Discord is a real problem for CAP

[CAPCom]

As I suspected it would be, Discord for cadets under the CAP "banner" is a real problem.  I just signed on there a few days ago for the first time.  Today was the first day I was able to look deeply into what's really happening.

There's little to no supervision.  The slurs and other blatantly discriminatory remarks with numerous cadets chiming in is unsat.  Add to it they are posting with not just their real names but ranks, too.  One would think that a cadet who has reached the Mitchell would truly know better than to post that kind of thing.  The area I found some of the most offensive content is in Civil Air Patrol>Text Channels>memes-and-stuff.

Yes, I have screenshots. 

My opinion, but I think with what's being said there in regard to hate speech and other discriminatory slurs, it's clear as to why it's all a problem.  And the fact that it's not being removed or stopped is also a second problem.  The biggest problem is that it's all in violation of regulations because it's all in a CAP-sanctioned online environment.  And the screenshots I took are just the tip of the iceberg.  There's more of the same throughout the platform.

How does NHQ not know about this and/or not put a stop to it?

[Eclipse]

As I suspected it would be, Discord for cadets under the CAP "banner" is a real problem.

Been banging that drum to deaf ears. Anyone with a lick of sense saw that from space.

How does NHQ not know about this and/or not put a stop to it?

First Amendment, blah blah, retention, blah, blah, what's the big deal man, blah, blah, blah.

This is an organizaiton that has leaders who publicly state there is no way to enforce things
like uniform wear and grooming, doesn't know who its actual members are, and has been trying
with little success to unify its web presence for 20 years and you expect them to start playing
whack-a-mole with discord servers?

Might as well try reigning in Reddit while they are at it.

Like everything else that requires "Leadership" it'll go one of two ways...

Something really bad is going to happen, and then the response will be
"How could we have known?"

And / or after something bad happens "really" or otherwise, it'll be "terminations and
disciplinary actions for everyone on NHQ" but still tinged with "no way it could have been prevented".

[jeders]

A few things to keep in mind; first, there is no one CAP Discord server. There are CAP Discord servers with various channels all over the country and what you see in one is not necessarily what you will see in another.

Second, even if NHQ had the desire to police all of the various Discord servers, they don't have the manpower to do so. It takes a team of moderators and admins just to keep an eye on CAPTalk, which arguably only has a few dozen regularly active contributors these days.

Third, CAPTalk is not the place to come and complain about things that are happening in your local area. If you have sincere questions about something or need guidance, then CAPTalk is a great resource. If you just want to complain and criticize and find an echo chamber (as OPs post appears to do), then this is not the appropriate place.

If you are seeing a problem with a particular Discord server which either claims explicitly or implies an endorsement by some level of CAP, then the proper thing to do is take your genuine concerns about it to the leadership at that level. I'm sure most CAP leaders don't even know about these Discord servers and would likely shut them down if they did know what was being posted. But coming on here making general statements and saying "I have pictures" doesn't help anyone or solve any problems.

[TheSkyHornet]

I'm fully on the anti-Discord train when it comes to using it as a means of "CAP social media." I've battled that one before, and even in a position of higher authority over people seeking to use it as an official tool, I'm totally disregarded because I'm "not current with the times."

"This is how teens communicate today."

I'm 33-years-old. I grew up in the era of AOL/AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, TeamSpeak, etc. We were obnoxious and often inappropriate back then. I fully grasp the concepts, pros, and cons about using chat-based social media platforms; and I'm fully aware of what happens on there because we did it. Our parents were totally clueless. I'm not.

Discord was designed to supplement the gaming community. Much like TeamSpeak, you had an "official clan" purpose, and then sub-channels to "do whatever you want to not disrupt the gaming channel." Okay, fair.

But mixing one's personal "fun time" and professional environment is never a good concoction. It's the equivalent of people who create a LinkedIn and tag their employer while putting up family photos, memes, and expressing their political views. No bueno in the workforce.

