Deletions due to privacy

[myrtleWilson]

I know this is partly a TAAT but it does have wider currency I think. (and apologies if its already been picked up today)
I really do understand that in some circumstances posters have very legitimate reasons to get a post deleted due to privacy, or being identified in RL (that said we do need to recognise we are choosing to post on a public platform).
However.... today there was a thread that the OP had posted on (twice I think) with absolutely no identifying information at all (we knew she had had lunch with the in-laws yesterday). On the second post OP said they were requesting deletion as they feared they could be identified

I know that MN is here to make life easier but there didn't seem to be anything in the thread that identified OP - nor to my knowledge did any other poster suggest they recognised the bland scenario outlined. Is a deletion at original posters request now a guarantee?

[myrtleWilson]

just me then!

[over501]

I'd also like clarification on this.

[DamsonGin]

It seems to happen more quickly nowadays but then more and more threads are getting picked up by the papers and such like. I'd rather be safe than sorry if I'm honest, I had a thread deleted a few years back as the consequences of it being identified would have been quite an issue, however unlikely it would have been.

[myrtleWilson]

As I said I do understand if there are genuine issues about identification but it does seem to me that this can be/has been overplayed (certainly seen threads deleted where no evidence of identification). I do appreciate it can't be a hard and fast rule and some nuance is applied but some decisions look a little 🤔

[EstherMumsnet]

Hi all,
We have no hard and fast rules on deletion as we assess every request as it comes in, but we try not to delete whole threads unless there are particular concerns. This can include the OP being worried about identification although where possible we try to find another way around the situation before deletion.

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

Why don't you just let people delete their own threads if they want to MNHQ? What would be the harm?

[EstherMumsnet]

Hi @SmiledWithTheRisingSun, We don't like to leave holes in conversations or delete threads other users may find helpful, so try to leave them up there unless there is a good reason to take them down.

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

Wouldn't it be more democratic and less like Facebook to let people decide what they want to do with their own words / thoughts / feelings?

[eloisesparkle]

I agree Smiled