Was that the thread which complained about people on facebook groups trying to get housemates trending? The thought that they belonged to our group crossed my mind too. I hope the group only attracts people who genuinely support Luke .


That's very rude, was that posted recently? It seems strange that somebody would join a private and innofensive group just to insult it's members.

I left a comment on the group. I really hope the book goes ahead, as the chapter we saw showed a lot of promise and I'm really looking forward to reading it .

Yes, I think that might have been it. It was something about people being obsessive and befriending housemates. I said I thought following them on twitter simply to abuse them was even more worrying and the thread seemed to die a death after that. There's a new L A All the way member today who has posted 'I really need to get famous' - doesn't sound like a Luke supporter to me.

I did cringe a bit. I had to stop myself posting a brisk, parentish reply.

Me too.

The book is about such a sensitive issue and the fact that it's at a critical time regarding whether or not it will actually be published and what the approach will be just made me extra sensitive to new people being added to the group and therefore being able to see what he's written. I wondered exactly what their motives were for wanting to join - especially when you consider some of the stuff he has to deal with on Twitter from people who've CHOSEN to follow him. Unfortunately not everyone is nice and has genuine motives. I'm too ruddy protective I think. Luke has that effect on me yet I know he can stand up for himself really.

Grrrrrr ..... that is all .... just grrrrrr!!!

What is it Noisy Oyster???

There's someone who's joined the facebook group who I am pretty sure is only interested in it for their own ends. I doubt very much that this person is really a fan of Luke. It is upsetting when people are sharing their personal stories in a group where they feel safe because they have built up good on-line relationships and there is someone there reading whose motives are obviously entirely selfish.

I do not like it when nice people are taken advantage of in this way.

You mean the person who only wants to know how to get on BB? I hope he doesn't start taking over. I also (not that it's anything to do with me) hope other people don't DM Luke too much - it must be a bit draining suddenly finding that you are being asked to sort out peoples' whole lives. I know of one ex housemate who simply walked away from facebook in the end because people were asking more of her than she felt able to give them. At the moment he is incredibly supportive to everyone.

Yes, that's the one. I find it really hard to believe he's a genuine Luke supporter. I've shown my sons the stuff he's posted to get a male viewpoint and they agree with me and it worries me that people have now started sharing such personal stuff with someone like that on board at the moment. I worry about what he might do with the personal information he's seen on there. Everyone's being so kind to this person because they are genuinely lovely people but sometimes nice people are simply too nice to spot a faker. I've done my bit by refusing to respond to anything he's written in the hopes he'll lose interest if he thinks people running the group and Luke can't help him get on BB, which, of course, they can't. He's just too dim to realise.

Yes, I agree with you about people expecting too much of Luke too. I'll hold my hands up to DMing Luke about this person, having thought long and hard about what I should do, because judging by the responses he's getting some people haven't sussed him out yet. I don't know if he has actually received my message yet or agrees with what I've said. Luke's very supportive and grateful to the people who genuinely care but I hope they realise there's only so much one person can take on board regarding someone else's personal life. I really hope they don't chase him away because it's good to share some of the funny and supportive stuff on there but it's not fair to expect Luke to take on everyone else's problems especially when he's just coming out of such a difficult time himself and realising that people genuinely like him for the person he is. Sharing among ourselves is one thing, expecting Luke to take responsibility and become an Agony Uncle is quite another.

I know who you are talking about - first post was "I need to get famous" I believe. I haven't responded to any of his self-centred utterings and do feel somewhat uncomfortable about him being there.

I'm glad it's not just me then. I'm fairly new to the group and hoped it didn't look as if I was just miffed at someone else joining. I wouldn't trust this guy as far as I could throw him and am genuinely worried about what he may blab about some of the personal stories that people have been revealing recently. He might be simply self-obsessed and wanting to get famous by being on BB or he could be more of a troll who will spread poison if things don't go his way.

Having felt in the state of mind to only be in lurk mode for a couple of days, I was pretty shocked to go on there last night and find it had turned into a massive confessional. I know the regulars are all very lovely and understanding but I'm just not the sort to go on there and tell everyone loads of random stuff about me. There's something I COULD talk about, something quite unusual that could open people's eyes up to a situation they've probably never thought about. I know if I ever did want to talk about it that group would be the perfect place but, ultimately, as I could never be 100% confident that everyone's there for the right reasons, I'd rather keep my personal stuff as nobody else's business.

I'm only really using the group to check on what Luke's up to now. I'm not in the mood right now to get interested in most of the stuff that goes on there and nobody wants to be as boringly sensible as me and discuss the bigger issues in the way that we do on here.

It's a difficult thing to get right. I remember when Conor's facebook group went private after people had started posting racist stuff from there on digitalspy, and people were coming back and saying that they had managed to get in invitation into the private group. And even though it is deeply creepy thinking of someone having a private facebook group where people feel safe to post racist stuff, I still think private is private. I never even look at appreciation threads unless I have something nice to say myself.

