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MNHQ

Update from MNHQ addressing the recent images posted on the site

487 replies

JustineMumsnet · 04/02/2025 12:13

Hi all,
There have been a number of threads discussing what happened re the posting of CSA images on site and so I want to be absolutely clear: we would never seek to shut down reasonable criticism and we're taking on board all the feedback and will be carefully considering how we can improve our procedures and moderation to prevent this happening again.

As a temporary measure, we have suspended all image posting and will soon be implementing AI filters to flag illegal/disturbing images before they appear on the site. We’re also liaising with external specialists to see if there are any further tools we can employ to help us prevent this from happening again in the future. We reported it to the police first thing the morning after the attack and we have a follow up meeting with them tomorrow.

It's also pretty clear from what we can see behind the scenes that there is an ongoing, coordinated effort from trolls to further inflame these discussions, and cause as much disruption as possible. We are taking steps to remove bad faith actors, but we know this can be frustrating for those who just want to express your views about what happened. If you come across any posts that seem designed to stir up more conflict rather than contribute constructively, please do report them - your reports really help us to act swiftly. Many thanks for your patience while we work to sort this out.

OP posts:
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JaneJeffer · 29/03/2025 10:44

It might be an idea to ban certain words from being allowed to be used in usernames?

anyolddinosaur · 29/03/2025 10:15

The night watch need a "hide all posts by user" option, not good enough that they need to do this one by one.

Janiie · 29/03/2025 08:57

'The poster's been banned by Nightwatch. But only after 25 minutes and 15 vile posts.'

25 mins seems ok to me? Yes if it was 3 hours later you'd have a point so well done @Anightwatcher

By vile are we talking about images or just trolly posts?

Efacsen · 29/03/2025 08:51

ANightwatcher · 29/03/2025 02:20

If one was still showing then it was purely because I hadn't got to it. Each post has to be individually deleted so in tonight's case when there were about 20 posts it takes time to get to each one

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Were you struggling on your own last night? - there used to be at least 2 night-watchers - ?plus access to the day-time moderator instituted the last time round - or was that only a temporary thing?

playingfortimeandpeace · 29/03/2025 08:25

Sparklybutold · 29/03/2025 02:07

Why is a business that makes money using volunteers for an important business need?

agreed

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 08:24

ANightwatcher · 29/03/2025 02:20

If one was still showing then it was purely because I hadn't got to it. Each post has to be individually deleted so in tonight's case when there were about 20 posts it takes time to get to each one

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Yes, that's what I meant. You were clearly on the case but didn't have a button that says "hide all posts by this user", which is ridiculous. Clearly you should have that option! It must be quite stressful for you too, trying to get them as quickly as possible.

PullTheBricksDown · 29/03/2025 04:52

ANightwatcher · 29/03/2025 02:20

If one was still showing then it was purely because I hadn't got to it. Each post has to be individually deleted so in tonight's case when there were about 20 posts it takes time to get to each one

Show quote history

I wasn't intending to criticise you and your response @ANightwatcher and I don't think anyone else here was. Thank you for sorting this. I do think though that you shouldn't have to, and that anyone dealing with these 'bad faith actors', to use Justine's term, should have more powers than seems to be the case for the Night Watch.

MNHQ
ANightwatcher · 29/03/2025 02:20

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 00:56

Some of the posts by that user have been hidden, so night watch are on it, but one still remains, which suggest that they don't have the power to 'hide all posts by user'?

If one was still showing then it was purely because I hadn't got to it. Each post has to be individually deleted so in tonight's case when there were about 20 posts it takes time to get to each one

Sparklybutold · 29/03/2025 02:07

Why is a business that makes money using volunteers for an important business need?

WhoPutTheBomp · 29/03/2025 01:01

NoWordForFluffy · 29/03/2025 00:59

It appears that no lessons have been learned then.

No, sadly.

NoWordForFluffy · 29/03/2025 00:59

It appears that no lessons have been learned then.

WilmaTitsDrop · 29/03/2025 00:56

NoWordForFluffy · 29/03/2025 00:54

I don't even know where to find the Night Watch section to go and report that poster. I Googled to no avail after reporting a couple of posts. It's just not good enough.

The poster's been banned by Nightwatch.

But only after 25 minutes and 15 vile posts.

Also, the Nightwatchers don't have the capacity to delete the user name, just the post.

So I guess it'll have to stay on the boards until MNHQ start work.

noblegiraffe · 29/03/2025 00:56

Some of the posts by that user have been hidden, so night watch are on it, but one still remains, which suggest that they don't have the power to 'hide all posts by user'?

NoWordForFluffy · 29/03/2025 00:54

I don't even know where to find the Night Watch section to go and report that poster. I Googled to no avail after reporting a couple of posts. It's just not good enough.

PullTheBricksDown · 29/03/2025 00:48

OK, I'm posting on this thread again because tonight there is a troll deliberately posting offensive messages, using an offensive username, on multiple threads. There are at least two threads in the Night Watch section asking for action. As I have said there:
And now we will see that, if MN have still not got around to organising proper 24 hour moderation, this is what happens.

