Anti-vaxxers trying to censor skeptic blogs.

An interesting event came to light recently. Two well known Skeptic blogs Reasonable Hank and Lucky Losing were being blocked by Trend Micro.

We believe supporters of the Australian Vaccination Network have been reporting skeptical blogs as malware in an attempt to have them blocked by malware vendors. This type of behavior has come to be expected from those who lack the evidence to backup their claims. 

There is an especially nutty fruitloop called Liz Hempel who had a few things to say on Twitter regarding the blockage of Reasonable Hank.

Liz Hempel (if that’s even her real name) is quite clearly making false accusations of fraud and criminal conduct. Without any evidence to backup those accusations of course, but then lack of evidence is what the anti-vaccination movement is all about (and promoting disease).

Liz continues…

Liz clearly knows little about the Internet. She receives the warning because she is most likely using Trend Micro which is blocking the page. Perhaps she thought reporting a page she didn’t like would get it removed entirely from the web, she is wrong only users of that particular blacklist are affected by the blockage.

I like her suggestion of reporting it to WordPress.com. Services providers receive threats, abuse and complaints as part of their daily business but no decent service provider is going to remove content unless compelled to by a court of competent jurisdiction. They espesially aren’t going to act at the whim of anti-vaxx bullshitters. Nice try Liz but once more you fail.

Incidents like this just highlight the lengths that anti-vaxxers will go to; or in this case attempt to go to in order to silence critics of their ideology. While Liz Hempel doesn’t know what she’s doing not all anti-vaxxers will be so incompetent with technology and those of us who run sites likely to incur the wrath of others should take steps to ensure that our sites and services are secure from those who would like to silence their critics in desperation. I expect we will see more underhanded tactics being used in the future, by those with an otherwise indefensible position.

19 thoughts on “Anti-vaxxers trying to censor skeptic blogs.

  1. Darwy

    ….and on a related note, accessing the AVN homepage sets off my computer's bullshit detector.

    Coincidence?

    Reply
  2. Liz Hempel

    Thanks for the shoutout!

    Awesome post btw, unfortunately you got a few (infact a lot) of key points completely wrong.
    For starters, I merely suggested that Hank was perhaps doing something he shouldn't have (as is evidenced by the screenshots you took). Typically when a malware/virus warning pops up on a page, it tends to suggest that something is a miss. Now its somehow MY fault that I received a virus warning?
    Secondly, I never reported his silly blog. I have no interest in censoring his stupidity whatsoever, nor yours for that matter.
    And you 'suggested' that I MAY be using Trend Micro. Doesn't my screenshot TELL YOU I am? Pfft. Idiot.

    Reply
  3. Kim

    I too received some strange warnings about the website on one PC, but not on another, it didn't occur to me to follow it up, but to know it is security program related is interesting, I WILL look into it further now 🙂

    Reply
  4. @advodiaboli

    Yes it's true, all true. Oh, the shame.

    I endured the indignity of having Trend Micro users think my wee blog was "Dangerous" and "Malicious".

    But worth it. A stunning review of AVN relevance to concerned parents who I imagine would find such conduct an ill informed choice.

    Reply
  5. Anonymouse

    @Liz, just face it. You were caught acting silly and now it's up for everyone to see and laugh at. And your huffy little comments here are just adding to the material. "Merely suggesting"? Hah! Dear, we can see your tweets. They're right there.

    No one is accusing you of flagging these blogs, but there's no denying that you were attempting to fan the flames.

    Reply
  6. Liz Hempel

    Hissy? On the contrary. I'm having a hearty chuckle about the whole fiasco. Maureen writes something utterly absurd about vaccines so SAVN scramble to deflect. This is the best they've got. Damage control much? Lol

    Reply
  7. Caroline Shipley

    Liz sweetie, how about you quit before you start to look really stupid? At the moment, it's just you, me and the rest of the informed over at SAVN who know what an idiot you are. Keep trying to fan the flames and you can guarantee one thing – your potential target audience will start to notice, and you'll be found sorely wanting in the brains department.
    Meryl probably should not have let you off your leash.

    Reply
  8. Harry Phillips

    Come on now the cult of antivax have a perfect record of allowing free thought and discussions on AVN facebook page and even the AVN web site…. why would ANYONE think they are out to censor anybody?

    /sarcasm

    Reply
  9. Darwy

    Liz, seriously just quit while you're still behind.

