Saturday, September 8, 2012

Youth Defence: The Only Thing Worse Than Being Talked About

I commented earlier on the difficulty of differentiating between those of @YouthDefence's followers who approved of the organisation's aims, and those whose morbid sense of curiosity compels them to see what bizarre utterances they'll next belch on to Twitter.

I said it would be tricky, most likely involving trawling through all posts by all followers, and not a task to which I warmed.

Still, there seems to be some appetite for material of this sort so I offer you an alternative. I searched Twitter for mentions of either "Youth Defence" or youthdefence, categorised them as either in favour, against, or unknown and did another pretty chart. Note - tweeting about Youth Defence does not mean the person necessarily follows @YouthDefence. The source data is below; and bar the observation that their claims to be "the voice of the majority" seems even less credible I leave the commentary to other bloggers. It's sunny outside.



Tweet Attitude Location
"My electorate are most certainly anti-abortion" says Labour Senator: The Sunday Business Post has... http://t.co/G5vwSMDM #prolife #plp Pro Youth Defence Everywhere
#prolifers:There's Viva la Vida bootcamp by @YouthDefence in Dublin.Any possibility to bring this over or have something similar in London? Pro Youth Defence England
@YouthDefence Don't get too complacent on Labour. Watch for the subtle marketing to women in media, telling them they need a get out option Pro Youth Defence Ireland
@YouthDefence Y.D. Keep up the great work... Need more events in all towns in Ireland.. Unlock media brainwashed minds #prolife Pro Youth Defence
BREAKING NEWS! Monaghan Country Council has passed a motion opposing abortion. Monaghan Abú! Click 'like' if... http://t.co/NN2ki28q Pro Youth Defence Ireland
Only 10 letters complaining about Youth Defence posters - no public outcry just from huge pro-abortion support base! http://t.co/RG1VTK2y … Pro Youth Defence Ireland
RT @prolifeplanet: "My electorate are most certainly anti-abortion" says Labour Senator: The Sunday Business Post has... http://t.co/G5v ... Pro Youth Defence Cascade Locks, Oregon
RT @prolifeplanet: BREAKING: Monaghan Co Council passes motion opposing abortion by unanimous vote: Monaghan County C... http://t.co/wt4 ... Pro Youth Defence
RT @prolifeplanet: BREAKING: Monaghan Co Council passes motion opposing abortion by unanimous vote: Monaghan County C... http://t.co/wt4 ... Pro Youth Defence USA, Europe and Worldwide
RT @prolifeplanet: BREAKING: Monaghan Co Council passes motion opposing abortion by unanimous vote: Monaghan County C... http://t.co/wt4 ... Pro Youth Defence worcester ma
RT @YouthDefence: On the YD blog, Tadhg asks the abortion campaigners questions they don't want to answer. Read it, like, it,... http: ... Pro Youth Defence CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, NY
@Ceit_smr Not to me. Always seems we're "pro-life" only until we're born. Then we're on our own. #YouthDefence Unknown County Wexford, Ireland
@Krank_IE That must make Youth Defence the largest organised group on Irish Twitter?Probably supports the view that T is not representative Unknown Dublin, Ireland
@lileeny they never replaced Glenroe! Anyway Mayo... youth defence, legion of Mary, union of Knock housekeepers, Enda Kenny illuminati... Unknown Cork, Ireland
@stevenrafleming I just listened to it there Steve. I presume the bit you're not happy with is the reference to youth defence? Unknown Tullamore/Maynooth-Ireland
I didn't even know Youth Defence had a twitter account until I saw that blog post listing all its followers (with @ names partially *d out.. Unknown Dublin, Ireland
If you believe that you can shut down Youth Defence i admire your naiveness Unknown Dublin
Loving the fact that @DRUMorDIE tweets me anytime he finds something about Youth Defence. The rant lives on... Unknown Waterford, Ireland.
This 404 is brilliant: http://t.co/kcKYuidf Unknown Northampton, UK
#HowToPissOffAFemale "Hi, we're from Youth Defence..." #sadface Anti Youth Defence
*SURPRISE* MT "@AnnraoiOD: Mick Quinn of DRMIreland has been an active member of @YouthDefence since 2000. http://t.co/tLQU3bUP " Anti Youth Defence On an Island called Ireland
@crmagahy @AnnraoiOD @YouthDefence How appalling that he is filling young peoples' heads with that sort of hateful shit Anti Youth Defence Kelso, Scotland
