Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Site stuff

Join our Innovation Panel to try new features early and help make Mumsnet better.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Laugh reaction

187 replies

Itsjustsodepressing · 28/04/2025 16:12

I know when MN introduced the reaction button which included the Laugh emoji a lot of posters weren't happy about it. And there have been various comments by posters about its misuse.

It is just being used so commonly now to mock and deride serious comments that are in no way funny. That can no way be interpreted as light hearted.

It would appear to be being used to try and drive posters off threads. And the impression I get is that it's actually often certain posters ganging up together to try and silence people who don't agree with them.

I think MN having guidelines for posters to stick to civilised responses to other posters is being undermined because they have given those who are minded to be unpleasant to other posters the perfect tool to be nasty to them without having to verbalise anything and risk getting their post removed.

I'm failing to see any benefit in providing the laugh emoji reaction when it's principal use now is to upset and drive away genuine posters.

I don't think it was a good idea in the first place and I would like to see MN remove this reaction option.

OP posts:
Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 28/04/2025 17:38

AlteredStater · 28/04/2025 17:30

I've had laughing emojis put on my posts connected to Christianity by people who most definitely think I'm a nutter believing in God or Jesus. I wouldn't object to the laughing emoji being removed.

Turn the other cheek ( and consider that God will have the last laugh).

Original poster
Itsjustsodepressing · 28/04/2025 17:34

AlteredStater · 28/04/2025 17:30

I've had laughing emojis put on my posts connected to Christianity by people who most definitely think I'm a nutter believing in God or Jesus. I wouldn't object to the laughing emoji being removed.

This is exactly the type of thing that it is being used for by a certain section of poster: bullying others because they are perceived as different from themselves.

OP posts:
AlteredStater · 28/04/2025 17:30

I've had laughing emojis put on my posts connected to Christianity by people who most definitely think I'm a nutter believing in God or Jesus. I wouldn't object to the laughing emoji being removed.

Original poster
Itsjustsodepressing · 28/04/2025 17:28

Thelasttea · 28/04/2025 16:22

Goodness, seems very thin skinned to take umbrage at a laughing emoji

Really?

I posted on a thread today in Relationships where I expressed sadness at at a situation the OP was in because of the way her H was behaving.

And somebody put a laugh reaction on it.

Apart their mockery of me they were also mocking the OP because they obviously had no sympathy with her.

If it's thin skinned to actually feel disgust and upset that somebody thinks
a) it's appropriate to laugh at a woman in a difficult situation. And
b) to laugh at someone who expresses sympathy with her
then I'm proud to be thin skinned.

Its so cowardly , on what is supposed to be a discussion forum, to go round deliberately to try and cause distress to others by using an emoji when you havent got the guts to put your reaction into words.
.

OP posts:
Original poster
Itsjustsodepressing · 28/04/2025 17:16

Thanks for your reply MN

Perhaps you could ask @Flytrap01 what was so hilarious about my post?

I've obviously missed a glittering career as a stand up comedian.

OP posts:
MNHQ
LilyMumsnet · 28/04/2025 16:59

Hi OP

Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns about reactions. Just to reassure you, we treat misuse of reactions in the same way we treat posts that break our Talk Guidelines - if a reaction is being used to bully, mock, or harass, it's against our talk guidelines.

If you see reactions being used in this way, please do report it to us and we'll take a look.We do keep all feedback like yours under review and regularly assess the tools we offer on the site.

For now, we hope the reporting function gives everyone a way to flag behaviour that doesn't meet our standards, whether that's through posts or reactions.

Thanks again for raising this.

Flytrap01 · 28/04/2025 16:55

they need more different ones, as the ones we have are all basically the same

MyUmberSeal · 28/04/2025 16:27

I’ve only ever used it if I genuinely find a post funny and humorous, for all the right reasons. I quite like it for that reason.

Thelasttea · 28/04/2025 16:23

Simplynotsimple · 28/04/2025 16:22

MN can’t be responsible for every hurt feeling though. I say that as someone who’s had a couple of sarcastic ‘laugh’ emojis used on my replies. I just shrug it off as that poster having nothing of intelligence to reply with. Better than endless emails saying you’ve been quoted in a topic that obviously touched a nerve, despite bowing out/hiding and deleting the thread. And some posters are genuinely funny!

Exactly

Simplynotsimple · 28/04/2025 16:22

MN can’t be responsible for every hurt feeling though. I say that as someone who’s had a couple of sarcastic ‘laugh’ emojis used on my replies. I just shrug it off as that poster having nothing of intelligence to reply with. Better than endless emails saying you’ve been quoted in a topic that obviously touched a nerve, despite bowing out/hiding and deleting the thread. And some posters are genuinely funny!

Thelasttea · 28/04/2025 16:22

Goodness, seems very thin skinned to take umbrage at a laughing emoji

MissWishaw · 28/04/2025 16:22

I never imagined it was used in that way and have only ever used it when I found something funny...some people think thumbs up is PA should we remove that one...