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   Thayer (thayer@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 18-May-2026 00:59:48 JST Thayer

   • Aral Balkan

   Anybody else getting lots of PMs from ppl from the "verified in Gaza" Mastodon? Asking for money, with heart breaking stories. I'm not sure what to do. It's making it hard to stay on Masto right now. I donated the first time, a fairly decent chunk, but now I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed. @aral I saw you're attached to this, is there anything we can do to bare witness & help within our means but also protect our mental health from being approached this way? I don't want to close PMs for all.

   • Embed this notice
     Aral Balkan (aral@mastodon.ar.al)'s status on Monday, 18-May-2026 00:59:47 JST Aral Balkan

     in reply to

     @Thayer Hey Thayer, long time no speak, hope you’re well.

     Unsolicited DMs are against the rules of many servers and Gaza Verified also (as it gets accounts suspended and reflects badly on everyone else).

     Please feel free to let me know which accounts privately and please mute as you need to protect your own mental health.

     Most of the folks we’ve verified don’t do this but verification is not a character reference and we have to remember that they are facing famine and genocide.

   • Embed this notice
     Aral Balkan (aral@mastodon.ar.al)'s status on Monday, 18-May-2026 01:11:48 JST Aral Balkan

     in reply to

     @Thayer Just doing what little I can and with the support of lots of lovely folks both here and elsewhere :)

     You won’t get them into trouble, by the way, but we can talk to them privately to explain that this is a risk for their accounts.

     Lovely to be back in touch.

   • Embed this notice
     Thayer (thayer@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 18-May-2026 01:11:49 JST Thayer

     in reply to

     • Aral Balkan

     @aral 100% with you, I would be doing the same in desperation I have no doubt. I'm glad you're doing this for them, you're an amazing person able to take on this magnitude of suffering every day. I will take your advice thank you. No need to fwd unless you want me to, I really don't want to get folks in trouble for being desperate.

     And yes very long time! Lovely to be in touch, despite the circumstances. Glad to see you thriving still 💞 and thank you again for what you do.