@etienneshrdlu Good adivce for logo designers: Make sure it doesn't look like a swastika or a penis. (Unless it's for BNP or Youth Defence) Anti Youth Defence Dublin
@geoffsshorts @CardinalBrady @DavQuim Haha, Youth Defence fell out with me after I published this study for them: http://t.co/3z5S8Fgr Anti Youth Defence Donegal
@NeilMooney @geoffsshorts Id imagine loads disagree, in Ireland you could track that by seeing who follows unlike youth defence Anti Youth Defence Dublin.
@sleighsmiths http://t.co/UF00THW7 Anti Youth Defence This is under 30 characters
@YouthDefence A bald man with a mustache and a wearing a sailers hat got me verrry drunk. I think he hid a baby up my bum! What will I do? Anti Youth Defence
@YouthDefence I have been banned from your page on FB I would like an explanation I posted nothing malicious or otherwise Anti Youth Defence
Anti-choice group in Ireland - Youth Defence - has links with white nationalist who called Breivik too moderate http://t.co/l3mzwhA8 Anti Youth Defence
Being blocked by Youth Defence is a badge I am proud to wear! Anti Youth Defence Ireland.
Contrary to what @YouthDefence and pro-lifers might say, Ireland is NOT the safest place to have a baby #seizethedebate http://t.co/kcQCJ8r7 Anti Youth Defence Ireland
fuck youth defence, and the fact they think they speak for a majority of irish people http://t.co/kmbDb65c Anti Youth Defence Dublin
Geoff's Shorts: Youth Defence: Who Follows The Followers? http://t.co/8ZKziGGj Anti Youth Defence Ohio, U.S.
Geoff's Shorts: Youth Defence: Who Follows The Followers? http://t.co/lYngMo4F Anti Youth Defence Yorkshire
Got invited to a group whose name started with 'Unlike Youth Defence.' Immediate thought was why would I have liked them in the first place? Anti Youth Defence Dublin
http://t.co/N1ZLXcFH http://t.co/JwGqy3mL Anti Youth Defence Dublin
I ran stats on Youth Defence's twitter followers. 14% Irish, 59% USA / Canada. Not surprised. http://t.co/dm3Da7xc Anti Youth Defence Dublin, Ireland
I should really stop reading the comments on the Youth Defence FB page #bloodboiling Anti Youth Defence
Interesting, if unsurprising, that so many anon prolife twitter accs are appearing of late... Youth Defence idiocy me thinks #prochoice Anti Youth Defence Dublin
Ireland 10th in Web Index,Youth Defence Twit list exposed as US majority & Twilight gets the Bad Lip Reading treatment http://t.co/A91BXWtn Anti Youth Defence Ireland
Mwahaha. Irish majority my foot. http://t.co/F3BMd8aJ (and part 2) http://t.co/MM0dMk2E #seizethedebate Anti Youth Defence Luxembourg
Nice work by @geoffsshorts on where exactly Youth Defence's Twitter followers are from: http://t.co/3AiALHzs Voice of the majority me hole. Anti Youth Defence Dublin
prochoiceireland: So who REALLY follows Youth Defence?Geoff Lillis has done some detective work and discovere… http://t.co/GGnZTWUq Anti Youth Defence Dublin, Ireland
RT @AnnraoiOD: @Clonrf @crmagahy Mick (@DRMIreland) Quinn is a member of @YouthDefence. http://t.co/1SPO3h4A http://t.co/PyO4S8Tr Anti Youth Defence Dublin. Ireland
RT @AnnraoiOD: @Clonrf @crmagahy Mick (@DRMIreland) Quinn is a member of @YouthDefence. http://t.co/1SPO3h4A http://t.co/PyO4S8Tr Anti Youth Defence Cork
RT @AnnraoiOD: Racist Mick Quinn (@DRMIreland) has been an active member of @YouthDefence since 2000. http://t.co/1SPO3h4A http://t.co/P ... Anti Youth Defence Western Edge of Europe
RT @conorsthoughts: Contrary to what @YouthDefence and pro-lifers might say, Ireland is NOT the safest place to have a baby #seizethedeb ... Anti Youth Defence still waiting 20 years later
RT @conorsthoughts: Contrary to what @YouthDefence and pro-lifers might say, Ireland is NOT the safest place to have a baby #seizethedeb ... Anti Youth Defence Cork
RT @conorsthoughts: Contrary to what @YouthDefence and pro-lifers might say, Ireland is NOT the safest place to have a baby #seizethedeb ... Anti Youth Defence Ireland
RT @conorsthoughts: Contrary to what @YouthDefence and pro-lifers might say, Ireland is NOT the safest place to have a baby #seizethedeb ... Anti Youth Defence Dublin
RT @conorsthoughts: Contrary to what @YouthDefence and pro-lifers might say, Ireland is NOT the safest place to have a baby #seizethedeb ... Anti Youth Defence Cork
RT @darraghdoyle: The more I read about Youth Defence and what they do, the less I understand them or the reason for them http://t.co/jh ... Anti Youth Defence Dublin
