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Original poster

I would like an option to "opt out" of advanced search

56 replies

IAmFuckingPissedOff · 15/12/2011 22:17

I think that might solve the privacy issues.

I would like to be able, on my customise, make my name unsearchable under posts "posted by X".

Is that feasible?

I know it seems recently that the so-called "active" posters are unnecessary on here - in fact on another thread I have just noticed that we are apparently a minority Hmm and therefore have no right to dictate how the site is run.

However, in my opinion (and correct me if I'm wrong) the site would be very much less helpful to parents if the regulars stopped offering advice. There are many active posters on here who post in niche places, giving advice on things as far apart as legal, infertility, mental health, parenting, etc etc. For me, certainly, I'm no longer as happy to post about my life, and thus support others, when it is so easy with one click to post the whole thread straight to Facebook. Where I might be recognised because of my unusual circumstances, and someone can come straight here and read about my life, and my children's life, for the last ten years.

So I'm left with options: I can dereg and not post at all, I can post only on innane threads or I can lurk only.

In all of those choices I won't be giving advice and sympathy because I'm going to be bloody careful what I post.

Or you could make my user-name unsearchable.

OP posts:
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LowRegNumber · 18/12/2011 20:52

A while back someone showed a way to use Google.to give a total.number of posts.by a username on a site! We all used it to scare ourselves about how much time we spent here but I AM sure it could be put to other uses! I can't recall how now but it took seconds to do. I remember feeling a bit more respectful of the lack of privacy after that.

BertieBotts · 17/12/2011 09:02

If you want to be unsearchable, some posters periodically change one character of their name, for example BertleBotts or Bertieb0tts or B3rtieBotts (etc etc) - the longer your name the easier this is. Or have a memorable handle but add different things on the end and change every few weeks. This means people can still recognise you but if anybody searches, they will only find a small number of posts.

lljkk · 17/12/2011 08:52

If you want to ask MNHQ to delete it then please do, Panto. I think R & her DD are nicely reconciled now, anyway.
My point was how easy it is to find these things, with a tangible example of MN Royalty who have already had their lives raked thru heavily (little left to trawl).
I guess I will stick to vague hypotheticals in future.

Pantofino · 16/12/2011 21:41

likk - and why would you dig up an old upsetting thread? Hmm

JamieComeHome · 16/12/2011 18:39

I agree with you IamFuckingPissedOff

lljkk · 16/12/2011 14:23

...can of course do it on google, but it would be time consuming

I beg to differ, I can search pretty efficiently & quickly using Google; I often can't find anything using MN search facility.

Here's Riven's first thread that happens to stick in my head (and she's changed her user name, which I need not have known) That took me 35 seconds of searching on Google.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 16/12/2011 13:40

and of course you've got boardreader which can be used to search for usernames on a particuar site but I've orgotten how..someone who was determined to search your posts and stalk you would figure it I've no doubt

Pantofino · 16/12/2011 13:40

Googling Mumsnet Porto was interesting! I found myself quoted by a DM journalist and some nice photos of my honeymoon in Sardinia! Grin

lockets · 16/12/2011 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 16/12/2011 13:27

Yes, but what you get is an nice easy list of every thread title you were mentioned in and most likely posted on. All someone has to do is pick and choose the most interesting titles. It's really no different.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 16/12/2011 13:26

that's what every one said when the other button appeared (where did that go - wasn't it above every single post??)............this 'like' thing only appears once on a page and the 'option to share this with the world your 166 fb friends' on each post on the blue bar thing appears to be gone...........I would have thought that would make people happier as they kicked up a fuss about that before..................mind some people would kick up a fuss about anything.

Original poster
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 16/12/2011 13:25

Yes doesnt, but if I do that I only get references to my username in mumnet. I don't get every post I've ever made.

Or at least to do so would take a looooooooooooong time.

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 16/12/2011 13:23

"I can't get that worked up about it either. Storm in a teacup IMO - there have always been facebook buttons, and even without them there's nothing stopping anyone from copying/pasting a link into facebook/twitter etc."

Good point - and it means the button could be removed without detriment. So everyone can be happy. End of teacup.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 16/12/2011 13:21

Googling is very easy. Simply search for

site: www.mumsnet.com

Piece of cake.

Original poster
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 16/12/2011 13:17

Yes you can of course do it on google, but it would be time consuming and would be interspersed with all sorts of stuff. In fact if I google my mumsnet username, there are no references to me on the first page. If I google "mumsnet myusername" the first page contains two references to me, and the other threads are all threads using bits and pieces of my user name, which aren't actually me.

Whereas an advanced search on my name here would bring up every post I've ever made, with one click.

Which is pretty intrusive, considering that when I started posting the internet didn't do this bloody integrating your life business, or remembering every website you ever went to, and all the stuff it does to make it, imo, dangerous.

Particularly fecking Facebook.

OP posts:
LeninGrad · 16/12/2011 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pantofino · 16/12/2011 13:08

I can't see that anything has changed. You could always link to a thread on FB. I see threads linked often amongst my MN FB friends. MN themseves link to threads on FB.....

KateMiddlet0n · 16/12/2011 13:02

Dyac!

ShirleyKnot · 16/12/2011 12:55

spouting bike. hehehe

lljkk · 16/12/2011 12:54

Wouldn't you just be able to still do it on Google, though?
Example, or this one.

BIWIshYouAMerryChristmas · 16/12/2011 12:51

Bike?! That is surely a particularly offensive thing to call you! Xmas Grin

Original poster
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 16/12/2011 12:51

I'm not saying to disable all advanced search.

I'm asking that mumsnet give us an option to opt out of advance searching our names. If necessary I am happy to give mumsnet towers a reason why I would like to be un-searchable. It would satisfy the anonymity concerns that some posters have.

To stop trolls mumsnet might not allow you to do it unless you had been posting for a while.

Mumsnet hq can find trolls anyway - they can advance search, they can look up previous names and name-changes.

Advanced search isn't for troll-hunting.

OP posts:
KateMiddlet0n · 16/12/2011 12:46

I had a particularly unpleasant troll the other night. It targeted me because I was wearing my frothers badge. The scummy twunt thought I had epilepsy so spouted bike at me. Some of that bile's still there but the post where I say it's deliberately being provocative (trolling) got deleted as troll hunting Hmm

Thankfully advance search meant I could tell they were a troll in about 20 seconds. That's a good thing I think.

ImpOfThePerverse · 16/12/2011 12:43

Generally advanced search is used in a positive way, to find good advice or really funny threads so it would be sad if that was lost (life would be a sadder place if people couldn't find and link 'bobble plate' and 'river of sweetcorn' every so often).

Life is way too short to just randomly search posters for no good reason, I find it a bit sad that people do it over arguments but can't deny it happens. I've seen a lot of suspected trolls and wind-up merchants pulled up on conflicting details and that's no bad thing.

Rather than advanced search not working on some usernames I think it would make more sense to ban certain people from using it if they were using it inappropriately. I think I overuse it and it might be healthier if I didn't...

wannaBe · 16/12/2011 11:54

Think yourself lucky, there are loads of them. Grin

I can't get that worked up about it either. Storm in a teacup IMO - there have always been facebook buttons, and even without them there's nothing stopping anyone from copying/pasting a link into facebook/twitter etc.

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