Weird isn't it? The only running outlet that provides a platform for page after page of personalised abuse about her, that the site owners could stop in a heartbeat (but don't, because the clicks of maladjusted teenage boys are more valuable to them), and she doesn't want to talk to them?
Can you please show me the page after page of personalized abuse about her? This reminds me of the Leah O'Conner situation where if anything bad was said, it was deleted but maybe not before she read it.
We have a report a post feature and unlike Instagram which she loves we have a phone number where she can call or text us with any complaints.
I'm done apologizing for this forum , particularly to people who live on Instagram. Which is worse - allowing sports fans to talk about the sport they love and occasionally criticize pro athletes on a forum - or simply the creation of Instagram? For the last 20+ years, we've heard how the media and model industry has been bad for creating unrealistic expectations for what a women's body should look like. Well, Instagram is the 1985 SI swimsuit issue on steroids. So now the average person goes to the coolest place they've ever been and takes the greatest photo of their life, edits it with a filter and everyone else wants to slit their wrists because they don't look like that and their life isn't like that.
Lol. I posted links to three threads that I found to support what I said. Someone deleted it saying it was "thread derailing." Free speech?
Owner or overzealous moderator trying to protect the bosses? There was no need to delete the post unless your provided evidence was useful in deleting more content so they could run the “prove it” defense in the future.
While "pages of personized abuse" may be a bit exaggerated, many women in our sport take a dim view of the LRC message board and, by extension, the journalistic side of Let's Run. Too often, discussions of athletes on this board degenerate into allegations of doping, body shaming, TMZ styled gossip mongering, defining people by their looks, demeaning individuals on their gender, color, political views, etc. Some have simply had enough of the mean spirited and immature takes displayed on this site. I personally know many women athletes that speak very ill of this site. Rest assured, it isn't just Colleen Quigley.
I also agree with you that the forum should be a place for free expression. You are also well aware that your stance on this matter also comes with consequences. People are free to blast athletes on LRC within your moderation guidelines but athletes and other luminaries in the running community are also free to avoid talking to LRC if they feel attacked, hurt, or disrespected by it. Like it or not, the message board reflects on the site as a whole. If you are going to allow caustic and hurtful commentary by the users, then don't be surprised if you, your brother, Gault, Stephanie, and others are denied access. No need to apologize. You have made a business decision and that decision will reap rewards in some areas and cause pain in others. Athletes that avoid speaking to LRC are the same as people that refuse to do business with companies that have sketchy records on product quality, sourcing, wages, and human rights. You have made a choice and they have made a choice.
I’m a woman who has been on LetsRun for 17 years. The message board isn’t any different than a comments section, Twitter or Reddit. It’s moderated as best it can with a limited number of actual humans. I don’t recall anything coming directly from the staff of LetsRun I’d find sexist and if I did, I’d call them out on it.
Thing is, Twitter and Reddit are not asking anyone for interviews to create content intended to drive visitors to their sites. LRC can't have it all ways. It provides a platform for people to discuss running, but if they are happy to let personal abuse stand on the boards, then they don't then get to wander up to athletes at meets and say "We're a legitimate media outlet that takes no responsibility for what people say about you on our platform, now speak to us and give us content." If LRC wants to be this outlet for edge-lords to say whatever they want about runners, then cool, lean into that. But don't cry when they stop talking to you because of the content that you host!
I’m a woman who has been on LetsRun for 17 years. The message board isn’t any different than a comments section, Twitter or Reddit. It’s moderated as best it can with a limited number of actual humans. I don’t recall anything coming directly from the staff of LetsRun I’d find sexist and if I did, I’d call them out on it.
Thing is, Twitter and Reddit are not asking anyone for interviews to create content intended to drive visitors to their sites. LRC can't have it all ways. It provides a platform for people to discuss running, but if they are happy to let personal abuse stand on the boards, then they don't then get to wander up to athletes at meets and say "We're a legitimate media outlet that takes no responsibility for what people say about you on our platform, now speak to us and give us content." If LRC wants to be this outlet for edge-lords to say whatever they want about runners, then cool, lean into that. But don't cry when they stop talking to you because of the content that you host!
Twitter? Really? You've never seen any media outlets/brands/celebrities post interviews (or links to interviews) on there? And we should just ignore the comments on those Twitter posts because it's Twitter? You're right that LetsRun is unique in that it both provides its own content as well as has its own social platform (the message board) because it came way before Twitter and Reddit, but that still doesn't mean the comments and opinions on the message board reflect those of the site itself.
I was there when Henry Rono set the world record at UW.
