friend Whatsapp convos all the time, and I don’t dislike the school or my friends. And if you’ve muted the thread, not the person, can _that_ be mentioned? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/8 "2022-02-28T06:23:39Z")
If you have someone on ignore you wouldn’t respond to them either. Other than you being able to see the post, how is this different? I don’t moderate GD and don’t participate in that forum much either, so someone else will have to comment on that. Maybe one of the GD mods can chime in? I don’t see an issue with saying that you have muted a thread. That’s not an insult towards a specific user. I suppose someone could possibly find some creative way to use it as an insult, but otherwise I don’t see a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/9 "2022-02-28T06:43:19Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > If you have someone on ignore you wouldn’t respond to them either. Other than you being able to see the post, how is this different? I’m talking about someone you _are_ responding to. > [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I don’t see an issue with saying that you have muted a thread. That’s not an insult towards a specific user. Neither is muting a particular user. You still see their posts, just don’t get notifications. It’s literally not the same as using the ignore function on them. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/10 "2022-02-28T07:42:02Z")
Never having used the mute function, I didn’t realize all it did was stop notifications. It seems like a pointless half step if their posts still show. What do you do if someone you have on ignore replies to you? Just do that. If you are really worried about being called a coward, I would think you could just PM them and tell them they are muted. Not in public so I don’t _think_ that breaks any rule. I’ve actually done that a couple of times with third parties who asked in thread about someone I don’t reply to because I have them on ignore. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/11 "2022-02-28T07:44:10Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > If you are really worried about being called a coward, I would think you could just PM them and tell them they are muted. That doesn’t come into view of the third parties following the debate. If they accuse me of ducking a point, I PM them, and they don’t mention that in the thread, their accusation stands. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/12 "2022-02-28T13:07:05Z")
I’ve told people that I’m no longer responding to them in a specific thread, politely of course. Something like, “I don’t think our further interaction here will bear fruit. Thanks for the discussion.” First of all, hopefully that’s OK (I haven’t had any notes or warnings, but maybe the mods just didn’t see it). Second, assuming it’s OK, that’s a way to get out of responding to someone in a particular thread. Even if you haven’t interacted in the thread, it’s easy enough to say, “I see that you’ve called me out. Well, I’ve read your post and I don’t think there’s much to discuss here, so I won’t be replying further.” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/13 "2022-02-28T13:25:25Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I’ve told people that I’m no longer responding to them in a specific thread I’ve also done that, without any subsequent mod action. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/14 "2022-02-28T13:29:55Z")
Seems safer and more polite than talking about muting someone, when outside the Pit. I like to do my part to keep the GD and P&E forums as civil as possible. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/15 "2022-02-28T17:47:30Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > That doesn’t come into view of the third parties following the debate. If they accuse me of ducking a point, I PM them, and they don’t mention that in the thread, their accusation stands. So it’s what other readers in the thread think about you that you are worried about? In that case use one of **RitterSport’s** suggestions. I don’t think anyone in a thread would blink an eye about that solution, we’ve all seen it many times. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/16 "2022-03-01T01:24:34Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > You could just say that you didn’t see their post. > [@MrDibble](#): > > That’s not very convincing when Discourse alerts us whenever someone replies to our posts. Why is any further explanation necessary if you really didn’t see the post? If you didn’t respond because you didn’t see a post, but then someone asks why and you say “oops, didn’t see it” before posting your rebuttal, you won’t look like a coward or person with no rebuttal. If you didn’t respond because you don’t want to respond to them, just don’t respond to them. I mean yeah, you might look like a coward or person with no rebuttal. Specifically you look like someone who doesn’t want to reply to that post. But it’s true. That’s the trade off you have for not responding, the same trade off you take by putting someone on ignore. You look like someone who doesn’t want to reply to that post, because you _are_ someone who doesn’t want to reply to that post. If you feel the need to make that explicit just say so, “I prefer not to respond to that post”. Nobody is entitled to know why, and if the reason is that you don’t like the poster, you are prohibited from saying so. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/17 "2022-03-01T05:14:38Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Why is any further explanation necessary if you really didn’t see the post? Because if you reply later in the thread to a post notification from someone you _don’t_ have on mute, it looks like you must have seen the intervening posts but the way Discourse works, in faster-moving threads I generally respond just to the active conversations I’m having. > [@Max\_S](#): > > Specifically you look like someone who doesn’t want to reply to that post. But it’s true. But I might have wanted to reply. But I get the general point people are making. As it is, I don’t see the value in just muting someone, I think from now on I’ll just either fully ignore people or else just stop responding (with or without comment) in particular threads. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2022, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/18 "2022-03-01T18:33:37Z")
Then, and I know this is a crazy idea… _don’t mute them._ > [@RitterSport](#): > > I’ve told people that I’m no longer responding to them in a specific thread, politely of course. Something like, “I don’t think our further interaction here will bear fruit. Thanks for the discussion.” Yep, that works. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/19 "2022-03-02T04:15:34Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I’ve told people that I’m no longer responding to them in a specific thread, politely of course. Something like, “I don’t think our further interaction here will bear fruit. Thanks for the discussion.” I’ve done the same thing. I’ve never mentioned that I’m ignoring someone (outside of the Pit) but I’ve told them I’m no longer engaging in discussion with them. Usually it’s a terse, “We’re done then.” Particularly when I’ve politely asked them to retract some falsehood or to stop whatever rhetorical garbage they’re engaging in. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201/20 "2022-03-02T13:58:04Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > But I might have wanted to reply. It seems like muting them isn’t a good idea then. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-dont-talk-about-your-ignore-list-rule-cover-muting/960201.md?page=2)