Getting threads deleted

[caroldecker]

Please could you clarify how upset someone has to be for a thread to be deleted and whether it needs to be the OP or can anyone join in?

[RebeccaMumsnet]

Hi there Carol,

Thanks for the thread.
If this is in relation to a thread that was removed this morning, we agree that there was an unsatisfactory outcome as we said on the thread. However, we had a duty of care to the OP following an email.

We try where possible to allow conversation to flow and we receive reports regularly from folks who are upset and want things removed. Generally, we do not remove threads for this reason but there will always be exceptional circumstances.

[Thurlow]

I understand you can't give the full details of what the OP said but really, there are threads on here that go terribly, with comments that border on personal attacks and where you can see the OP is upset, but they don't get deleted, do they?

[caroldecker]

What duty of care do you have to someone on a non-personal thread? Or had WEP threatened to sack them for not following party media policy?

[ThenLaterWhenItGotDark]

What you have to do if you want a thread deleted is say to HQ "it might out me"

They'll delete anything if you say that. It's the default delete reason.

Generally when an OP is being U, and gets told they are being U, they go for the "delete my U-ness please HQ, it might out me" and you get the old "we don't normally, but....protect privacy...bla bla meaningless guff"

Sorry HQ, but you know that's true, so if people like the two posters are here are getting hurt by stuff, then they should perhaps be afforded the same privilege as the "oooh I might get outed" brigade.

[RebeccaMumsnet]

We do try our best to be as fair as possible.

Occassionally there are exceptional circumstances and other times we will advise the OP to hide the thread. It is a judgement call on a case-by-case basis.

We never like to remove threads but we do if we deem it absolutely necessary at the time.

[caroldecker]

Why was this 'absolutely necessary'? Was the OP being threatened at gun-point by Sandi Totsvig?

[ILeaveTheRoomForTwoMinutes]

May be they were SO distressed that their policy was being picked at and highlighted how off the mark they are.

I suppose that if the thread was left to stand it could be very damaging to there campaign (stunt) and would cause distress?

[raininginspringtime]

Mumsnet is here for support, it's not very supportive if someone is so distressed by a thread they are at risk of harm (and it does happen.)

Obviously that has to be tempered with not deleting everything because someone got upset: many threads to name would be deleted.

[caroldecker]

raining there is a huge difference between someone posting something personal and getting upset with the response and someone promoting a political stunt which posters disagree with. If you are promoting a political position, then you need to get a bit tougher if people disagree with you.
How many threads bashing the conservatives (or labour/UKIP/Lib dems) are there on here and you don't get people crying to the teacher.