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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be annoyed by the volume of deleted comments which are merely mildly provocative or robustly stating an opposing opinion, rather than being unacceptably rude or offensive?

186 replies

auserna · 15/03/2026 15:05

NOT a TAAT.

Does anyone else find it highly irritating when threads end up having more holes than Swiss cheese due to so many posts having been deleted?

Much of the time the person at whom the contentious comment was aimed has replied (obviously before the deletion) in a manner that suggests they weren't in the least offended or bothered by it - but now you can no longer see what they were responding to.

It sometimes feels a bit like being back at school, with everyone running to the teacher and gleefully exclaiming, "Reported!" as if they're going to earn a gold star for doing so.

It's not actually injurious to one's health to be mildly ruffled by someone having a different opinion or viewpoint on a particular topic, as happens all the time in real life.

I may be an outlier here, and am happy to accept that if it's the case, but I'm curious to know how others feel.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 15/03/2026 15:51

auserna · 15/03/2026 15:45

Yes, I've had this experience, too.

I do understand that the mods are volunteers, but they really should read the posts properly.

Show quote history

Only the Night Watch are volunteers.

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:50

hazelberry · 15/03/2026 15:49

That's not true. If the comment doesn't break talk guidelines it won't be deleted. I have noticed there are more categories on the report form though.

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Sorry - I missed out a crucial word!

I meant to say comments are not automatically deleted just for being reported.

OP posts:
Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:49

SwanRivers · 15/03/2026 15:47

No the Night Watch are volunteers and they only have the power to hide posts until the mods at MNHQ take a look at them.

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Oh right - well in that case there's even less excuse.

OP posts:
hazelberry · 15/03/2026 15:49

auserna · 15/03/2026 15:42

I think it varies, but afaik comments are automatically deleted simply for being reported.

Show quote history

That's not true. If the comment doesn't break talk guidelines it won't be deleted. I have noticed there are more categories on the report form though.

ilovesooty · 15/03/2026 15:48

auserna · 15/03/2026 15:39

I'm sure some of them are rude/insulting/personal, etc., but I don't believe they all are.

I've even seen replies thanking the person who made the deleted posts, so they clearly weren't that obnoxious.

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Or the people thanking someone who made the deleted posts are as unpleasant in their attitude as the posters who made them.

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:48

Waxwinged · 15/03/2026 15:47

I have never in my life said anything nasty on Mn. I have absolutely robustly put an opposing view or said someone’s reaction to a minor slight was juvenile and melodramatic. But my most recent deletion was merely agreeing with another poster who had linked a thread she thought was by the same, very troubled individual as their stories were striking similar , and saying that if this was so, the poster urgently needed professional help.

Yep - mod hasn't read your post properly and has leapt to their own conclusions.

OP posts:
SwanRivers · 15/03/2026 15:47

auserna · 15/03/2026 15:45

Yes, I've had this experience, too.

I do understand that the mods are volunteers, but they really should read the posts properly.

Show quote history

No the Night Watch are volunteers and they only have the power to hide posts until the mods at MNHQ take a look at them.

Waxwinged · 15/03/2026 15:47

I have never in my life said anything nasty on Mn. I have absolutely robustly put an opposing view or said someone’s reaction to a minor slight was juvenile and melodramatic. But my most recent deletion was merely agreeing with another poster who had linked a thread she thought was by the same, very troubled individual as their stories were striking similar , and saying that if this was so, the poster urgently needed professional help.

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:45

SwanRivers · 15/03/2026 15:44

I bet these comments were/are rude, offensive, insulting and/or personal, and totally inappropriate in tone.

Really not always.

Plus in the past I've had one or two comments removed and when I argued with MNHQ about them, they've agreed they shouldn't have been removed and actually put them back.

And I'm not the only one.

Show quote history

Yes, I've had this experience, too.

I do understand that the mods are volunteers, but they really should read the posts properly.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 15/03/2026 15:45

You can now report posts for being aggressive and unhelpful. I imagine MNHQ are acting on such reports.

SwanRivers · 15/03/2026 15:44

CoffeeCantata · 15/03/2026 15:35

I find it hard to believe that comments are deleted for merely stating a different or opposing point of view. I've never seen that on MN.

I bet these comments were/are rude, offensive, insulting and/or personal, and totally inappropriate in tone.

The only time I reported a comment made to me was when I got a semi-literate tirade of insults fired at me for no apparent reason.

I bet these comments were/are rude, offensive, insulting and/or personal, and totally inappropriate in tone.

Really not always.

Plus in the past I've had one or two comments removed and when I argued with MNHQ about them, they've agreed they shouldn't have been removed and actually put them back.

And I'm not the only one.

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:44

Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 15:39

Was the thread deleted @auserna or you suspended but thread kept up?

