To think there are very few nice people here on Mumsnet anymore?

I am nice too. I just let my eyes slide over the shit posts and look to the good ones.

I’ve noticed people are really nitpicky and go on and on about minor points to try to get at whoever wrote the post. Also some people are really unnecessarily sanctimonious and snotty - see any post about weight loss injections, food in general or smoking. Maybe it was always like that but I don’t think so.

I always feel a bit sorry for anyone who spends loads of time being horrible to strangers on the internet, tbh.

I personally am delightful. Sometimes people get snotty but I just let it wash over me and move on

I don't think that's the general mood. Certainly there are more threads where people start sniping at each other and derailing the OP's thread. Mumsnet could certainly do without them.

But mostly I think people are still kind.

I try to be nice. I may not always get it right, but I’d feel guilty if I caused hurt or much offence.

Forums, social media and public discourse in general are being affected by the climate of 'divide and rule' politics. We're increasingly being told that who we are is defined by who we hate, and while we shout at each other from behind a keypad, societal alienation grows and the world looks like a less kind and tolerant place. Every time someone with money or power goads us into hating another group, we need to ask ourselves why, and who profits? Most of all, we need to ask ourselves why we fall for it and perpetuate it. Right now, kindness is an act of rebellion - and I don't mean trite #bekind - I mean making the effort to understand and empathise.

Here we go again. It's probably like real life. People in general are a mixture and there are a lot of angry people around.

I do think there's a rise in unapologetically racist and ableist posts though.

I’ve massively cut back on commenting due to this too. Using a previous username, I asked a question and was basically spoken to like a piece of shit by one poster and made to feel very small and like I’d never amount to anything, and should basically change my personality in order to not alienate people. I felt something shift when I read that and just realised being online with random people most of whom I’d not interact with in real life isn’t for me.

One of the joys of the internet (for me) is speaking to or reading about people and situations who are so far removed from my own experiences and I can learn from it. If you live in Ulan Bator, or you’ve never used public transport, or you speak 17 languages or have never been to visit someone in their own home or any other random thing, I’d like to ask questions and get to know about it, and if you don’t think I should then you’re not for me.

You can get across any point about any topic without being rude. Rudeness just shuts the conversation down and no one learns anything.

I’ve only been on here a little while. I’ve seen some nasty comments not a massive amount. For the main part I think we’re all quite opinionated and reading everyone’s comments can in general tend to give a better overall understanding, other perspective’s so to speak and I have seen some that have made me look at a different angle.

I find it’s a bit of a mixture. I’ve seen some people really not holding back, and also some posters who seem to be seeking to stir up strong opinions. I haven’t seen too much of a change though. Always was a nest of vipers and a bastion of strong supportive women simultaneously.

Ive onli been on here a couple of years, wish I'd know of it's existence during lonely lockdown, but have noticed threads often turn nasty. It's refreshing when u get the odd thread reminiscing about retro stuff or asking what everyone is up to. Amazed when people recommend dresses at 300 plus or shoes or when people earning 5k a month- not in my world.

I know what you mean because it’s really noticeable to me too and I’ve been here for twenty odd years. People being really nasty and laying into the OP for the most ridiculous reasons. It’s tiresome.