That Mumsnet has people working to skew public opinion on the government

[Twinklelittlestar1]

I see hourly posts from people airing views echoing government agenda. They're often inflammatory and designed to rile people up or push an agenda.

For example with covid, I'm not saying that some people don't back this government's response to covid but the majority of people see that the government's response to covid has been diabolical and resulted in an unforgivable amount of deaths throughout England. Yet we get posters defending them to the hilt and I don't buy it. I suspect Mumsnet has become another source of influence with people working behind the scenes to influence public opinion and perception. I don't believe that Mumsnet is simply a community of people who've come to share interests or concerns, I think it's being used as a platform of influence (and I suspect it has for some time)

I fully suspect some retaliation of 'just because not everyone has the same view doesn't mean something else is going on'.

I just think it's worth considering that you shouldn't believe everything you read in the posts on Mumsnet...

[AskingforaBaskin]

Mumsnet can't even get a functioning app with reasonable functions. I don't think they're a mummy version of the Illuminati.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

There are bots from both sides of the political debate on here.
It’s interesting you have chosen to highlight only the ones you disagree with.

If you want balance: show balance.

Some people posting have an agenda possibly even you.

[Twinklelittlestar1]

It'd be very easy to hire people (or machines) to do this. How many people use Mumsnet? Imagine the power of influence and how far reaching that could be...

[theonlywayisapple]

Mumsnet is turning into an echo chamber for left wingers.

[ZaraW]

Mumsnet is turning into an echo chamber for left wingers.

No it isn't. How many times do we need this discussion? Years ago Mumsnet was a far more compassionate place to be. If anything it has got more right wing. Your statement is ridiculous.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

Were you not on here during Brexit or the GE. We were knee deep in posts the were probably started by volunteers in the two big political parties.

[AskingforaBaskin]

So name one topic MN has actually influenced.

Going by MN the Brexit vote would be Remain
Labour would win the GE
It is very very much alone on the Trans debate.
BLM is accepted pretty much everywhere the views shared here are the same anywhere else I post.

[theonlywayisapple]

@ZaraW

Mumsnet is turning into an echo chamber for left wingers.

No it isn't. How many times do we need this discussion? Years ago Mumsnet was a far more compassionate place to be. If anything it has got more right wing. Your statement is ridiculous.

Ha! You just have to mention you voted Tory and you get abuse. This place is far from right wing

[Twinklelittlestar1]

Chaz I do have an agenda, to raise awareness about this issue as it isn't as well known as you seem to think.

[Treacletoots]

Brexiteers will defend this government despite it being blatently obvious they're a bunch of incompetent fuckwits because they got their precious Bwexit. It's really that simple.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

What nonsense.
The Conservatives won a big majority and there are always going to be people who keep on supporting the party they voted for.
Some people don’t agree with the prevailing Mumsnet view. It doesn’t mean they are bots.

[user1471565182]

Loads of them moved in last November. Wasnt even a secret at the time.

[jokolo]

I mean... yes, don't believe everything you read on Mumsnet, on the internet, in the world.

There's nothing to stop anyone from saying any old thing they like, and of course there are people on here with political agendas. There are people shilling for their clothing brand. There are people bigging up their holiday destinations. There are fantasists and trolls and perverts.

One thing I do that is helpful is simply ignore every claim made without a linked source. Citation needed. Also filter out trendsetting phrases like 'everyone thinks' 'everyone loves' which are transparent attempts to steer opinion. Not every OP that asks for your stories ('I've had this embarassing bodily experience, tell me your stories of it happening to you/your children so I don't feel so alone') is a fetish troll but a fair proportion of them are. Not every person who thinks Bojo is great or evil is an astroturfer, but some of them will be.

In terms of political debates, really the thing to do is to consider what you are getting out of the exchange yourself. At all times in internet debate, the person you are really speaking to is not your interlocutor, but the lurking audience. It's actually not a 121 conversation. Instead of getting riled up and zeroed in on the commenters' words, use them as a way to work out and better articulate your own position (which might include taking their position if it turns out to be a good one) to the people reading. In this way you don't waste your energy on bad actors.

[MrsWednesdayteatime]

If I had my own political party, I'd definitely encourage activists to start favourable posts on here, you would be stupid not to, it's free and has a massive reach.

It's not a stretch to think Parties pay for agencies to stealth canvas on Mumsnet,

[RaininSummer]

It's really not alone in the trans debate other than being one of the incredibly few places where women can discuss things without fear of losing their job etc.

[ZaraW]

Ha! You just have to mention you voted Tory and you get abuse. This place is far from right wing

It is compared to a few years back. Some of the nastiest comments come from Tory voters.

[Mawbags]

My rational highly educated husband is only just starting to complain about the shit response despite weeks of me SHOUTING about it

Some people..... really only see what they wantn

[Jkslays]

MN is a huge platform there are bots here from every where.

[LellyMcKelly]

Puts on tinfoil hat

[TheEmpressMatilda]

MN tends to skew very far right wing.

[TheEmpressMatilda]

But yes there are clearly paid Tory bots posting.

[Mumoblue]

I mean, some people are either Tory bots or just shockingly out of touch.

I respect people's rights to vote whatever they like. But if you think the reaction to Covid 19 from the government has been good then I have about 40,000 reasons why you're wrong.

[fridpst]

I'm sure there are bots on both sides however in a debate about Covid where I acknowledged the government had made plenty of mistakes I got called a plant when I questioned how 66m could have been persuaded (as we can't force) to lockdown in Jan.
Some people were arguing we should have locked down & closed borders despite WHOs early advice being contradictory. There seems to be a big disconnect between what we should do & what realistically we can do.

[Twinklelittlestar1]

The issue I have is that this goes largely undetected. If we could see how many posts posters had, it would be a lot easier to detect those with an agenda.

[fridpst]

There seems to be a lack of critical thinking eg the popular & correct view that the 1% & corporations should pay more tax or just some tax. If you point out that in reality this will involve cross country initiatives etc your a Tory scum bag.