I’m really sorry to bring this up, but I’m getting a bit concerned about some of the AMAs

[sunsetneverends]

I do genuinely think many are very interesting and I am not trying to imply for a moment anyone has any intentions that are not well meaning.

However, I do think it is naive and misguided for social workers to be giving details away about their cases, adoptive parents about their children and the circumstances leading up to their adoption, family support workers and other professions where confidentiality is surely strict?

It also could potentially impact on the people they are posting about, most of whom are likely to be vulnerable.

I’m not sure what the solution is but I really am uneasy about it.

[Gruach]

Must say I think it’s all a bit risky. Most general threads come under the heading of ‘may be made-up nonsense’ and we all know that.

AMA threads are surely claiming ‘documentary’ status ... Personally, I don’t mind fiction if it’s clearly labelled as such.

[pennycarbonara]

There are also professional news sites and forums where cases are discussed without identifying details, or well known features like the Guardian Secret Teacher - they appear to be sticking to the same standards as those. People may also be creating composites and changing minor details without you realising.

[hazeyjane]

I have hidden the whole board as I think they are at best smug, 'I speak for the whole profession....' crap, at worse opening the door for all sorts of fantasists to make up shit, so I haven't seen the social work one.

But the primary school teacher one, talking about very specific situations regarding particular pupils, including which year they were in, also made me really uneasy.

[MilkTwoSugarsThanks]

I'm a lawyer, ask me anything...

I'm an astrophysicist, ask me anything...

I'm the Duchess of Cambridge, ask me anything...

[BaronessBlonde]

Totally agree...there is something very distasteful and ethically wrong.
IF those are actual social workers, I cannot imagine that their professional body would look kindly.
I am a health professional- and I have no intention of starting one.
The thought of someone relying on an answer to a question that might vaguely resemble their situation, is not a comforting one. At all.

[sunsetneverends]

I volunteered - so an unpaid role (obviously ) for a charity last year and I hope to go back at some point although things are a little hectic.

The rules surrounding confidentiality were absolute - what you heard in the building stayed in the building.

I can’t believe this doesn’t apply to other organisations.

[Nearlyherenotlong]

I just looked in this topic as it sounded interesting! There's no social worker one

[sunsetneverends]

It was only created recently. Some are still elsewhere on the forum.

[UpstartCrow]

Can't find thing =/= thing does not exist.

Yanbu, OP. I've hidden the worst ones.

[SoyDora]

Nearlyherenotlong there is a social worker one, it’s just within a different topic. Why would the OP make it up?

[Nearlyherenotlong]

@soydora I didn't say she made it up, I said that it sounded Interesting but that I couldn't see it

[PanPanPanPing]

Nearlyherenotlong. There are absolutely loads of them in Chat. The AMA topic was only set up on Friday afternoon, so I doubt that MNHQ has had the time to move them from other topics into the AMA topic - that's if they intended to do so in the first place.

[PanPanPanPing]

Ah, I must apologise and eat my words , it does appear that most of the AMA threads have now been moved into the AMA topic. Sorry, MNHQ!

[Effendi]

Hidden. Sick of seeing them.

[Pflt]

I work on the assumption that they are creative writing exercise on the part of the OP. I wouldn’t take them seriously.

[AnyaMumsnet]

Hi there everyone,

Thanks so much for letting us know about your concerns.

As always, MNHQ would say that we cannot vouch for the validity of anyone or who they claim to be on the boards. We know this isn't specifically about medical advice, but it seems like an appropriate time to remind you all that we recommend you don't take medical advice from anyone on the boards, without consulting a professional in real life too.

If you think something is untrue, identifying or putting someone at risk in some other way, we do urge you to report it to us - both on AMA and all the other boards. Whilst we appreciate how these safeguarding issues could get out of hand more easily in AMA, they are always a possibility anywhere on the boards and we really appreciate when these are brought to our attention.

If anyone has any further questions about this, please get in touch with MNHQ.

[FermatsTheorem]

@Effendi sorry to name check you, but since you obviously have the answer to life the universe and how to hide the AMA section... how do you hide a whole section? (I know how to hide individual threads.)

[Effendi]

On the desktop site. Talk, customise & hide.

[duckfuckduck]

Does the AMA board have a warning? You know, a “we can’t vouch for anyone blah blah”?

[daisychain01]

There seemed to be a sudden spate of AMAs over 2-3 days a couple of weeks ago. I find them irritating, kind of "I'm so clever, gather round and let me get some attention off you".

And I wouldnt trust people like that, so won't invest in asking them anything. Let's face it, if they can blab about their work on the Internet, then they could be making all sorts of stuff up to sound "clever".

I suppose the "I'm a Muslim/Sikh/Jew/Buddhist AMA" could be educational, but you can look up almost anything on Google if you're that interested about religious or cultural practices.

[claraschu]

I have found some of these threads far more interesting and insightful than the usual types of conversations which come up on MN. I don't see how anonymous and partially fictional discussions can be a safeguarding issue.

I found the pilot and the sex worker threads interesting- I have never spoken to either a pilot or a prostitute, (and if I did, I would never ask them searching questions about what they do). Obviously, one doctor, teacher, pilot, or prostitute doesn't speak for all. Also obviously people in positions of responsibility have to be incredibly careful not to give away identifying information about other people; isn't this always true?

[Monty27]

I didn't even know what it meant until this morning when I asked what AMA meant. I certainly didn't realise it had become such a trend it has a specific topic
Tedious indeed

[sunsetneverends]

I agree that some are interesting.

It isn’t that it is a safeguarding issue but it could potentially be a confidentiality issue. The problem with ‘ask me anything’ is that the clue is in the name it’s literally ask me anything and some things just shouldn’t really be discussed; I’m thinking specifically about how I would feel if I had needed social worker intervention and found it discussed on MN.

[Sisgal]

I'm so bored of bloody AMA. I think they are all bull! They do come across as smug. Not interested in any of them!!

[FermatsTheorem]

Thanks Effendi!