'Sympathy' reaction used inappropriately?

You're not imagining it.

I've only ever had someone use the flowers reaction emoji in a mean way - used to mock me by someone who disagreed aggressively with me. It's oddly upsetting.

I'll admit that - since seeing this thread - I've started to worry about using the 'support' reaction, lest someone should take it the wrong way. I still use it, but now I worry about it!

You can't.

But you can disable the notifications.

I have had that reaction used in a very creepy way and as it was done by the same poster multiple times, it was no accident. Ie. it was being used to bully not in support.

I would hate to see that reaction go though.

This!

PLEASE give us back the laughing emoji! Make them public, make them able to be disabled by users but please let the rest of us use them who want them!

Oh FFS.

I've used it on the have you met a celeb type thread if someone has had an encounter with an odious celeb such as Jim Davidson for instance.
But wouldn't use to mock someone.

You didn’t apologise you added in a laughing emoji. If you genuinely do want to help you should work on your delivery as you have been nothing but rude. I have received help from other posters who mated to explain there is a difference without the attitude.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Brefugee related to the above it may be a good idea for MN to allow users to disable reactions to their posts.

I think you can in your settings.

Ah, that's what the biscuit means! I wasn't sure - thought it might be a bit like Mumsnet's version of offering popcorn!

Same here.

No, I haven't experienced this - I've only received the support emoji when I have shared a difficult experience, from posters who are obviously genuine from their posts.

I would suggest reporting apparently sarcastic use, OP - if you report the post where it has been used inappropriately, MNHQ should be able to look into the poster who is using it.

and yet you made a nasty response to my apology

There is no helping some people.

In summary:

the reactions need to stay hidden from everyone but the giver and receiver because some people really don't understand nuance and how to use message boards

related to the above it may be a good idea for MN to allow users to disable reactions to their posts.

just in case.

When I press the flowers emoji, it says “Support “, which seems fine to me.

Mumsnet took away the laughing emoji as people were using it negatively, so they obviously felt they could be misused. Justine also wrote a post not long ago saying she was cracking down on some of the mean behaviour on the site.

I don’t think I’ve had that OP. But is it ‘misuse’ for someone to use an emoji in a different way from you? Are there rules for emoji use? Or can this evolve just like language?

Ooh maybe I click too quickly then move on, I hadn’t noticed that!

And when you click on the emojis on an iPad (like I do) the explanation isn’t there, you just get four emojis to choose from.

@NoCommentingFromNowOn The meaning of each emoji comes up briefly on the iPad when you click on each one, and remains there when you've chosen it (see photos where I demonstrated on your post). You can then click again to remove the reaction if you wish.

I think one of the problems is that they’re not particularly intuitive emojis. So I could imagine sending the flowers if you say it’s your birthday, if you say you’re upset about something, or if someone wants to be snarky then they could send flowers in a kind of ‘you can’t even do this basic thing so here’s some flowers you pathetic loser’ type of way. Like people write ‘stunning and brave’ in a sarcastic way, not literally meaning how stunning and brave. And if it’s a private emoji no one knows you have sent it apart from the person receiving it. Like I sent you a thumbs up to demonstrate, no one knows apart from you. (Plus everyone else because I told you I was going to do it!)

Sending the anonymous emoji is quicker but if it’s a private was in public people would hopefully think twice about the appropriateness of it.

And when you click on the emojis on an iPad (like I do) the explanation isn’t there, you just get four emojis to choose from.

Yes that was really rude of you. I genuinely didn’t know what you meant and try harder’ is such a nasty response to someone asking so they can learn.

So is that poster saying flowers mean different things if they are placed in the comment to when they are used as a reaction? Surely not?