The thread was deleted as well, so I never got any help trying to debunk it in my efforts to get the person (family member) who kept sending me such crap to desist.

OP posts:
Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:42

ohyesido · 15/03/2026 15:39

Do comments get hidden or removed simply because someone chose to report it, or does someone from MNHQ actually look at a reported post and decide whether it stays?

I think it varies, but afaik comments are automatically deleted simply for being reported.

OP posts:
L0nd0nPr1d3 · 15/03/2026 15:42

SwanRivers · 15/03/2026 15:18

The moderation has always puzzled me over the 15 years I've posted on MN.

I think it largely depends on the POV of the moderator sometimes and of course the amount of reports.

What puzzles me more is how some posters continually get their posts deleted for being downright racist or ableist, yet they continue to post without being banned.

I'm not talking about a few 'arguable' posts either.

Yep and if anything I think MN under deletes abelist and racist posts. I’ve seen some left after several have reported that absolutely are.

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:41

Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 15:38

I missed you thought ridiculous

Edited
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Please tell me how I should state it more clearly than literally using the word "ridiculous"?

This is my exact grievance about the mod who deleted my post - they didn't read what I actually wrote.

OP posts:
Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:39

CoffeeCantata · 15/03/2026 15:35

I find it hard to believe that comments are deleted for merely stating a different or opposing point of view. I've never seen that on MN.

I bet these comments were/are rude, offensive, insulting and/or personal, and totally inappropriate in tone.

The only time I reported a comment made to me was when I got a semi-literate tirade of insults fired at me for no apparent reason.

I'm sure some of them are rude/insulting/personal, etc., but I don't believe they all are.

I've even seen replies thanking the person who made the deleted posts, so they clearly weren't that obnoxious.

OP posts:
Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 15:39

Was the thread deleted @auserna or you suspended but thread kept up?

ohyesido · 15/03/2026 15:39

Do comments get hidden or removed simply because someone chose to report it, or does someone from MNHQ actually look at a reported post and decide whether it stays?

Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 15:38

auserna · 15/03/2026 15:36

Yes, that's why I described the video as ridiculous, and why I was asking people to help me debunk it. Also why I said spreading misinformation was the opposite of what I was trying to achieve.
🙄

No, of course I'm not.

Show quote history

I missed you thought ridiculous

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:37

HesarealJacquelineHigh · 15/03/2026 15:32

Sometimes they will have been banned and all their posts deleted. So they might have posted something innocuous on one thread but something racist on another one and then everything will be removed, even if the other comments were perfectly normal

Ah, that's interesting to know. Makes sense, but I hadn't considered that as a possibility.

OP posts:
User8457363 · 15/03/2026 15:36

People can post all manner of racist or ableist crap and it’s left to stand though.

MN only delete posts if they have been reported. So that's why you often see horrendous statements left to stand...it simply means that all the people who read it agreed with it or didn't find it offensive to report.

The only reason more innocuous comments get deleted is because you inadvertently picked an argument with someone who reports every comment that they don't agree with or feel attacked by. Or they have loads of sock puppet accounts and report you using each one so the chances are higher that you get deleted.

Never underestimate the insanity of people who are chronically online.

Original poster
auserna · 15/03/2026 15:36

Aslighthead · 15/03/2026 15:32

Out of interest are you an anti vaxxer?

Show quote history

Yes, that's why I described the video as ridiculous, and why I was asking people to help me debunk it. Also why I said spreading misinformation was the opposite of what I was trying to achieve.
🙄

No, of course I'm not.

OP posts:
CoffeeCantata · 15/03/2026 15:35

I find it hard to believe that comments are deleted for merely stating a different or opposing point of view. I've never seen that on MN.

I bet these comments were/are rude, offensive, insulting and/or personal, and totally inappropriate in tone.

The only time I reported a comment made to me was when I got a semi-literate tirade of insults fired at me for no apparent reason.

Springisspringingnow · 15/03/2026 15:33

SwanRivers · 15/03/2026 15:18

The moderation has always puzzled me over the 15 years I've posted on MN.

I think it largely depends on the POV of the moderator sometimes and of course the amount of reports.

What puzzles me more is how some posters continually get their posts deleted for being downright racist or ableist, yet they continue to post without being banned.

I'm not talking about a few 'arguable' posts either.

I totally agree with you about it depending on the pov of the moderator.

I rarely report anything now: first they inexcusably hid the report button to deter people from reporting and secondly if you report something now quite often all you get is a " we are looking at this" response and then nothing happens- no deletion and absolutely no explanation or follow up to say why the post has been allowed to stand.
I have no confidence at all in the report procedure.

HesarealJacquelineHigh · 15/03/2026 15:32

Sometimes they will have been banned and all their posts deleted. So they might have posted something innocuous on one thread but something racist on another one and then everything will be removed, even if the other comments were perfectly normal

Swipe left for the next trending thread