It was the last event and the usual crowd were hanging around the water jump to laugh at the athletes who were going to fall into the water. All their frat mates.
After a couple of ordinary laps, suddenly Henry decides to time trial it. Watching the timer on the big board as he ran the last lap was glorious.
Henry as a treasure. Never mailed in his performances, never waited for others to set the pace. Racing at an unfortunate political time.
Made the races he was in. Unlike today's group who are caretakers of their own legend.
People are too afraid to lose their reputation, what ever that is.
Owner or overzealous moderator trying to protect the bosses? There was no need to delete the post unless your provided evidence was useful in deleting more content so they could run the “prove it” defense in the future.
Probably a mod. But pretty sad that they did it. They're probably combing those threads right now to delete the posts. Anyway, they're easy to search
Her Instagram and social media can be moderated by her team, but beyond that she makes MONEY off of that. I am not one that ever cries for a "safe space" by any means, but Let's Run cannot align itself with a model that allows personal attacks, immature content, and demeaning comments to go unchecked. Freedom of speech allows message boards to operate like that, and that is perfectly fine. But do not expect to be treated like a reputable outlet by certain athletes.
Weird isn't it? The only running outlet that provides a platform for page after page of personalised abuse about her, that the site owners could stop in a heartbeat (but don't, because the clicks of maladjusted teenage boys are more valuable to them), and she doesn't want to talk to them?
Can you please show me the page after page of personalized abuse about her? This reminds me of the Leah O'Conner situation where if anything bad was said, it was deleted but maybe not before she read it.
We have a report a post feature and unlike Instagram which she loves we have a phone number where she can call or text us with any complaints.
I'm done apologizing for this forum , particularly to people who live on Instagram. Which is worse - allowing sports fans to talk about the sport they love and occasionally criticize pro athletes on a forum - or simply the creation of Instagram? For the last 20+ years, we've heard how the media and model industry has been bad for creating unrealistic expectations for what a women's body should look like. Well, Instagram is the 1985 SI swimsuit issue on steroids. So now the average person goes to the coolest place they've ever been and takes the greatest photo of their life, edits it with a filter and everyone else wants to slit their wrists because they don't look like that and their life isn't like that.
Twitter? Really? You've never seen any media outlets/brands/celebrities post interviews (or links to interviews) on there? And we should just ignore the comments on those Twitter posts because it's Twitter? You're right that LetsRun is unique in that it both provides its own content as well as has its own social platform (the message board) because it came way before Twitter and Reddit, but that still doesn't mean the comments and opinions on the message board reflect those of the site itself.
They do reflect on the sight indirectly. Especially when admin are so opinionated in what they allow/ do not allow. When certain things are moderated out, but others are allowed to stay, it can seem to some users that those comments/actions are endorsed by LRC. Does not mean it is fair, but it is reality.
Thing is, Twitter and Reddit are not asking anyone for interviews to create content intended to drive visitors to their sites. LRC can't have it all ways. It provides a platform for people to discuss running, but if they are happy to let personal abuse stand on the boards, then they don't then get to wander up to athletes at meets and say "We're a legitimate media outlet that takes no responsibility for what people say about you on our platform, now speak to us and give us content." If LRC wants to be this outlet for edge-lords to say whatever they want about runners, then cool, lean into that. But don't cry when they stop talking to you because of the content that you host!
Twitter? Really? You've never seen any media outlets/brands/celebrities post interviews (or links to interviews) on there? And we should just ignore the comments on those Twitter posts because it's Twitter? You're right that LetsRun is unique in that it both provides its own content as well as has its own social platform (the message board) because it came way before Twitter and Reddit, but that still doesn't mean the comments and opinions on the message board reflect those of the site itself.
Twitter isn't asking anyone for interviews, as you said, it's media orgs that are doing that. Every media outlet that I know takes responsibility for the comments on their sites. LRC can try and absolve itself of responsibility for the comments that the site hosts but:
1. It is within the power of the site's owners to do something about it
2. Doing nothing, is a decision and it has consequences.
I don't think anyone on the LRC staff are prejudiced or abusive, but they do allow such content to exist on the site that they own. That's on them and that could mean that athletes don't want to help provide content to the site
And to those who always pull the “freedom of speech” card, Colleen has the freedom to lack speech. It works both ways. If no one likes the fact that she declines ANY interview, you can unfollow her. 99.9% of her insta followers have no idea she turned down this LRC interview so why would she care? And if Lululemon doesn’t like it, she’ll put that up with her company, but I'm sure they don't care about either.