Really good, if heart-sinking piece Dan. Few things make me rage more than people whipping their phones out to record the suffering or mocking of others, and this is like that on a supercharged level for this poor woman. I feel so sorry for her eldest child dealing with this at school.
Thanks Helen. Some of this is technology driven. I did plenty of daft things when I was a teenager but we didn’t have phones. The ability to publish instantly to the internet is an astonishing thing but obviously comes with costs.
Amazing story Dan; hopefully something good will come of her encounter with a thoughtful man such as yourself. What a great publication, the Sheffield tribune.
Thanks Bee. Yeah, I'm hoping that fact I haven't seen her recently means she's off currently off the streets but I just don't know. Thanks for your kind words about the Tribune 🙏
What seems clear is the iniquity of TikTok. While I'm unable to endorse the sensationalism of the footage Brian put out, I've noticed that TikTok stories do accentuate and promote anything that causes or emphasises social breakdown and disorderliness in our society. It seems to have a "create havoc" algorithm.
I'm not on TikTok, and I'm surprised and alarmed that our people have taken to it, when it's run by China, an expansionist tyranny that bears us no goodwill, and which would be happy to see us collapse into disorder. I dare say TikTok is fun: but it won't do us any good, that's for sure. The phrase "selling ones birthright for a mess of pottage" comes to mind.
Thanks Ruth. Yeah, I don't use it either -- it seems mainly to be teenagers. But as you say it seems to be affected by the same problems as other social media in that outrageous or controversial content tends to be prioritised in the algorithm. I don't really want to get into the geopolitics of it but I will say the company's response to us definitely lacked understanding and empathy.
Ruth, I have no difficulty believing the analysis of the video I posted. TikTok as our children and those who want to share their space use does not exist in China. That should tell us a lot. I'm not registered, but occasionally my youngest daughter may share a funny TikTok and I notice the browser. I makes me extremely uncomfortable as a 56 year old male to see the stuff our kids are having wash over them.
Brian: you and the Link you gave us might well be right. However, I don't like to allege more than I can establish. Yes, TikTok isn't available to the Chinese. Some Silicon Valley moguls don't allow their children to be on social media, because they know they're toxic and/or a waste of time. My daughter forbids her children to go on social media, for similar reasons. We can't say exactly what is in the mind of Pres. Xi. He means us no good, and that's all we know. I apologise for this excess of caution: it's having practised as a lawyer that's made me like I am!
Ruth - I'm not particularly blaming the Chinese, I think it's a clever move in a coldly competitive frame... Just as a commercially driven media outlet might pivot to "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS" stories to gather readership, it's not called 'CLICKBAIT' for nothing imho. We need to see how people are playing the game and ask ourselves, what can I do differently? 🙏❤️
Thanks James. Yeah, it’s difficult to ge your head around, isn’t it? But I don’t want to judge too harshly. I’d like to think I wouldn’t have done that when I was a teenager but social media and smart phones weren’t around when I was growing up.
Have you reached out to the various organisations and networks in Sheffield to find out what support is available for her and passed that information on?
I did contact a homelessness service in Sheffield know to tell them what was going on and ask if they can do anything to help her. They run an outreach programme so hopefully they will have found her.
I'm sure she is already known to the the relevent agencies, it is one thing Sheffield is really good at: https://www.helpushelpsheffield.uk/. I have yet to speak to anyone on the streets in Sheffield who does not have a Framework Support Worker and by default are then linked into other services.
More could be done to promote the Help us Help network which includes 20+ organisations and hundreds of volunteers. It gives people practical ways to help vulnerable people on the streets.
A sad and sobering piece, her story is like the start of an episode of Black Mirror. I hope it ends well for her though. Thanks for the humanity and nuance in your writing.
Not for me, though Dan does start by expressing that concern. To me it read as a compassionate insight into the exploitation of one of Sheffield's most vulnerable and the dark side of our city - less the people who have nowhere to live than the reactions of the people who do. It's not going to bring Tiktok down, but I don't think that's the goal here. The goal is to shed light. The article does that, sensitively and with decency.
