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Original poster

Posters getting their thread removed because of 'privacy concerns.' [hmm]

41 replies

littlepattilou · 01/06/2021 13:02

This is just getting on my bloody nerves now.

I just constructed a helpful, (albeit slightly lengthy) post to put on a particular thread (on AIBU,) and I took about 20 minutes to construct the post, and did the 'preview post' thing to check for typos, and the thread had been deleted! It was only put up there at 12.05pm!

Whether the OP didn't like the responses she got I don't know, but this is genuinely pissing me off now, and is making me feel like I can't be arsed to bother posting any response, unless it just takes a minute or two to type out!

If I have a ream of helpful advice and information, why should I bother typing it all out, when there's a risk that the OP will tell mumsnet to delete the thread, before I can submit my post?!

Why does this keep happening ?!!! Angry

Why bother posting a thread on here - and they are often lengthy original posts - just to tell mumsnet to delete it an hour after you posted it! And it's always 'privacy concerns!' Hmm

Even the posters who managed to actually post their response before the thread was deleted have wasted their time.

As I say, at this rate, people are just not going to bother posting anything that takes longer than a minute to type out! Why bother, when there's a risk that the thread may go 'poooof' anyway! Confused

OP posts:
MNHQ
LilyMumsnet · 01/06/2021 16:08

Hi OP

Thanks for getting in touch about this.

We know it can be really frustrating when threads disappear, and we do our best to push back on deletions - especially when it involves a larger thread that many users have spent time contributing to.

That being said, our job is to make parents lives easier. Sometimes, threads can cause a lot of upset - including real life concerns, anxiety etc. If a thread is causing someone a great deal of stress and upset then we will absolutely consider removing it. We're not in the business of making anyone's life harder than it needs to be.

We understand that it can be annoying, but it's just something we have to do. We hope it doesn't change the way you contribute to the site. Flowers

TaraR2020 · 01/06/2021 15:21

*individually not inside

TaraR2020 · 01/06/2021 15:21

This doesn't bother me so much, what does bother me a bit is when I take a while writing a considered reply, really trying to be helpful, and it isn't acknowledged by the op. Fair enough in very large threads, they can't respond to everyone inside, but it does bother me a bit on shorter threads when the others posts are acknowledged.

Having said that - we're all just words on a screen to each other so I decided to let it go Grin

Floralnomad · 01/06/2021 15:13

I agree that threads are removed too quickly , there was a huge thread on Sunday that was deleted with the message ‘it’s causing real life upset ‘ , well that was only because the OP wasn’t getting the replies she had expected to get and someone had also linked to another thread that didn’t put her in a good light .

PegasusReturns · 01/06/2021 15:12

I agree but you’ll get lots of people saying this isn’t a soap opera, threads aren’t for your entertainment and posters don’t owe you a response

Original poster
littlepattilou · 01/06/2021 15:09

sorry, I couldn't see anything identifying IN it.

OP posts:
Original poster
littlepattilou · 01/06/2021 15:07

It was the one where a woman was complaining about her brother who had chosen his wife's family over her, and her parents, and her mother was really upset as he never bothered with them anymore. I could not see anything 'identifying' it.

Surely people know their threads are going to be seen by loads of people on here? If they're so worried about their 'privacy' then don't post the thread in the first place!

OP posts:
Wanttocry · 01/06/2021 14:17

I agree. If you’re talking about the one I’m thinking about I don’t think the OP had even posted past the first message and there was nothing vaguely “outing” in it. (Unless you were the person directly involved, but then that’s the case in the majority of threads)

SlipperyDippery · 01/06/2021 14:08

I agree, I think Mumsnet delete posts far too readily

ChicChaos · 01/06/2021 14:06

BlackberrySky you can use the Preview Message button for that.

Is there ever any comeback on posters who request deletion just because they didn't get the headpats they were looking for? Suspension or deletion? (of the poster, not the thread).

User5485421134 · 01/06/2021 14:00

This is common IT knowledge but you can often retrieve and read deleted threads by searching for the cached version. Use Google Chrome and simply paste in the url, then type "cache:" at the very start so the line reads "cache:www.mumsnet.com... ". To skip pages, manually change the number at the end to 2, 3, 4 etc.
This can be useful if a thread escalates very quickly and you can at least get an idea of what caused the deletion.

BertieBotts · 01/06/2021 13:54

Hide AIBU. It hardly ever happens outside of that section and the site is much calmer without it!

MichelleScarn · 01/06/2021 13:49

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Anordinarymum · 01/06/2021 13:42

When you read some of the responses on here to something asked innocently it is no wonder they ask for the thread to be deleted.

Some folks follow other posters around and jump in on threads where they post. Isn't this a form of trolling ? There are a lot of people who spend far too much time on here IMHO

BlackberrySky · 01/06/2021 13:37

I think sometimes people use MN to vent, without thinking it through (very annoying for everyone else!). They then pause for breath and realise they probably shouldn't have posted. I wish there was a "draft box" where people could type a post, but it not be uploaded until they have read it after sleeping on it.

ChicChaos · 01/06/2021 13:10

Certainly no privacy concerns last time I saw the thread, it just wasn't going the OP's way. This thread will probably disappear as well tbh, it would be more helpful to identify a way of contacting MN on the deletion message.