To think MNHQ should let us delete our own threads

Threads on MN aren’t the property of MN.

You retain copyright of your own words, and can use them anyway you see fit (which wouldn’t be the case if you transferred copyright to MN) but by posting you grant MN a right to use those words as they please. This is similar to most forums and it would be difficult for a forum to operate within the law if it weren’t the case.

I've found that when i have asked MNHQ to delete one of my posts, they have been happy to do that. If you have been outed the best thing is to then explicitly say "please say withdrawn at posters request" with no reason given on the thread. I guess they would do that.

but again: don't post outing threads.

I agree with you. I once asked for a thread to be taken down because I was concerned about having been identified from it. MNHQ deleted it and put a message up saying I had asked for it to be deleted because I was concerned it would be outing. DOH!!! Obviously it meant the person who had identified me then knew for a fact that it was me. Cheers MNHQ 😂.

No idea why they don't just have a one size fits all message when they delete a post.

I also once asked for a thread to be deleted and they told me no! Didn't appreciate that one.

It's buried in the T&Cs of the site.

BUT at the same time, content is 'stolen' all the time by other media sources.

Threads posted on MN are the property of MN. No, you shouldn't be able to take back what is someone else's property, even if you created it. You don't own it.

Don't post if you're not okay with that legal fact.

I could be barking up the wrong tree here but....

like many social media sites, MN makes money from adverts that appear when you use the site. Their sole objective at all times is to increase traffic to the site (so advertisers will want to use it.)

Many of the contentious threads (ones the 'turn nasty') and are high volume in terms of posts, bring traffic to the site, (like the 'trending' ones.)

So, the more threads that are here and being looked at, increase their revenue.

If they delete threads all the time, it's losing the audience and, ultimately , potential revenue.

There is also the grey area of copyright where some threads are lifted by other media (the Mail?) and whether there is any benefit in that.

At the end of the day Mumsnet is a business and needs to make money, threads are their 'product'. If people could delete a thread it would drive traffic away, meaning less money.

I've definitely seen old threads where a username has been changed by MNHQ.

YABU to post this in the AIBU section - it should be in the "Site Stuff" section.

YANBU relating to threads being pulled because the OP of said thread either has had enough or they don't like the direction the thread is going in so claim that they have been recognises in real life. If that was the case and the thread had some useful information in it - it should be possible for MN Admins to remove the OP's posts (even if they are quoted) from the thread and leave the relevant helpful information behind rather than pulling the whole thread.

Also, to add my personal pet peeve, is where threads that are several months old (since the last message was added to the post) are showing up in the section of "You might like these threads since you like this one" section which is a section many have muted, but if you've posted on these threads, it appears in your "Threads I'm On" section and looks like it's got a recent addition (which it may have but is considerably out of date. I just wish MN would LOCK those threads after an arranged time (say 6 months of inactivity) so that you can read them, and if you want to post, it starts a new post with a hyperlink to the old one in the first message of the new thread. Stop allowing old posts to be bumped up!

Or, perhaps MHNQ, instead of deleting the username, could substitute it with a new, generated-at-random one, to put any would be stalkers/journos etc off the scent?

TBH though, I agree with the suggestions of a) thinking before you post anything that might be too specific/outing and b) post in the right place (i.e. one where your thread will be deleted after a period of time)

Yeah you are right I knew this just hadn't thought through my reply, locking threads and name changing and just forgetting about "your thread" is a better way to go.

You don't own anything once you've posted it
Perhaps people should think more before posting a thread in the first place.

Yes, it would be really annoying like when people switch off commenting on Facebook because they are too lazy to turn off the notifications.

I
still don’t have the edit button

MN wouldn't be a viable business if the content could be deleted at any unpredictable moment.

If you want total control over your own content then you should bear the costs of hosting and publishing it.

There are already ways of posting so it gets automatically deleted, as pp have said.

I do think locking it and removing usernames could be a good compromise. I understand why people want to be able to post what they like and then delete but the threads would become like Swiss cheese. Mods being able to oversee it seems a good compromise. But I haven't had experience with wanting a thread deleted... so don't know how easy it is.

because while this is similar to social media, it isn't social media. We are posting on a board hosted by someone else, that is where the similarity ends.

If you are worried about posting something don't post it. That is Social Media/Internet 101

I agree.

BTW this should be in site stuff if you want MNHQ to reply

I think it's utterly ridiculous to think that other people benefit from threads to such an extent that people should not be able to delete their posts. We are all waking up to social media and online content and just how little anonymity there is - why shouldn't policies change to reflect that?

It is interesting that more and more threads are being deleted seemingly very easily.

i had a thread about my child and was recognised IRL. Despite showing MN the issue it was causing they refused to delete the thread for hours, with endless back and forth, and only deleted after I’d posted on the thread saying I’d been recognised and had asked for it to be deleted and thanking everyone for their replies (MNs demand) to be fair to everyone. Yet other threads go instantly.

as for posting outing things? either don't post or change so many details that you are not recognisable.

That, of course, doesn't stop the supersluths going "but on your post 488 days ago you said you had 3 DCs and were an Irish lesbian and now you have 2 sets of twins and you're an Australian transgender gay man - i smell under-bridge-cheesy-feet" which you need to take into account.

no, I like the Reddit style one where it deletes your username but people who commented can still read it, sometimes threads have really good advice/posts on and it sucks when they’re deleted

Absolutely don't complain if you get your arse handed to you if you post in AIBU.

That's your fault because you couldn't be bothered to post in correct area.

I don't actually agree with deleting threads unless for legal reasons and that's users or mumsnet.

People put effort into responding and then it's just gone is disgraceful to those people.

I think so yes,especially with the journalists sniffing around.MN may be the only safe space someone has to vent or seek help and all it takes is one journalist to pick up the story and publish it for all to see and potentially being identified by others who know them and their situation putting the OP in danger or at risk of harm.
I know this can happen as soon as any post is started but maybe if an OP got the help or advice they need they could take down the thread as soon as they needed or wanted to.