Why not an in depth piece on someone in the city working their socks off to create a positive difference in this area? A deep dive into their views of what's working and what I can do as a caring, compassionate Sheffielder to help. No, I'm sorry this is just more 'look how terrible the world is" and I'm not blaming Dan, he's making a living and deeper than most but can do better imho. 🙏
I mean, I see that point of view, but it's not Dan's job to tell us how to help. It's his job to let us know what's going on. This is a story that sheds light and has an impact. I can imagine it making people want to help, and wanting to find out more about how to help, but it's a catalyst story. It shows us a vulnerable person, one who's been mocked and diminished, as a real person with real feelings who matters. Different from a 'here's what you can do' story but just as important. I'd also like to know about the person who's working their socks off to create a positive difference. I think that would be a great follow-up piece. But I don't think it's either/or.
No, not his job to tell us how to help, but by seeking inspiring characters who are creating a huge positive difference, perhaps he can avoid further exacerbating the harm being done by exposing this vulnerable woman to an even wider audience. I may be entirely wrong, and perhaps I'm being too idealistic, but I have a hunch that decent people want some hope here.
Thanks for your comments both. Like I say in the piece, deciding whether to do the story was difficult. In the end we decided that informing people that this was going on was important, but that we needed to protect Keeley as much as possible in the writing of it. I like doing positive pieces about Sheffield and we’ve done plenty of them. But sometimes we also have to publish the unvarnished truth about the bad things that are happening in our city. Our readers are free to agree or disagree with our choice of stories. Most people so far seem to think this was a worthwhile story to do, but we’ll certainly take your criticisms on board Brian. Thanks again. Dan.
Tracey Ford is a writer and the council's Community Safety Partnerships Operations and Development manager. Alcoholic father, pregnant at 16, recovering addict, she has seen it from both sides and is someone worth talking to.
I'm sorry Dan, as I said you're deeper than most and I'm supportive of your content. I know people who devote their working lives to helping the homeless and vulnerable, and they've made me very aware of how unhelpful this kind of exposure can be to those struggling to make positive decisions about their lives. I don't think they have all the answers at all, despite being subject experts - personally I think it's something we all have to take to heart and look at what we can each do to help. Paying our council tax or donating to charity or tut tutting a news article doesn't absolve us of our responsibility.
I agree, the Archer project targets the homeless and has been operating for thirty years. It is based at the Cathedral! It should have featured in the piece.
Thanks for your comment Clive. Yeah, I'm well aware of the work of the Archer Project, but there are lots of articles about them in other publications (many of them written by me when I was at The Star). Keeley's story struck me as something new: technology being used to broadcast a vulnerable woman essentially all over the world. That's what we wanted to focus on but we would be very happy to return to this topic in the future to cover those trying to help.
If you think that Dan, you should Google Only Fans, I'm sure there are plenty more vulnerable young women in Sheffield you could feature.
I'm sorry, I know it's a tough job - and sounds like you did some constructive work at The Star. You now get to choose your own focus for your own publication 🙏
Thanks for your enlightened piece about this vulnerable person. There are so many in our present day society who are struggling to keep their heads above water, some trying to cope with after effects of childhood trauma and mental illness. It's up to us to call out cruel behaviour that targets the most vulnerable and, if possible make financial contribution to charities eg The Archer project, if and when we can. They are well versed in how to help people like Keeley.
Really good, if heart-sinking piece Dan. Few things make me rage more than people whipping their phones out to record the suffering or mocking of others, and this is like that on a supercharged level for this poor woman. I feel so sorry for her eldest child dealing with this at school.
Thanks Helen. Some of this is technology driven. I did plenty of daft things when I was a teenager but we didn’t have phones. The ability to publish instantly to the internet is an astonishing thing but obviously comes with costs.
