MNHQ: Update on Image Uploads

Is there a way we can disable seeing photos for our own accounts?

You could disable images in your browser before accessing Mumsnet and then re-enable images when you have exited.

Do an internet search for "disable images in browser" to find out how to do it.

@BeckyAMumsnet How are you preventing people uploading intimate images? Are there any checks?

I am also assuming from the silence that the night watch system remains in place, and that some of those posters who viewed the original run of disturbing images are still moderating overnight and running the same risks to themselves and others. @BeckyAMumsnet any further update would be good - without one, will assume the above is true.

It seems to me that MN view posters repeated questions as so tiresome that they fall into the toxic/manipulative range.
And they are grey rocking us.

I am very disappointed in MN. Firstly that the possibility of something like the first posting of CSA images hadn't been considered in advance as a possibility and steps like AI already introduced as a preventative measure.

Then in consideration of what to do after the first attack, I'm very concerned that the possibility of posting a link that would show an image preview also hadn't been considered and something put in place to prevent it before this second attack happened.

I'm wondering exactly how much MN have been proactive in considering what might happen and taking steps to prevent it rather than just reacting after an attack.

It seems even now they aren't spending the time, effort and money to be proactive in protecting us.

@BeckyAMumsnet

Please could you give us some idea of how proactive you are being. I understand you won't want to say exactly what you are doing but maybe you could make some sort of statement saying something like "we are employing X people with y qualifications to work z hours a week looking at the actions that need to be taken and implementing them to future-proof the site against further issues."

We need to have some specific details to reassure us. At the moment we seem to have a mixture of " nothing to see here, let's get this issue confined to site stuff and out of the active threads as quickly as possible" and very basic "we are sorry, this was different because of x (implying it couldn't have been foreseen) " which just feels as if you aren't actually taking on the responsibility that you have let this happen.

Yep. I didn’t know about the night watch section for instance. I didn’t want to look at the offending post long enough to use the report button. So I just quickly navigated straight to site stuff and posted there.

You can always email them I suppose but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a reply!

Christ can't you stop all the fanny pictures and CSA?

This is not a porn site nor child imaging.

You need to be shut down if you can't control it.

As for fanny pics being a diagnostic tool HA. You are not a medical clinic, get rid of them. The vast majority of people just want to reach out and 'talk'.

You're shooting yourself in the foot and abusing people who use this website

I don't think so. MN is already in contact with the police regarding the recent incidents, and I would assume that if anything similar is reported in the future, they will contact the police again.

The links that disguise the web address you’re clicking on - often used on the bargain threads - are not a good idea. I’ve always been cautious about clicking on them as they could say one thing but take you anywhere.

Thanks @NCfornow256 @JaneJeffer do we report anywhere except for MN?

@Phase2 you need to @ one of the mods. @mnhq doesn't reach anyone!

@Phase2 , I was also concerned about accidentally viewing something and being guilty of a crime (especially now we are not able to reject cookies on MN and so could be tracked). Having googled advice on solicitors' websites, it seems that if you were to inadvertently click on an image, as long as you immediately close it down, the police will see that as evidence that it was accidental. Also, if you accidentally download something due to malware, the police could verify the presence of the malware, and as long as they didn't find multiple images on your device, it will be clear to them that it was accidental.

@mnhq please could you provide guidance on what to do?

Thank you for listening to people on this. I think it’s the right decision.

Besides, imagine how much you’d have to pay someone to look at photos of other people’s ringpieces all day.

I’m in Canada and I do a lot of my MN reading in the evening. When I saw the post about the new images last night, I just left. I think MN risks losing a lot of members for good if they don’t ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

Is there a way we can disable seeing photos for our own accounts?

I understand that it was a link time.

Nasty stuff still gets through. Religious threats, scammers and obscene material. Ugh ..

Including tinyurl, imgur and the like.

Can you please say what steps have been taken to prevent links to websites containing images of CSA being posted and a preview appearing?

I imagine it is that the preview won't show. Is that permanent? I think it would be a good thing if it were.

I know it's been said before but I think it's worth repeating: MNHQ need to pin a message at the top of every page explaining what happened and giving a very simple guide to what to do if you come across these images. The fact that they haven't done this, but have deleted threads discussing what happened, is abysmal.

They also need to pay for proper 24/7 moderation rather than taking advantage when of volunteers, but I appreciate this takes time. Pinning a message doesn't, and the fact they haven't done that reflects extremely badly.

Yes, the problem was the filter operates on uploaded images attached to a post, but it wasn't being applied to image previews from a link. Image previews are currently disabled.

Wtf?
I thought they had installed some kind of AI watchdog, or guard programme or something to prevent this?
I'm glad I wasn't on last night, seeing images like last time is more than enough for one lifetime.
Mumsnet admin, again, please confirm that this matter has been reported to the Police.
(Repeat post, in case other thread gets deleted. As a retired social worker, I feel the obligation to have it confirmed that the Police are involved)

A simple stopgap might be to required posters have to have built up a few posts before being able to post images ? If you have to settle for "not ideal" I'd rather it was the "not ideal" that prevented this, not the "not ideal" that might let some horror slip though.