I am asking, once again, for Mumsnet to realise they can no longer put off bringing in professional overnight moderation. It is simply not fair on the Night Watch or on users to still have a situation where they are asked to help but can actually do very little. The discussion about images has distracted from this, but here we are again. Proper overnight moderation, please. Now. And a response would be appreciated.

MNHQ
KellyMumsnet · 05/03/2025 11:34

Morning! For anyone asking about updates, we obviously have reported every instance and the police are continuing their investigations as we speak. We don't have further updates on that, we're afraid, but we'll let you know if and when we can.

SabreIsMyFave · 04/03/2025 21:04

I wonder what happened after you reported it to the police too @JustineMumsnet @BeckyAMumsnet Have they found anything out/caught the people who posted/sent the vile CSA images???

MyrtleLion · 04/03/2025 20:41

JustineMumsnet · 04/02/2025 12:13

Hi all,
There have been a number of threads discussing what happened re the posting of CSA images on site and so I want to be absolutely clear: we would never seek to shut down reasonable criticism and we're taking on board all the feedback and will be carefully considering how we can improve our procedures and moderation to prevent this happening again.

As a temporary measure, we have suspended all image posting and will soon be implementing AI filters to flag illegal/disturbing images before they appear on the site. We’re also liaising with external specialists to see if there are any further tools we can employ to help us prevent this from happening again in the future. We reported it to the police first thing the morning after the attack and we have a follow up meeting with them tomorrow.

It's also pretty clear from what we can see behind the scenes that there is an ongoing, coordinated effort from trolls to further inflame these discussions, and cause as much disruption as possible. We are taking steps to remove bad faith actors, but we know this can be frustrating for those who just want to express your views about what happened. If you come across any posts that seem designed to stir up more conflict rather than contribute constructively, please do report them - your reports really help us to act swiftly. Many thanks for your patience while we work to sort this out.

Any update on the police report?

ErrolTheDragon · 12/02/2025 07:35

The update re image posting is here

MNHQ: Update on Image Uploads www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/5269714-mnhq-update-on-image-uploads

letthemeatcakes · 12/02/2025 00:41

What's happening with this now ?

SecretSoul · 07/02/2025 08:19

Oblomov25 · 06/02/2025 07:13

Not able to post pictures still?

I appreciate things take a while to get sorted but it would be helpful to have an idea of how long we’re likely to have to wait.

In areas like Property or Home Decoration, not being able to post a photo is a pain.

There also needs to be some kind of pinned thread in all forums as loads of site users are unaware of what happened and don’t know there’s a ban on posting photos.

I appreciate the attack wasn’t the fault of MN but the response hasn’t been as loud or as powerful as you might hope. Bearing in mind there’s a simultaneous push to get us all to sign up to Premium services, this is pretty piss-poor.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 06/02/2025 10:44

saraclara · 05/02/2025 23:05

Okay. A senior member of staff will be on call. It's a few hours since I read that post.
But that is what was needed when those images appeared, and now it's in place.

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Best hope that's really the case and that it's effective, saraclara, though it'll take another major problem to find out and obviously I'd rather that didn't happen

OdeToBarney · 06/02/2025 09:27

Incywincyspi · 05/02/2025 14:37

I think Justine focussing on the “ bad faith an actors” issue is an attempt to chaff and redirect from the real issue. The fact is a company this size, dealing with an open site should have had a contingency plan for this type of emergency. It should have been treated as urgent and there should have been emergency protocols in place. Now it’s desperate scrambling trying to cover up the fact that this is a high risk situation that wasn’t adequately assessed and dealt with, making them vicariously liable for the trauma of others unfortunately.

I completely agree with this. MM has a duty of care to its users not to expose them to illegal and traumatising images. In what world does a site that makes £2m profit not have the appropriate protocols in place to prevent this? It's not the 90s anymore, "we're really sorry" isn't going to cut it.

Janiie · 06/02/2025 09:09

ErrolTheDragon · 06/02/2025 09:02

I don't think the people inciting hatred on X you're referring to were hiding their identities, were they?

The anonymity of MN is hugely important for some users - particularly women in coercive relationships. But a criminal can hide behind it. I'd assume most people in possession of child sex abuse material aren't using their normal email and home WiFi , and someone deliberately targeting a parenting site with this vile stuff even moreso.

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True yes csa criminals will obviously be more covert but even so there is tech available to trace people.

Those on X posting unpleasant comments wouldn't have all used their named accounts but they were all so swiftly charged and given hefty custodial sentences.

I just wonder if we'll ever hear '< insert name> charged with posting csa on mn and given a custodial sentence'. It'll be interesting to see.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/02/2025 09:02

Janiie · 06/02/2025 08:50

I find it quite staggering that people can post crap on sm and be promptly arrested charged and given custodial sentences, yet more serious posts like csa seem to have the authorities scratching their heads and seemingly unable to locate and name the pervs.

No idea obviously if that is the case here, but why do we hear who said what on X yet csa criminals seem to be shrouded in mystery.

I don't think the people inciting hatred on X you're referring to were hiding their identities, were they?

The anonymity of MN is hugely important for some users - particularly women in coercive relationships. But a criminal can hide behind it. I'd assume most people in possession of child sex abuse material aren't using their normal email and home WiFi , and someone deliberately targeting a parenting site with this vile stuff even moreso.