Links in posts to mumsnet site sections

Yup, so basically, and link that contains any of the words MNHQ have turned into clicky links now doesnt work....

But even if I put a link in plain text, that contains a trigger word, will it screw up the link??

For example:
www.next.co.uk/shop/category-suittrousers-category-trousers/?dp=a&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpavpBRDQARIsAPfTwixpz1rhcjd4JIL-obnL3TB2kD7ve_4AZ6TxmkmRmsj7Tu5EarpEk9gaAuDJEALw_wcB

That must have been a bit grim Becca!

That's the thing, it's actually really sensible to be cautious about clicking on links to unknown places.

ohyou I've been doing that since this was last rolled out after a link appeared in a post I made that was inappropriate and I got messages about it and there was no way to prove I'd not done it.

As others have said, how are people supposed to know whether the links have been inserted by MN or the poster?

I've taken to posting transparent links such as:
www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/forecast/gcpvn15h9#?date=2019-07-14 so that people can see where it has come from and that there should be no malicious code in it. I started the habit when posting on the Westminstenders and Trump threads where the potential for mischief is high.

This screws up links that people actually choose to post - as soon as one of these keywords features in a link address, the click through text gets inserted into the middle of it, meaning it doesn't work.

It's a terrible idea to do this.

It dawned on me overnight...because you can't see the links on the app, if I post things I don't know if you are adding links to my posts. I exclusively use the app. So you could be adding links to my content and I wouldn't know about it despite the fact that it could impact responses I get

Really disappointed to see issues have been raised before, including inappropriate links on sensitive topics, yet it was still rolled out without these issues being addressed.

Awful.
Irritating and unhelpful.
PLEASE knock this initiative on the head, nobody here seems to want it.

Yeah. I will just plain stop using the site if this feature stays. It stops any discussion, even one that isn't particularly sensitive, feeling at all useful and just makes it feel like you're talking to a spambot. Plus it is beyond maddening to have something ill-advisedly "interpreting" your posts to garnish them with links.

Aaaaand it's done it again!

*so I clicked

Over on the gardening boards there was a post about bedding plants. 'Bedding' was highlighted somImclicked, expecting to see a pic about the plant being referred to.

Nope, it was sheets and duvet covers

I'm on the app so can't see this but on sites where this does happen, I just think "spam" and move on. It makes them feel less trustworthy.

I thought the link to children’s bike seats on the naked bike ride thread was particularly inappropriate. If you’re going to do this, you need a much better algorithm.

As shown in my post! Really irritating.

It's really annoying on the style and beauty board - the poster says something like ' I bought some trousers in Zara' and you think the poster has embedded a link to the trousers she bought, but you get taken to 'Mumsnet recommends' or something.

No, it isn't revenue. I understand the old "skim links" version as that linked to external sites and it attracted income. Linking to internal sites doesn't actually create any income at all, especially as the links are irrelevant if not in a shopping/recommendation thread.

I really don’t like it either. If I want to look at a pushchair I can bloody well look it up myself! Don’t need you linking it for me. Most people posting for advice want back and forth conversations and real life experiences not some generic Mumsnet article full of the same old shite.

I don't even see what the point of this is

Well it’s revenue isn’t it? MN is recommending based on the merits of the product being better than others on the market they’re recommending those who pay them to recommend. It’s a slightly less abrasive way of advertising the alternative being off site links.

I’m not opposed to MN making money, they don’t claim to be anything other than a business at heart but this is a particularly naff and intrusive way of doing it.

Test:

local paper

So, on the two year old thread when this was last tried, @JustineMumsnet said this (screenshot)

I'm at a loss to understand why this has been rolled out again without any obvious consideration given to the issues raised previously.

I don't even see what the point of this is.

X-post, apologies!!