I just started a thread in AIBU asking pro-choice MNers to read an article and email their MPs, it has disappeared.

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

Why is that? There was no abuse, no argument, no selling, no advertising. I haven't received an email explaining the decision. Is this moderation or censorship? Can you explain please?

[CatherineMumsnet]

Hi there, we're so sorry you didn't get an email from us. The thread was reported as a something where people were being asked to vote, which we don't allow.

Our sincere apologies if we got this wrong. Perhaps the OP could clarify?

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

Vote? Did you actually read it? I was asking pro-choice MNers to read an article about a proposed amendment to a health bill in the house of lords, (a newspaper article) and if they felt strongly to click on a link allowing them to email their MP to make their views known.

Please would you reinstate the thread, it's an important issue, AIBU is not an inappropriate location for this, there are several threads on this in different locations but I posted in AIBU to ensure that plenty of MNers saw it.

It wasn't a 'vote whether you think abortion is naughty' thread

[Tyr]

Catherine,

While you're there.... a few weeks ago a thread containing an e-petition against evicting the familes of rioters vanished.
Was that regarded as asking members to vote? It was well written and humane.

[lubeybooby]

The thread didn't deserve moving or deleting at all. It was informative and I emailed my MP because of it.

[bruxeur]

Hmm. Deep patellar tendon reflex?

[SquongebobSparepants]

The title of the thread made it clear what it was about, I clicked to find linkys and it vanished. Do you guys not read the reported threads anymore? That's not exactly reassuring.

You should not need the OP to clarify, and you should not be deleting stuff as it was reported as being something not allowed.
Not impressed MNHQ

[SquongebobSparepants]

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

Bruxeaur - what does that mean?

CatherineMN - a petition is not a request to vote. Nor is a pro-forma email to your MP. Trigger happy deleting fingers are inappropriate for mumsnet and are more to be seen on other (inferior) parenting sites. Can you please take a look at your policy on deleting threads which include petitions? A petition can be an effective and relevant method of communication with politicians and mumsnet is an excellent forum for spreading them. When numbers of signatories are important it is vital that people can utilise the methods available to distribute to as many people as possible.

Can you please reinstate the thread? Otherwise I'll post it again.

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

Ahaaaa I see. I googled but was none the wiser

[SquongebobSparepants]

What is worrying me is it sounds like a report was made by someone, and MNHQ just went 'ooh, this says it is a voting thread' and hit the big red button without even looking at the thread

If you HAD looked then you wouldn't be asking Eric to clarify what the OP was about, surely?

[QueenOfFeckingEverything]

MNHQ - I don't like to criticise as you do a fab job usually, but you really are ridiculously trigger happy with the deletions these days. And to then admit you haven't even looked at or read the thread...

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1289426-To-ask-pro-choice-MNers-to-email-your-MPs-this-is-not-a-request-to-vote-on-anything if you object to this I'd like you to inform me of the reason why before you delete it if you wouldn't mind.

[usualsuspect]

Someone complained about links to e-petitions after the riots and MNHQ deleted them all

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

It's quite pathetic actually. I reported someone with the username 'retardsrus' recently and was told the username couldn't be removed without removing all their posts - well as it's an unpleasant name which contravenes talk guidelines I'd say that wouldn't be a problem - but no, that stays.

HQ - you really ought to read posts before you delete them!

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

But the OP didn't have a link to a petition in it. If there is a policy to delete links to petitions then the relevant post should have been de;leted. Since when do HQ delete entire threads due to one post on it?

[CatherineMumsnet]

Hi OP, we totally hold our hands up. Please do re-post and we promise to refrain from hitting the big red button deleting.

[EricNorthmansMistressOfPotions]

Thanks.

[Tyr]

As regards the e-petition following the riots, I am now (in light of MNHQ's admission that they hadn't read the one above) inclined to think that one of the members of the "hangers and floggers" club that seemed to emerge in the wake of the riots reported it on spurious grounds and it was deleted without reason or consideration.
There have been a number of queries about deletions and bannings recently and I'm beginning to think that some of the complainants may have reason to feel aggrieved.

[edam]

What, so HQ deleted a perfectly reasonable thread on Nadine Dorries's proposals without reading it? And apparently deleted the anti-hanging and flogging thread about the riots without reading it? Bloody hell.

WAKE UP HQ!

[edam]

And why ban people from 'being asked to vote'? If someone does a 'please vote for my bf in X factor' it is irritating, but no-one has to post or vote. We are grown ups with free will. And it seems an 'anti-voting' stance has led to to delete perfectly reasonable threads on important issues. Appalling censorship. Your members are adults, please treat us as such.

Jeez, I hadn't realised MN was operating a 'we'll take any thread down if one person objects' policy. There are plenty of threads I'm not interested in, or where I disagree with someone. Never occurred to me I could just get them deleted - the point of MN has always been that you could POST on the thread to make your argument, or ignore it if you wish, not censor everyone else.