not when you cut and paste :)
thx 4 update, now if i copy a row of N inserters connected by circuits, it keeps the whitelist setting ...on every one except the one which is placed to the north or east end ...in "set filters" mode. in "none" mode, it's the south or east inserter that is set to blacklist. how that's possible, i don't understand.
are you sure if it's difficult to check for "set filters" and not do blacklisting if you see that? that's the main use case for whitelist-mode inserters that have no filters anyway