I actually posted about this a few months ago regarding some proposals to use Discord to put out links for CAP members to sign up for activities (i.e., recruit participants and staff). I was definitely the oddball in the discussion back home because I was the antagonist, and some cadets were very displeased that I discredited using it as a CAP platform. Likewise, I had senior members—older than me—who thought I was being dismissive and wasn't giving the cadets their delegated say to "run the show." Guys...I'm the only one in this conversation who even has a teenager in the house; and even my 15-year-old is telling me "Discord is a bad idea." And he uses Discord regularly for gaming.

No. Stay away from it as a CAP resource. And any equivalent for that matter, whatever may already exist and whatever is to come down the road.

You need to always separate your professional profile from your entertainment profile. You can even see military recruiters having independent Facebook and Instagram profiles, and they're not using that same profile to share memes and talk smack on other posts.

Be the enforcer early on. Address issues as they come up. If you don't deal with it as it spools, it's going to be much worse later on, and it will only be more difficult to correct down the road.

[TheSkyHornet]

CAPTalk is not the place to come and complain about things that are happening in your local area. If you have sincere questions about something or need guidance, then CAPTalk is a great resource. If you just want to complain and criticize and find an echo chamber (as OPs post appears to do), then this is not the appropriate place.

If you are seeing a problem with a particular Discord server which either claims explicitly or implies an endorsement by some level of CAP, then the proper thing to do is take your genuine concerns about it to the leadership at that level. I'm sure most CAP leaders don't even know about these Discord servers and would likely shut them down if they did know what was being posted. But coming on here making general statements and saying "I have pictures" doesn't help anyone or solve any problems.

I'll agree here.

I think, often, CAPTalk is seen as the last avenue to address an issue because it's not being heard at the local level.

Take it up the chain.

I've seen some very inappropriate posts made by cadets on Discord that have been brought to my attention from people in more private circles. Those issues are returned to the echelon leader appropriate to address the matter. We've even resulted in membership and activity participation suspensions.

This isn't a bad place to seek advice, but the correction won't come from here.

[CAPCom]

CAPTalk is not the place to come and complain about things that are happening in your local area.

That's quite an assumptive leap.  I'm talking about a CAP Discord section that is on the generalized CAP Discord.  It's not a local area thing.  It's a nationwide section of CAP's Discord.

If you just want to complain and criticize and find an echo chamber (as OPs post appears to do), then this is not the appropriate place.

I don't even know how to respond other than to suggest you scroll on by my posts from now on since you're so bothered by them.  The sad thing is that you're bothered by things that you are creating because you're not asking questions, you're making accusations and are not even trying to understand what I'm saying, why I'm saying it.

But yes please: just scroll on by, okay?

[CAPCom]

CAPTalk is not the place to come and complain about things that are happening in your local area. If you have sincere questions about something or need guidance, then CAPTalk is a great resource. If you just want to complain and criticize and find an echo chamber (as OPs post appears to do), then this is not the appropriate place.

If you are seeing a problem with a particular Discord server which either claims explicitly or implies an endorsement by some level of CAP, then the proper thing to do is take your genuine concerns about it to the leadership at that level. I'm sure most CAP leaders don't even know about these Discord servers and would likely shut them down if they did know what was being posted. But coming on here making general statements and saying "I have pictures" doesn't help anyone or solve any problems.

I'll agree here.

I think, often, CAPTalk is seen as the last avenue to address an issue because it's not being heard at the local level.

Take it up the chain.

I've seen some very inappropriate posts made by cadets on Discord that have been brought to my attention from people in more private circles. Those issues are returned to the echelon leader appropriate to address the matter. We've even resulted in membership and activity participation suspensions.

This isn't a bad place to seek advice, but the correction won't come from here.

I never asked for correction to come from here.  Then again, I have seen NHQ folks respond to serious CAP member "issues" when brought here to be noticed.  I believe new policy was even put into place as a result on at least one occasion.

Lots of members read this board.  My hope was that someone who can actually do something about the serious issues happening at Discord under the CAP banner would look into it and hopefully do something about it.  But was I looking for "correction" to happen? Sort of.  Not necessarily.  Just hoping.

It's kind of weird and interesting that senior members are defending what's happening at Discord with cadets.  Possibly telling (and that's all I will say about that).

[jeders]

And on that note...