Links in posts to mumsnet site sections

Thread from last time

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2845367-Skimlinks-on-Talk

Not the only time it's been trialled.

The problem is not only do MN get income from links but that people posting have zero control over if they're advertising something - which could well be inappropriate, out of context and hurtful last time I remember on a thread something was taken out of context causing a lot of issues for posters as people were blamed for being delibrately malicious when they weren't.

Putting them only on certain boards won't work either as people post about subjects all over MN e.g. AIBU or chat for traffic. MN can't rely on something like bereavement for example only being discussed in bereavement.

Surely if you're going to try to introduce something many users previously disliked, the least you could do is take into account their feedback and suggestions?

2 years ago people asked for the following, and 2 years later people are repeating their requests.

SealSong Tue 07-Feb-17 08:39:26 MNHQ, if you want to go ahead with these word links, could they please be in a different colour to the links people create in their posts?

RockNRollNerd Sat 11-Feb-17 13:50:53 Will you be using them on the more 'sensitive' groups... I'm uncomfortable with the idea that they would appear on threads in areas such as bereavement, relationships etc.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2845367-Skimlinks-on-Talk

We've been here before and it didn't go down well!

MNHQ please either get rid or make them optional.
So intrusive and also I don't want to post things that become adverts. It's horrid please make it go

It's dire.

Teacake

So are people just going to misspell things or capitalize letters?

saucery Its the only clicky link that MN should approve!

I knew what that was going to be, Teacake but I still clicked on it

The links look absolutely ridiculous at best, insensitive at worst. Even the most forgiving site user is going to be irritated by them after a short while and stop clicking through.

Take it away.

PLEASE

It's really fucking annoying MNHQ. I already use an ad blocker, now I can't turn these off. Plus, I originally assumed it was something that the OP had chosen to link to.

Well I like them but I have always been a bit unusual

It's gross and makes me resolve never ever to click on those links. Stop it.

These links can be really inappropriate. Someone is at the end of their tether with their teenage DD and the post is linking to vacuum cleaner reviews. It's ridiculous.

I might even go to which?, thanks autocorrect....

I read the washing machine thread and it really was very intrusive. I kept reading it as blah blah blah washing machine blah blah. Clicked on the link thinking maybe it's a running joke or something and it's some bollocks about washing machine reviews. If I want that, I'll go to 'witch?' thanks very much.

Can imagine it's just awful on sensitive threads. And just disabling sensitive words won't work - I have an acquaintance whose head was put through a wm door in a dv attack. She was nearly killed, I don't think she'd be overly interested in the merits of Samsung over bosch were she to post about it.

Actual links inserted by forum members work on the app too.

Annoying, intrusive, insensitive.

For fucksake crying out loud MNHQ, can you not get the problems with the site that have been raised repeatedly by users fixed first before adding more and more stuff?

Working.
A mystery!!

Next experiment:

Mumsnet thread here. about links corrupted.

Works in preview.

And continues to work.

Right can we do an experiment please.

Find a website, any old one will do. Link here as you would normally.

Here's one:
post office standard parcels.

Link works in preview.

In the spirit of compromise could you not just add a link index at the top or bottom of a thread rather than in people’s posts?

No offence, but I don’t want to look at a load of naff trousers MN ‘recommends’ but for those that do they don’t actually need a gagillion links throughout the thread. It looks cheap too.

I also think more sensitive topics should be off limits.

Very annoying, wont be clicking any blue links so defeats the object of it really.