could we please have a petition topic

threesocksonathreeleggedwitch · 2012-10-16T07:54:58+00:00

now that mn hq seem to allow them

Tee2072 · 31/10/2012 16:52

Already hid it!

Thanks HQ!

NetworkGuy · 31/10/2012 16:48

Thanks for adding that noticeboard. Must say I don't remember seeing any decree that petition links were forbidden (before) but been a while since I read the Guidelines so will do so again, soon.

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 25/10/2012 11:12

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

I guess you would report them and the thread would be moved?

Indeed.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 25/10/2012 11:09

I guess you would report them and the thread would be moved?

Original poster

threesocksonathreeleggedwitch · 25/10/2012 11:00

brilliant Idea.
can I be a pain and ask what happens though if someone posts in say chat?

OP posts:

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 24/10/2012 17:24

Thanks Hecate.

And yes they would!

HeinousHecate · 24/10/2012 12:48

i think that's a good solution.

People want to raise awareness on a variety of topics that mean a lot to them and if there's a place for them to do that, then good.

People who don't want to see them don't have to, cos they can hide them, and it doesn't hurt them at all to have them on the site.

And I am sure if people start posting in AIBU - aibu to link you to my petition ... that will get deleted.

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 24/10/2012 12:45

OK, here is our solution.

It's a Petitions noticeboard.

Like our Charities noticeboard, there is no fee to list your petition there - and to explain a bit about it. And others can post on your thread, too, if they like.

And people who don't like Petitions thread can hide the whole topic.

Hope that suits most folks.

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 22/10/2012 13:43

@threesocksonathreeleggedwitch

I was told something along the line (sorry email long gone) that it was something that people were very keen on. (not those exact words obviously) and it was left.

Thanks, 3socks. From what I can gather , that was one where we edited the petition link out of the OP (see our previous post).

Looks like we explained that in our reply to you but maybe we weren't explaining it very well. We'll look into a way of explaining things better.

Original poster

threesocksonathreeleggedwitch · 22/10/2012 11:35

I was told something along the line (sorry email long gone) that it was something that people were very keen on. (not those exact words obviously)
and it was left.

OP posts:

Startailoforangeandgold · 22/10/2012 11:19

I don't mind so long as people put petition in their thread title.

Then ivan decide whether I'm interested straight away.

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 22/10/2012 11:12

@threesocksonathreeleggedwitch

it was, sorry , I was told by mn hq it was being allowed

That doesn't sound like us, threesocks.

The only thing we sometimes do - if the thread is very active and the issue is a core MN one that's very newsworthy - is edit the OP to remove the link to the petition. This way, we can allow the discussion to continue without the annoying petition link.

Is that what happened in this case?

ZombTEE · 21/10/2012 06:16

Did they say why it was allowed?

Original poster

threesocksonathreeleggedwitch · 20/10/2012 23:21

it was, sorry , I was told by mn hq it was being allowed

OP posts:

MmeLindor · 20/10/2012 23:16

3socks
Not sure if they are ever 'allowed' unless part of official campaign or just sometimes it takes longer for them to be noticed and reported.

Original poster

threesocksonathreeleggedwitch · 20/10/2012 21:57

I see BustersOfDoom point 100%.
I just think if there was a topic, and they were only allowed there.
then everyone would be "happy"
I don't like them , yes even ones about brain tumours which both my parents died off.
but then I could hide the topic and so could anyone else.
trouble is at the moment some are allowed.
there was one the other week, a campaign one, but mn hq allowed it..
so there does need to be a fair rule.

OP posts:

MmeLindor · 20/10/2012 19:54

I think that a Petition Topic would be good, because then those who hate them could hide the topic.

There is however a huge difference, imo, between a petition raising awareness of an issue and the 'Vote for my child' to win a prize kind of thing.

Could we have a Charitable Petitions Topic perhaps?

BustersOfDoom · 20/10/2012 14:09

It's never too early!

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 20/10/2012 13:17

@BustersOfDoom

Thanks Helen. Apologies if I was a little ranty. Medicinal wine had been taken.

Ha! Thanks but no need, really

BustersOfDoom · 20/10/2012 12:57

Thanks Helen. Apologies if I was a little ranty. Medicinal wine had been taken.

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 20/10/2012 10:56

@BustersOfDoom

But what floodgates? That was the reason you gave when you zapped my childhood brain tumour awareness petition thread at the beginning of this year and I've seen very few petition threads since then. Surely by having a petitions topic you are giving us forum members the choice to either sign or not and raising awareness to certain issues. If I don't agree with something then I won't sign, if I do I will and I'm sure that goes for everyone else here.

I don't understand what difference it makes to the site. You could have a disclaimer at the top of that topic saying 'this is not endorsed by MN, all signatories do so in a personal capacity' or whatever - in the same way you do on the Relationships thread about posters not being experts in dv/relationship matters, seek independent advice etc.

Yes, you do need to think about how to manage it as your currently policy just seems a little mean spirited. There are lots of people on here working hard to raise awareness/do good for often overlooked causes and the blanket ban on petitions just seems out of step. We are grown ups after all and can choose to click on a thread title or not.

We do appreciate your POV, BustersOfDoom.

But then we also know - from the number of reports that fill our inbox when a petition thread goes up - that a good number of MNers really don't like them, for one reason or another.

We're sure we can find a solution that's neither annoying for those who don't like them nor too mean-spirited for those who don't mind them.

Please bear with us while we try to come up with summat suitable.

BustersOfDoom · 20/10/2012 00:22

But what floodgates? That was the reason you gave when you zapped my childhood brain tumour awareness petition thread at the beginning of this year and I've seen very few petition threads since then. Surely by having a petitions topic you are giving us forum members the choice to either sign or not and raising awareness to certain issues. If I don't agree with something then I won't sign, if I do I will and I'm sure that goes for everyone else here.

I don't understand what difference it makes to the site. You could have a disclaimer at the top of that topic saying 'this is not endorsed by MN, all signatories do so in a personal capacity' or whatever - in the same way you do on the Relationships thread about posters not being experts in dv/relationship matters, seek independent advice etc.

Yes, you do need to think about how to manage it as your currently policy just seems a little mean spirited. There are lots of people on here working hard to raise awareness/do good for often overlooked causes and the blanket ban on petitions just seems out of step. We are grown ups after all and can choose to click on a thread title or not.

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 19/10/2012 16:53

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

I think you should have a petition/vote for me topic, then petitions would have to go there, or would be moved there.

Petitions annoy but I have a heart and would feel a right bitch reporting a petition thread that starts "I just watched my nephew die from a brain tumour"

Or a vote for me thread that says "just 100 more votes and terminally ill DD can go to Disneyland"

I am a bitch aren't I ((skulks away))

No, we get it.

We don't really want to create a Petitions topic because we fear that might open the floodgates!

But we probably do need to put on our thinking caps and think of something that works a little better than it does now...

ZombTEE · 19/10/2012 15:34

I have a heart. I have no problem ignoring petitions or vote for me threads.

I guess it's a cold heart.

shrug

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 19/10/2012 15:09

I think you should have a petition/vote for me topic, then petitions would have to go there, or would be moved there.

Petitions annoy but I have a heart and would feel a right bitch reporting a petition thread that starts "I just watched my nephew die from a brain tumour"

Or a vote for me thread that says "just 100 more votes and terminally ill DD can go to Disneyland"

I am a bitch aren't I ((skulks away))