To wonder if MNHQ 'guidelines' apply to celebrities?

[BillyButtfuck]

This is not a TAAT, it's a thread about lots of threads.

I've noticed recently a fair few threads aimed at celebrities in really negative ways.
The latest I've just read is one about a very famous model where she was called insufferable and an attention seeking fuckwitt (amongst others) which could be construed as very hurtful and what I could class as a personal attack.
MNHQ is generally really hot on removing posts and threads which are deemed to be personal attacks when they are aimed at users - is this only enforced if personal attacks are used against another poster or does this just not apply to celebrities?

I'm not trying to have a go at anybody here, I'm genuinely curious because it just doesn't seem fair to me.
You never know who's reading the site after all!

[IMissGrannyW]

predicting a MNHQ intervention which reads "peace and love"

[Singasongofsadness]

Yanbu

[elliejjtiny]

I think MNHQ only consider it a personal attack if it's against another poster. Celebrities can be insulted without consequence but so can MILs, sisters, exes, neighbours etc.

TBH I've never thought about it before [shallow and self involved emoticon] but you're right it doesn't seem fair.

[GruochMacAlpin]

I hate those kinds of threads, they always seem so mean spirited. I suspect that posters forget they they are discussing a real person who could (or friends and family) be reading the thread.

I got very annoyed with threads trashing Amal Clooney and Victoria Beckham last year and try to avoid them now.

[BillyButtfuck]

Glad I'm not the only one, posts are still up and it still feels really mean.

[OhhBetty]

I think those types of threads say more about the posters insulting the celebrities than anything else. Many of the posts smack of jealosy imo. At the very least they're pointless and unkind. You'd have to ask MNHQ what their policy is for a true answer though.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Depends how litigious the celebrity in question is, I think.

[Babybubblescomingsoon]

My name pops up every now and then and on the occasion not very nice stuff is said, so I feel it should be monitored as I'm human too !

[BillyButtfuck]

Sorry you've had that happen baby this is what I meant. I'd be mortified if some of the things being said about 'celebs' were being said about me, especially by people I've never met!

How can I ask MNHQ what their policy is?

[Redglitter]

Have you reported the posts. Could be MNHQ haven't spotted them yet? I suppose it needs to be brought to their attention. Realistically they can't read every single thread posted

[GruochMacAlpin]

Perhaps if you report your post or Baby's MNHQ will come back with a response.

[BillyButtfuck]

I reported the really nasty comments on the thread last night, they are still there.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I always thought a 'personal attack' was a post directed at another poster on the thread not a comment about someone.

[IonaMumsnet]

Hi there Billy and others.

Thanks for bringing this up. To be honest, there aren't really hard and fast rules on this (one of the reasons why we always refer to guidelines rather than 'rules') in the same way as there aren't black and white rules on what constitutes a PA: clearly 'you're being a bit of a silly sausage' = fine. 'Fuck off you mean old cowbag' = not fine, but there's a world of grey in between so we tend to take each post on a case by case basis.

With comments about celebrities, it's similar. We do think people have to be allowed to discuss those in the public eye and express an opinion on them but if they are just being needlessly nasty we'll delete posts. However, to answer your question, we don't count those as a 'personal attack' in exactly the same way unless the person in question happens to be on the boards, involved in the discussion and has been upfront about who they are. So you're correct, we don't see mean comments about celebrities in quite the same way as personal attacks but that definitely doesn't mean we think it's OK.

Even with folk in the public eye, who presumably are more used to criticism, positive or otherwise, we do draw a line and would delete for not being in the spirit of the site, or just being plain mean. It's one thing to say A.N. Other Singer sounds like a sackful of cats going through a mincer on her latest album, but quite another to say she's a rotten parent. Equally saying a politician comes across as weak or foolish etc might well be OK, but saying they have a face like a bag of spanners might not. Both depend on context and relevance, among other things. As with everything, we just expect people to be reasonably civil to each other and about others. If what you're posting might draw a sharp intake of breath if you said it out loud in the pub, it'll probably get deleted.

And of course any posts would have to be reported to us first. So to answer your point, BabyBubbles, we don't trawl any threads for posts that transgress guidelines, so as always, if you think a post is a bit dodgy do just hit the report button and we'll always be happy to take a look.

Hope that explains things a bit anyway. Apologies for the short essay. (Bet you're sorry you asked now!)

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

I just can't bring myself to be interested in your opinion on anything Billy because your username is so childish. I would expect a 13 year old boy to log on and choose that name.

[BillyButtfuck]

Thanks for clearing that up Iona!
I completely understand it's difficult for you all and a weird situation.
Bibity it's completely up to you what you choose to take interest in - what an odd thing to post.

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

Can anyone summarise how Iona has summed it up? I'm finding it a bit wordy.

[CockacidalManiac]

Fuck me; if we are going to be condemned for having 'childish usernames', then there's only be MNHQ left here to post.

[Trills]

Guidelines not rules because impossible to make a strict rule that would work.

Criticising a celeb is not like insulting someone who is there.

Saying something bad about the thing they are known for is sort of fair game.

Saying something bad about them personally that is nothing to do with why they are in the public eye - not so much.

[CockacidalManiac]

There used to be celeb who'd come on to Digital Spy and start bunfights, I can't quite remember who it was now.

[Trills]

But really I think you should be able to read that and understand it. Maybe try again tomorrow.

[AllPowerfulLizardPerson]

TLDR:

They take it on a case by case basis, and delete the ones that they (sole arbiters) think go too far.

[BillyButtfuck]

Bibity I'll try my best as a thirteen year old boy.
I interpreted it to mean that as Dame said, personal attacks are generally comments made towards other posters on the threads. Even with personal attacks there are no set rules it's case by case. General comments about celebrities such as 'their music is shit' is okay, however saying things for the sake of being nasty and not constructive like 'she's a fucking terrible mum' isn't in the spirit of things and would be deleted. Either way, unless the celebrity reported a comment about themselves, it wouldn't be classed as a personal attack, just going against 'peace and love'.

[NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom]

I actually think that's really mean Bibbity

[GruochMacAlpin]

I'm really quite entertained at chastising another poster fir their childish MN name while called "BibbityBobbityHat", which while certainly inoffensive is hardly mature or cerebral.