Amazing story Dan; hopefully something good will come of her encounter with a thoughtful man such as yourself. What a great publication, the Sheffield tribune.
Thanks Bee. Yeah, I'm hoping that fact I haven't seen her recently means she's off currently off the streets but I just don't know. Thanks for your kind words about the Tribune 🙏
What seems clear is the iniquity of TikTok. While I'm unable to endorse the sensationalism of the footage Brian put out, I've noticed that TikTok stories do accentuate and promote anything that causes or emphasises social breakdown and disorderliness in our society. It seems to have a "create havoc" algorithm.
I'm not on TikTok, and I'm surprised and alarmed that our people have taken to it, when it's run by China, an expansionist tyranny that bears us no goodwill, and which would be happy to see us collapse into disorder. I dare say TikTok is fun: but it won't do us any good, that's for sure. The phrase "selling ones birthright for a mess of pottage" comes to mind.
Thanks Ruth. Yeah, I don't use it either -- it seems mainly to be teenagers. But as you say it seems to be affected by the same problems as other social media in that outrageous or controversial content tends to be prioritised in the algorithm. I don't really want to get into the geopolitics of it but I will say the company's response to us definitely lacked understanding and empathy.
Ruth, I have no difficulty believing the analysis of the video I posted. TikTok as our children and those who want to share their space use does not exist in China. That should tell us a lot. I'm not registered, but occasionally my youngest daughter may share a funny TikTok and I notice the browser. I makes me extremely uncomfortable as a 56 year old male to see the stuff our kids are having wash over them.
Testing
Brian: you and the Link you gave us might well be right. However, I don't like to allege more than I can establish. Yes, TikTok isn't available to the Chinese. Some Silicon Valley moguls don't allow their children to be on social media, because they know they're toxic and/or a waste of time. My daughter forbids her children to go on social media, for similar reasons. We can't say exactly what is in the mind of Pres. Xi. He means us no good, and that's all we know. I apologise for this excess of caution: it's having practised as a lawyer that's made me like I am!
Ruth - I'm not particularly blaming the Chinese, I think it's a clever move in a coldly competitive frame... Just as a commercially driven media outlet might pivot to "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS" stories to gather readership, it's not called 'CLICKBAIT' for nothing imho. We need to see how people are playing the game and ask ourselves, what can I do differently? 🙏❤️
Wow yes, Brian. You're streets ahead of me in this.
https://youtu.be/-i4RSE1rESE?si=KCVV_YVHzjCoB2XV
Fascinating article but a very sad reflection on the misue of social media taking advantage of a person with real issues.
Thanks James. Yeah, it’s difficult to ge your head around, isn’t it? But I don’t want to judge too harshly. I’d like to think I wouldn’t have done that when I was a teenager but social media and smart phones weren’t around when I was growing up.
Have you reached out to the various organisations and networks in Sheffield to find out what support is available for her and passed that information on?
I did contact a homelessness service in Sheffield know to tell them what was going on and ask if they can do anything to help her. They run an outreach programme so hopefully they will have found her.
I'm sure she is already known to the the relevent agencies, it is one thing Sheffield is really good at: https://www.helpushelpsheffield.uk/. I have yet to speak to anyone on the streets in Sheffield who does not have a Framework Support Worker and by default are then linked into other services.
More could be done to promote the Help us Help network which includes 20+ organisations and hundreds of volunteers. It gives people practical ways to help vulnerable people on the streets.
A difficult read, hopefully she is able to get long term help after the teenagers have moved on.
Thanks Rich. When I met her when she was sober I got the impression she wanted to make a change, but it will be really hard for her to do that.
A sad and sobering piece, her story is like the start of an episode of Black Mirror. I hope it ends well for her though. Thanks for the humanity and nuance in your writing.
