Vaccines and the Spiral of Silence

At The Los Angeles Times, Emily Foxhall offers a clear illustration of the "spiral of silence" that we discussed last week:

Heather Crist Paley loved the private Facebook page where she could seek out advice from other mothers on such topics as finding a good nanny and the safety of raw milk.

There was only one subject she knew was prohibited — vaccines.

But when another member linked to an article on measles, the Los Feliz mother of two couldn't help but chime in.

Within minutes, Paley was banned.

As the national debate on childhood vaccines grows more intense, Internet forums such as Mommy2Mommy — gathering places for parents to discuss child-raising — are pushing back by restricting or banning the topic, sometimes banishing offenders.

READ THE REST OF  THE STORY HERE.