Can tech give us an "ignore poster" capability?

[Earlybird]

In the past, I have visited other messageboards (not parenting ones), and some have the option of activating an "ignore posts by this person" capability. Given that we can now choose to eliminate "buying and selling" or "chat", would it be possible to have this option too? It might be an effective way of avoiding many of the unpleasant arguments that develop when a specific poster rubs another the wrong way....

Also, this site had a "favourite posters" capability. It was possible to choose up to 10 names of posters whose comments you specifically wanted to read. I know we can now do individual searches by name, but might the "ignore" or "highlight" options be valuable?

[oliveoil]

It already has an ignore poster facility.

You click on thread. Groan. Ignore. Simple!

[Gwenick]

Never seen those function on my travels - really must get 'online more'............well ok perhaps not - already member of too many forums to remember them all

[Earlybird]

oliveoil lol! We often comment about knowing better than to get involved in certain threads, but find ourselves inexorably drawn to them. If those threads didn't even come up on our screens, or if comments by specific posters simply came up blank, it might stop some of the unpleasant conflicts that seem to take on an life of their own. And many have been complaining that the upsetting threads has been too frequent lately....

[Toothache]

Oh no I wouldn't like that!! How strange would threads be if there were certains posters just blanked!!

No I fin that idea a bit antisocial and .....dare I say it..... cliquey!

hides

[WigWamBam]

I wouldn't be too bothered about the "favourite posters" one, but I think that an "ignore threads started by .... " facility would be a good idea.

[huggybear]

the active convos board would be over run with

"why is mumsnet such a clique" threads

if you dont want to read something then dont!

[ggglimpopo]

Message withdrawn

[lemonice]

it sounds a bit nightmarish to me, it's bad enough knowing that you are ignored from time to time without thinking that mumsnetters are registering to always ignore you! If things get unpleasant then just join in with the nice threads for a bit or don't log on for a few days until the cloud passes over. I think also it sometimes seems as if everyone has gone bonkers but in fact there are usually plenty of normal threads going on at the same time with posters happily unaware of the dark waters swirling around them

[NomDePlume]

I would use the 'ignore' facility for one or 2 posters, but I do agree that it could potentially make the site a bit more complicated to use. Wouldn't use the favourites bit though.

[beansmum]

you know you all secretly love the drama of some of the mad threads we get on here who would actually chose to ignore them? I know I wouldn't.

And favourite posters sounds like a really bad idea too, would make mn more cliquey than it already is. If you only want to talk to certain people than why not just email them.

[Sponge]

When threads kick off and get unpleasant though, quite often it involves people who have perfectly normal conversations and/or are quite funny the rest of the time - just a certain topic gets their goat.
I can't think of anyone I would want to blank totally.
It's been said before but if a thread doesn't interest me or has got nasty then I just don't click on it (or not twice).

[Blossomhill]

I think this is a horrible idea. Ignore another poster facility would just take away what mumsnet is all about IMO

[tamum]

Not a very nice idea I think, and even if I used it I would have to keep switching it off again when my curiosity got the better of me

[Toothache]

If I started a thread looking for advice and noone answered then I'd be paranoid that EVERYONE was ignoring me! Very playground.

[SenoraPostrophe]

lol!

we could call the favourite posters "my clique"

[Gobbledigook]

I've nearly asked if we can have the capability to have a 'without [insert relevant topic]' function rather than just without chat or without buying and selling. Personally I'd leave out 'breast and bottle feeding' because I hate the continuous debates on their with the same old people on them (do they talk about anything else??) but I always seem to get drawn in - can't help but get involved in a good old barney!

Anyway, decided I just need to exercise more willpower!

[Gobbledigook]

on 'there' even!

[NomDePlume]

Gobbldigook, me too re the select your own topic thingy. I got all excited whenwe were first told about the 'without' function and then I realised it would only clear away chat or buying/selling and was v disappointed.

[SaintGeorge]

Why don't you just set your favourite list and use 'find new messages' instead of active convos?

[ggglimpopo]

Message withdrawn