RT @darraghdoyle: The more I read about Youth Defence and what they do, the less I understand them or the reason for them http://t.co/jh ... Anti Youth Defence Dublin, Ireland
RT @darraghdoyle: The more I read about Youth Defence and what they do, the less I understand them or the reason for them http://t.co/jh ... Anti Youth Defence Dundalk, Ireland
RT @DUGESociety: Youth Defence's followers by where they come from: http://t.co/uBXiSSA0 #seizethedebate Anti Youth Defence Dublin
RT @flyingteacosy: prochoiceireland: So who REALLY follows Youth Defence?Geoff Lillis has done some detective work and discovere… http:/ ... Anti Youth Defence Dublin, Ireland
RT @geoffsshorts: @NeilMooney @wearerabble I did an update on followers who likely don't agree with Youth Defence here: http://t.co/2g10Wcrg Anti Youth Defence Dublin
RT @geoffsshorts: I ran stats on Youth Defence's twitter followers. 14% Irish, 59% USA / Canada. Not surprised. http://t.co/dm3Da7xc Anti Youth Defence Dublin, Ireland
RT @jonanamary: Anti-choice group in Ireland - Youth Defence - has links with white nationalist who called Breivik too moderate http://t ... Anti Youth Defence London
RT @jonanamary: Anti-choice group in Ireland - Youth Defence - has links with white nationalist who called Breivik too moderate http://t ... Anti Youth Defence Glasgow, Scotland
RT @Krank_IE: Ireland 10th in Web Index,Youth Defence Twit list exposed as US majority & Twilight gets the Bad Lip Reading treatment ... Anti Youth Defence Ballina, Tipperary, Ireland
RT @Krank_IE: Ireland 10th in Web Index,Youth Defence Twit list exposed as US majority & Twilight gets the Bad Lip Reading treatment ... Anti Youth Defence A Fortified Location, Leinster
RT @redlemonader: Nice work by @geoffsshorts on where exactly Youth Defence's Twitter followers are from: http://t.co/3AiALHzs Voice of ... Anti Youth Defence Dublin
RT @redlemonader: Nice work by @geoffsshorts on where exactly Youth Defence's Twitter followers are from: http://t.co/3AiALHzs Voice of ... Anti Youth Defence Dun Laoghaire
RT @redlemonader: Nice work by @geoffsshorts on where exactly Youth Defence's Twitter followers are from: http://t.co/3AiALHzs Voice of ... Anti Youth Defence Belfast, Northern Ireland
RT @redlemonader: Nice work by @geoffsshorts on where exactly Youth Defence's Twitter followers are from: http://t.co/3AiALHzs Voice of ... Anti Youth Defence
RT @redlemonader: Nice work by @geoffsshorts on where exactly Youth Defence's Twitter followers are from: http://t.co/3AiALHzs Voice of ... Anti Youth Defence
RT @YouthDefence: Protect mother and baby! >> ...by ensuring Irish abortions only happen in England Anti Youth Defence Dublin, Ireland
The Akin Diet http://t.co/5Uenkmmb via @broadsheet_ie #youth_defence #prc_tweets Anti Youth Defence T\u00edr na bPuls\u00e1ir
The more I read about Youth Defence and what they do, the less I understand them or the reason for them http://t.co/jh2hmTSd Anti Youth Defence Ireland
there is a youth defence billboard up in westport now Anti Youth Defence ireland hunni
There's also some alarming details in there about where Irish anti-choice group Youth Defence is getting its support http://t.co/yUoIP1Ht Anti Youth Defence London
They are now talking about the offensive @YouthDefence anti-abortion advertising campaign that has been all over the city. Anti Youth Defence DUBLIN
To the man giving out Youth Defence flyers outside the GPO; Would ya ever fuck off! Anti Youth Defence Ireland
Yet to see the promised third round of the disgraceful Youth Defence ad campaign Anti Youth Defence Usually Dublin/Kildare/Antrim
Youth Defence made me Pro-Choice, thanks YD. Anti Youth Defence Dublin via Dundalk, Ireland
Youth Defence: Who Follows The Followers? http://t.co/AkxkNqMG Anti Youth Defence derry, northern ireland
Youth Defence's followers by where they come from: http://t.co/uBXiSSA0 #seizethedebate Anti Youth Defence

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

My god, you're good!

Geoff said...

I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like Youth.

Sorry, was feeling cheesy :-)

Stephen C said...

Haha :)

I just watched "Taken" again last week, love a coincidence.

Anyway, well done for doing this, it doesn't look like it was a lot of fun :D

Geoff said...

Heh, there's a bit of a knack to it. Only time consuming part was working out if the comments were positive or negative.