Looking at Luke and Becki's tiny little tent reminds me of how happy he seemed to see the blue team bedroom in the turf war task and how it led to Caroline's worst ever moment. I wonder if he ever saw it, or heard what she said? I was so angry that day.

Facebook is a strange place for me because a lot of my friends are on there (obviously) but a few of the LA army people are also facebook friends (I never refuse a facebook friend, not that I have any particular reason to) so my timeline is a disconcerting mixture of LA army stuff and other stuff, if you see what I mean. On twitter and digitalspy I am unidentifiable as myself, but obviously on facebook I have my real name and since I have no privacy settings anyone can see anything if they could be bothered. Which is a very long winded way of saying I wouldn't use facebook to say anything that is not generally known about me; but it is touching that people DO see the LA group as a safe, kind space to say things.

I find it quite worrying that people see it as a safe place because the regular contributors are such nice people but you have to remember that there are over 600 members and you never know who is lurking. My facebook is open as well but I would never post anything on there that I wouldn't be happy for anyone to see.

Yes. I have sometimes wondered whether there is anyone I know in real life among those 600 names, but not enough to look through them all. I really must stop hopping between DS, twitter and facebook and go and wash up or something useful...

For the record, dyspraxia is NOT a mental illness and does not make you act younger than you are. It also has no effect on someone's ability to read. It does, however, tend to improve as the affected person ages - that's why dyspraxic children stand out but very few adults obviously present as dyspraxic.

Ah, I didn't know it improved. I suppose by 'mental illness' someone might mean 'illness in your head'.

Online communities are just as fragile as real life ones. I have seen a DS appreciation thread fall utterly apart in terms of great bitterness and anger. People sometimes expect too much in the way of attention/ support. I hope the LAA one stays the nice, happy, friendly place it has been so far.

Yes, but it's not an illness in your head. It's more of a physical disability although it is classified along with learning disabilities like dyslexia and dyscalculia and many people suffer from a mixture of them. Someone's just trying to garner sympathy and ingratiate himself into the group. I probably know more about dyspraxia than many academics in the country, certainly more than most teachers and this guy is talking rubbish. My Geordie bullshine detector's going off the radar here. The same one that told me that if Jay really wanted to knock seven bells out of Aaron he would have done it. More than likely his sense of fair play against the little, camp southern softie (as he saw him) stopped him and he used the cameras and being in the house as an excuse.

You don't want to know the responses I've been tempted to put but, so far, I've resisted the urge to bite when this troll posts but it's getting harder and harder.

Have you checked out this guy's facebook - he's changed his cover photo but it's still visible further down the page? Doesn't look like a likely Luke supporter but sure-as-hell looks like a BB wannabe.

Rant over ... and breathe, Oyster ...

Annnnnnnnnnnd breathe. I agree about Jay and Aaron: my husband is a geordie as well and his family all seem to me to talk like Jay, but even so they are all still alive.

That newspaper report! Aaaaaagh!

Hello All

I'm hiding in here for the time being. I posted in THAT thread earlier and haven't dared go in to see if I've got any replies. I suggested that they look at Luke again with an open mind and I'm SCARED. I did see a nice response almost immediately from Jeanoj but I knew I was safe with her. There's a name I don't recognise as the last poster now and I shudder to think what it might be saying. I'm more like a quivering jellyfish than a noisy oyster at the moment.

I'm also hiding from the oestrogen fuelled LA Army - just temporarily. You wouldn't believe a picture of a nice young man and an ice--cream could cause such a frenzy. I'm hoping the excess of oestogen and lack of response to our friend will drive him away. I noticed he was tweeting Luke earlier but he does seem to be handling him pretty well. I've spotted that few people respond to him on the group so hopefully he'll take the hint and leave. I just have a bad feeling about this one as you know and I'm concerned in case there's another 'reveal something sensitive about yourself' session. I don't think our friend is the most caring individual (although, of course, I'd love to be proved wrong) judging by the way he's been blundering about and trying to get people's attention. I've noticed that young person who was baring their soul on there (I won't mention the name) hasn't been back yet to say how things have gone so I hope everything's ok but daren't ask. They're lovely and me being a big soft quivering jellyfish I hope they're ok.

Lol. I'm always up for a fight. I do believe that one day the forum will die quietly of old age except for me and veri (who is never nasty btw) who will still be exchanging 5000 word arguments. I have just been quite snappy with someone down there...

You are not exactly innocent....


Yes. I feel the same.

Most people are commenting on the Wonkeydonkey vs Veri discussion, so don't worry you're safe . I agree with your post (obviously) and nobody else has disputed it. I hope everything went well for the young person you're talking about, I haven't noticed him on the facebook group either, hopefully he's busy or just lurking.

What is this thread you are talking about and where can I find it?