To be distinctly peeved that my thread was treated as spam.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

It was a link to a really important National Autistic Society survey.

I posted it in AIBU for traffic. Lots of people signed.

But then it was banished to some godforsaken corner of MN. Because someone reported it as spam

[Sirzy]

Yanbu.

It was a topic that should be openly discussed and it could have been a really useful, informative thread

[Wolfiefan]

Spam? No. What?
I agree with Sirzy.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

What particularly stings is this part of the Talk Guidelines has been quoted to me by MNHQ;

"But we'll delete anyone's attempts to spam the boards with links, as a way of promoting their own product, services, survey or e-petition, as it annoys our members."

As if I'm a hawker.

As if it's my own profit making enterprise.

As if I an NOT a member.

[NickiFury]

I think the subject matter means it should have been looked at more carefully and dealt with a bit more sensitively.

Mainly though I wonder why it was reported and requested to be moved in the first place? it just wouldn't occur to me to do that about such a thread. Just seems a bit keen to me.

Anyway I am not surprised. There is a real lack of awareness and care in RL towards people with autism so it's just same old same old really isn't it? Sadly. Just a bit confusing on a site that trumpets it's "Every Child Matters" sound bite right up until it actually comes to doing anything practical and useful to raise awareness.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

I agree - awareness raising is part of the point of the exercise.

I'd never even HEARD of the NFP Surveys board. Nobody will see it there.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

Doesn't matter if it wasn't for personal profit. You spammed AIBU with a survey that is supposed to go elsewhere. If you don't like the site rules use a different site.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

The thread, for those who are confused (Please do complete the survey if you have experience of autism);

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/surveys_students_non_profits_and_start_ups/2410572-to-ask-you-to-complete-this-NAS-survey-to-help-improve-public-understanding-of-Autism?

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

YADNBU Maggie! Important topic which needs to be discussed and brought into the light.

Ill-judged decision on the part of ToothlessOldHag and MNHQ, imo.

Will be filling that out myself, and on behalf of DD.

[NickiFury]

Big difference between "spamming" and raising awareness for a condition that thousands of are struggling with every day Winter. Did you really need that pointing out?

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

I don't think it IS spamming Winter.

Posters chat about items of common interest on the main boards all the time - make recommendations; post links....

This place is knee-deep in those of us with a personal interest in Autism.

And also with people insufficiently informed about Autism.

MN is supposed to be a peer-to-peer parenting forum.

Why would it be ok for me to mention a caravan holiday I'd booked or wax lyrical about a lipstick (happens all the time) but not this?

[AuntieStella]

IIRC, MNHQ move all such threads. Because otherwise the main boards are overrun (same as petitions, nomatter how valuable, get moved to petitions).

I love the Not For Profit topic, as it has all sorts of surveys in there.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

(MNHQ know how many years I've been here)

[AuntieStella]

x-ed with OP.

By all such threads, I meant all threads which are promoting surveys.

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

Winter I agree that the original AIBU was not within the 'AIBU rules', but

a) AIBU is full of threads which are only tenuously in the spirit of it... 'AIBU to ask you which curtains to buy' or 'AIBU to ask you your secret vice'.

b) It's really not 'spam', is it - it isn't selling anything, or doing market research, or pushing something down anyone's neck for financial/personal gain. It's a suggestion that relevant people (with autism or who have children with autism) take part in a short activity which could improve the future lives of the children with disabilities whom MNHQ (and the MN community) profess to care about.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

The huge irony Stella is that MNHQ have been doing SO well with;

www.mumsnet.com/campaigns/this-is-my-child

Much of the point of the survey - and both campaigns (NAS and MN) is about how people with Autism are shunted out of mainstream spaces.

Maybe the problem is that it is - on the face of it - a 'survey'. But it is much more than that, in actual fact.

[TiggyD]

So this thread is just a sneaky way to get your survey back on a high traffic area. Very poor form. I suggest you ask for this to be deleted.

[AnyoneForTennis]

So you've been here years so get the rules changed just for you?

Everyone has some cause close to their hearts.... So we would all want the same treatment if we needed a survey to be circulated. Could we all have special treatment too?

[msgrinch]

Totally agree tiggy.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

Everyone has some cause close to their hearts....

No. It is the substance of our daily lives.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

So you've been here years so get the rules changed just for you?

The thing is that the rules, as quoted;


"But we'll delete anyone's attempts to spam the boards with links, as a way of promoting their own product, services, survey or e-petition, as it annoys our members."

...don't actually apply.

It's not 'my own'.

I'm just a parent who stumbled across it and wanted to share.

It would be different if I were promoting my own product, I agree.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

Be honest. Who ever wanders over to surveys looking for something to fill in or have their awareness raised about?

How many of you knew surveys was even there?

[NickiFury]

"Sneaky" "very poor form"

What emotive language. Why are you trying to cast that aspersion onto it? Clearly it's something OP feels strongly about and is affected by. Rather unpleasant to label it in that way IMO.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

THIS is spam;

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/wedding/2411367-Pondering-what-Americans-truly-consider-us-Australians?

Conspicuously still there, I notice.

[AnyoneForTennis]

Yes, equally, there's plenty of other causes which can come under 'substance of our daily lives'

Can we have ours stickied too??

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

I'm a bit bemused by your use of 'cause' TBH

It's not a lifeboat appeal or a church restoration fund.

It's about the daily lives and parenting experiences of many MNers.