Yes, specially when it has a potential of being a life and death situation. Indusladies is good for : Help , Evil MIL visiting kind of posts. Not so much for when a member asks if she should seek help for a possibly depressed teenager or major medical issues. We should let trained professionals handle that and not categorically state that the teenager is fine. As a mother of special needs child, I know the initial denial phase. I am sure I would feel less burdened if I came here and asked if my child needed help and others suggested it is ok. But I would lose out on getting help earlier for my child, very critical for a ASD child. Medical advice should be doled out carefully.
Thank you for the response, Manisha. I appreciate such unequivocal responses in a discussion. There were two parts to the question. Your answer to the first part (are we responsible for advice) is clear: yes, in matters of life and death. What would you say about the second part: What can "taking responsibility for the advice you post" mean in an online forum like this one? How would people be held responsible or accountable for the advice they post? I gave it some thought and couldn't think of any way to make people accountable for their advice. For example, a woman is advised to call 911 if husband slaps or threatens her. She does that. They patch up but few months later, his H1 extension gets denied for this being on his record and they have to leave the country. Woman regrets following advice posted here. How do we hold the "call 911" advise-givers accountable? Or, closer to your example: a mother posts about 15 month old who seems slow to respond but doctor says give it time. Grandparents ask mother to send child to India as there is more social life there and child interacts more. Members here suggest the same. The woman does that sends kid to India and later regrets the months lost when they start therapy at 2.5 yrs. How will that advise-givers be held accountable?
Its an online forum, not manned by professionals, when an OP posts a question, she/he is expected to know that and onus is on the OP fully.
In respect of cure for novel corona virus 2019, it was online advise that spread world wide to have ginger boiled in water and consume that water as warm as possible! 2. WHO had to come out countering this advise. No one knows the person who began sending this advise. 3. But in cyber crime police, had investigated and found out who initiated spread a kind of virus that spoiled computers in half of the world. This was despite that the student concerned was advised by professor not to use that particular programme ( of Hacking ethical or unethical I do not know now). Later I remember to have read the student was arrested. It was in South East Asian Nation I believe. 4. Trail of illegal money transfer also traces the initiator. 5. Though on line virtual forum considered safe from being apprehended for spreading rumour or wrong advise or troll, if an authority bent upon searching the person caused “post” to punish it might be possible. 6. Recently few users of online platforms written against government and the persons concerned taken into police custody and kept behind bars without any enquiry or filing FIR. 7. THE LESSON seems to be that one must exercise caution before deciding to tender advise or opinion or view via post online. IL Or any other social website under their fine prints - numerous operating rules and - terms and conditions and provisos may not be liable to rescue or protect if a member turned “advisor” gets into (legal) difficulties. Thanks and Regards. God - please continue to protect genuine advisors.
It is clear , most of us here give advice/ respond with the intention that our advice would help the Op in solving his/her problem to the extent possible. As others have said, the responses are based on our own experiences and ways we would deal with the issues. However, in an anonymous forum, it goes without saying that the final responsibility lies with the OP either to heed such advices or not, and nothing would be achieved by passing on the buck.
Sometimes we post here as more of a vent and emotional comfort got from people empathising with our situation...we should be mature enough to decide which advice is most relevant and and how it should be applied...not very solution is the best solution... Ultimately we are responsible for our actions... Many a time when I’m overwhelmed with some problem I get relief just by reading the comforting replies...and after getting advices from many of the mature IL members I’m able to introspect and calm down and deal diplomatically and not avoid making some silly mistake in haste and anger...many times I myself have realised that I may also be at fault..of course, people reply according to their life experiences , we have to act according to ours.
Rihana, There is a difference between accountability and responsibility. People responding here cannot be held accountable but I hope they consider themselves responsible ( morally ) for advice they dole out and the potential outcomes . I would feel responsible if my advice here delays the treatment/ therapy of a depressed teenager or an ASD child.
This is my pet peeve. A year ago there was a post from a parent about her son. All the signs mentioned by her pointed towards ASD. There were lots of answers saying boys talk late, indian kids in USA dont get social interaction blah, blah . I said get the diagnosis, get the early intervention services (free anyways). Why waste time. When there is an obvious delay, nothing wrong in getting therapy. I poster was like , how do you know the kid needs therapy.
