Update from MNHQ addressing the recent images posted on the site

It really is amazing how many people are so vocal about the NW volunteers needing to be paid now....after the fact! I would love to see the links to all your previous posts asking staff why they didn't have paid nighttime mods, but I won't, because there aren't any!

From the intro link up the thread NW was introduced in 2014 - so has been in place and worked for over 10 years - Justine and the team cannot be blamed for it not working following an unprecedented incident in over 20 years of MN existing.

The first focus is and should be focusing on what needs to be done to practically stop this happening again - which from Justine's updates, it seems they are:

Removing the ability to post pictures
Strengthening the filters
Lowering the auto-hide threshold for reported posts
Making sure someone senior in on hand overnight

I'm sure that after they have got that in place, they will look at how to moderate the site overnight on a paid basis - but that will take time as they will likely need HR advice to determine the right contracts for unsociable working hours (or over seas workers) and actually recruit to the posts.

I didn't see the incident play out last night, thankfully, and I haven't been on MN a huge amount today, but it is being mentioned everywhere, and this thread has been in active since it was posted - I fully support the team deleting the multitude of threads that keep popping up and just using this one - firstly because multiple threads on the same topic are annoying, they are difficult to mod where there are such strong feelings.

However, most importantly even just discussion about CSA images may very well be triggering for some people who are survivors of it, so keeping the thread in site stuff and not allowing it to pop up all over the forum is the right thing to do.

The only slight criticism I have is the lack of signposting for those affected - a locked thread at the top of each subject forum with relevant support links would be good.

The first one I personally reported twice. The second time because it was still there. There were 7 or 8 posts saying that they had reported too. The images stayed there for over ten minutes.

Don’t fuck with menopausal women. We don’t fake elbow drops.

Just seen the thread, and the Men seem appalled that illegal images were used.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=&t=2106266

Mnhq might be able to stop it happening again with imagery using tech tools idk

Imo even moderators shouldn't be exposed at any time so that kind of personal checking system doesn't really work

But maybe they can put something in place

This sounds like a line from a WWE wrestling match

Our Daily Post online newspaper on FB in the comments is getting some grim links. Mostly political unpleasantness and scams though.

Yes. you're absolutely right. I should have ignored your question to me.

Is ''PH'' Piston heads?
I would have thought that decent Men would also be absolutely repulsed by CSA images.

I completely agree.

So we go word based to stop this happening again, do we allow links?

This is our place and I reserve the right to take out the trash to keep it nice.

I agree. Maybe no need for pics on this forum.

Perhaps it would be better to focus on those posters asking legitimate questions in a civil manner, rather than focus on those who might seek to disrupt and/or hijack the thread.

I’m not certain that MNHQ needs anyone to advocate for them.

Just my suggestion, you understand.

Of course I can. It should never have happened and I feel very sorry for the NW and all the posters who saw the images. But remarks like

Surprised Big Justine hasn't posted in legal advice, they're always giving great advice on there ;)

and

Istg some people act as if Big Jussers is running it out of the basement of her ran-down house or something...

are not "ask(ing) what safeguards are being implemented so there can never be a repeat." They add absolutely eff all to the discussion and trivialises it. Smacks of someone who wants to be shitty for the sake of it.

Yes it's not good that the mods have to see it, but mods can be trained and receive support. And there seems to be quite a few mners who are still struggling with what they saw. At least mners wouldn't see the child abuse if everything had to be approved.

I'm amazed that anyone would volunteer to work nights for free!

That would mean a moderator would have to look at all the disturbing and illegal images. Automated filters are not perfect but they minimise the risk of inflicting such images on anyone.

The best outcome is no one at mnhq or here sees or has to report CSA

The site is a chat site mostly so if AI tools etc can't stop them happening then just go to word based

Ok I quite like threads with harmless pics at times so no issue there, but really no one should be exposed to criminal CSA imagery on mn

It'll bugger up style and beauty though.

@spritsailking that's good in theory but then if (god forbid) something like this happened again, the mods have to see it.

I think this is the perfect solution. AI is easily tricked, I think all photos need to be checekd.

I think the problem has grown, trolls feel emboldened so it snowballs. This changing names is too easy. User 123456 types always make me twitch.

They should use the suspensions faster.

I suspect the culprits know nights and weekends are a free for all, mods should be able to gag them faster and let the day crew sort it out.

What you can do about bored teenagers, disgruntled men and trolls, just keep stamping them out. It's a problem.

One forum I recall digital spy. I think there was a probation period.

I was one who was quite critical yesterday, but it does appear that quite a bit is being done. I really feel for everyone at MN, this can't be a nice situation to deal with

I'm grateful not to have seen the images. I'd like to understand what Nightwatch is, as I hadn't come across it before.

The Night Watch is a team of volunteers who take over from the paid moderators at some point during the late evening, whereupon the reports generated by the report button cease to be monitored, until the mods return the next morning. Although, if a post is reported an unspecified number of times, it is apparently automatically hidden, even at night. If people wish to report a poster or thread at night, they are instructed to post on the Night Watch board, linking the relevant thread.

Just to add - because some people are expressing very strong feelings around what is a truly awful event for MN, does not mean that they are ‘bad actors’ wishing the downfall of MN. I think the anger and outrage stems more from the suspicion of many that MN isn’t willing to spend the money (of which there is an abundance) required to make the site the safe space all genuine users want it to be.