Sadly, this piece felt a bit like watching a TikTok video Dan, at least you're monetized. TikTok deserves more serious attention : https://youtu.be/t7STD2ESmWg?si=kEk0JZBUFX-P8Rwl
Not for me, though Dan does start by expressing that concern. To me it read as a compassionate insight into the exploitation of one of Sheffield's most vulnerable and the dark side of our city - less the people who have nowhere to live than the reactions of the people who do. It's not going to bring Tiktok down, but I don't think that's the goal here. The goal is to shed light. The article does that, sensitively and with decency.
Why not an in depth piece on someone in the city working their socks off to create a positive difference in this area? A deep dive into their views of what's working and what I can do as a caring, compassionate Sheffielder to help. No, I'm sorry this is just more 'look how terrible the world is" and I'm not blaming Dan, he's making a living and deeper than most but can do better imho. 🙏
I mean, I see that point of view, but it's not Dan's job to tell us how to help. It's his job to let us know what's going on. This is a story that sheds light and has an impact. I can imagine it making people want to help, and wanting to find out more about how to help, but it's a catalyst story. It shows us a vulnerable person, one who's been mocked and diminished, as a real person with real feelings who matters. Different from a 'here's what you can do' story but just as important. I'd also like to know about the person who's working their socks off to create a positive difference. I think that would be a great follow-up piece. But I don't think it's either/or.
No, not his job to tell us how to help, but by seeking inspiring characters who are creating a huge positive difference, perhaps he can avoid further exacerbating the harm being done by exposing this vulnerable woman to an even wider audience. I may be entirely wrong, and perhaps I'm being too idealistic, but I have a hunch that decent people want some hope here.
Thanks for your comments both. Like I say in the piece, deciding whether to do the story was difficult. In the end we decided that informing people that this was going on was important, but that we needed to protect Keeley as much as possible in the writing of it. I like doing positive pieces about Sheffield and we’ve done plenty of them. But sometimes we also have to publish the unvarnished truth about the bad things that are happening in our city. Our readers are free to agree or disagree with our choice of stories. Most people so far seem to think this was a worthwhile story to do, but we’ll certainly take your criticisms on board Brian. Thanks again. Dan.
Tracey Ford is a writer and the council's Community Safety Partnerships Operations and Development manager. Alcoholic father, pregnant at 16, recovering addict, she has seen it from both sides and is someone worth talking to.
Just carry on exactly as you are, Dan.
I'm sorry Dan, as I said you're deeper than most and I'm supportive of your content. I know people who devote their working lives to helping the homeless and vulnerable, and they've made me very aware of how unhelpful this kind of exposure can be to those struggling to make positive decisions about their lives. I don't think they have all the answers at all, despite being subject experts - personally I think it's something we all have to take to heart and look at what we can each do to help. Paying our council tax or donating to charity or tut tutting a news article doesn't absolve us of our responsibility.
I agree, the Archer project targets the homeless and has been operating for thirty years. It is based at the Cathedral! It should have featured in the piece.
https://www.archerproject.org.uk/
Thanks for your comment Clive. Yeah, I'm well aware of the work of the Archer Project, but there are lots of articles about them in other publications (many of them written by me when I was at The Star). Keeley's story struck me as something new: technology being used to broadcast a vulnerable woman essentially all over the world. That's what we wanted to focus on but we would be very happy to return to this topic in the future to cover those trying to help.
If you think that Dan, you should Google Only Fans, I'm sure there are plenty more vulnerable young women in Sheffield you could feature.
I'm sorry, I know it's a tough job - and sounds like you did some constructive work at The Star. You now get to choose your own focus for your own publication 🙏
Thanks for your enlightened piece about this vulnerable person. There are so many in our present day society who are struggling to keep their heads above water, some trying to cope with after effects of childhood trauma and mental illness. It's up to us to call out cruel behaviour that targets the most vulnerable and, if possible make financial contribution to charities eg The Archer project, if and when we can. They are well versed in how to help people like Keeley.
Another brilliant and important piece, highlighting something that many of us were completely unaware was happening. Really grateful for your work!