    And while you're there, I suggest some remedial classes in computer use. Especially if you don't know how your internet browser and virus protection work.

    Reply
  10. Liz Hempel

    Wow. Watch them go rabid!! Hey thanks for the advice, y'all…however since its coming from the SAVN, a group who cherry-picked the conversation which I was having with Illjasx and have made false assumptions about me in the past, I'll be inclined to take it with little more than a pinch of salt.
    For those who are saying I apparently know nothing about computers, care to extend that advice to Illjasx? He is afterall, the person who claimed I was the only one receiving the warning and infact suggested that my own computer was suggested with a virus.
    Fancy that huh! One webpage generates a warning, but hey…the problem must be at my end. Always blame the 'anti-vax troll', no matter what.
    Oh noes!! Its a Trend-Micro issue? Must be dem pesky anti-vaxers vexatious and false reporting again!! Proof? We don't need any proof!! It's only Meryl Dorey that MUST provide proof! With love, SAVN. (Tongue in cheek for all those who are a little bit slow).
    However, on a more serious note, don't you get the impression that SAVN is trying to deflect from a monstrous boo-boo that a certain high-profile skeptic made on a public webpage? Kinda makes a mockery out of SAVN and all their wonderous knowledge on vaccines, doesn't it? Tee-hee!
    So I'm terribly sorry, SAVN. Your advice in the past, has been less than helpful, and far from correct. I sat down, armed with my salt shaker. Good thing that I did. Have fun bitching amongst yourselves now 😉

    Reply
  11. Anonymouse

    I feel compelled to point out that no one has said "hissy," but I did use the word "huffy." As in "snobbish, haughty."

    It's pretty obvious that you were overblowing the situation, considering the first hour or so was spent retweeting on two accounts before taunting them. And now you're attempting to deflect. I hope at some point you consider attempting to reflect instead. Are all these people coming out against you (both on this and other issues) really doing so because they're terrible people, or could it *possibly* be that you are in the wrong? Or by all means, continue trolling if that is what truly makes your life complete.

    Reply
  12. Harry Phillips

    Have you noticed that we get banned from the antivax sites because what we say makes them look stupid uninformed.

    We don't censor them on these sites because what they say makes them look…. uninformed.

    I am starting to see a pattern…….

    Reply
  13. Harry Phillips

    With no evidence but coincidence does not mean a thing. It would take way more than that for me to even start considering Meryl was using a different account.

    There are people that are as sadly…. uninformed… as Liz that believe the information spewed forth from the gaping hole that is Meryl's mouth. I know one from high school.

    I shoot down every point she regurgitates from the AVN but she still clings to the belief because of her 'mommy' instinct. I asked her to be more open minded and consider information outside her own experience, she did not like that being turned on her.

    Reply
  14. Harry Phillips

    When she said her child reacted badly to a vaccine I pointed out she should be in FAVOUR of vaccines for the herd immunity effect to protect her son instead of supporting the AVN.

    It still did not shake her belief in the word of the prophet Meryl. I don't know what will, I doubt even the death of her child from a preventable illness would, maybe, I don't know.

    Reply
  15. @advodiaboli

    Meryl behaves like a Munchausen mum.

    I'm not big on obscure psychological conditions that impact on family bonds and/or can be mimicked by coincidence but Ms. Dorey – and antivaxxers in general – do tick many of the boxes. In Oz we now call it "Fabricated or Induced Illness by Carers". Meryl's unique additions to her sons "vaccine injury" over the years in the absolute absence of evidence are certainly fabricated.

    She is of course (at least as of last December) still treating him with homeopathic hanky panky and whatever else is deemed non-allopathic. Some times he is on the spectrum, sometimes not. Other times he has encephalopathy (diagnosed by Meryl), sometimes not. Whether she gets off on it or needs to play the role to legitimise being a champion for vaccine injuries is a chicken and egg thing.

    And I do stress "behaves". Working backward antivaxxers are a demographic who perhaps most condemn Munchausen's as bollocks – itself an interesting factor.

    Liz may be a Mini Meryl but that's about it I'd wager.

    Reply
  16. Liz Hempel

    Lol. So this is where all the pharma shills can be found?
    How's this for coordination.
    You are all writing blogs about me at the very same time. Wow. I wonder whether the real Liz Hempel would find this as amusing as I do. Buhahahahaha. Are the shills going to try calling her family again? You shills are so easy to confuse. It sure has been a lot of fun. Quick! Screenies!

    Reply

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