I know this has been discussed before but I want to bring it up again as I think it is a problem which is seriously limiting the quality of discussion on some topics.

I’m not talking about the odd deletion here and there. I’ve had posts deleted, sometimes deservedly, sometimes not imo, but fair enough, but here and there, not 10 plus on the same thread.

I’m talking about posters who post multiple deletion worthy posts on the same thread and continue doing so after multiple deletions.

We don’t get notified of a deletion, and sometimes they happen after quite a time lag so the poster may have no idea which posts are being deleted and that they are being repeatedly deleted. They may not care. Why would they if there is no sanction and they are maybe not bothered about upsetting people? Most posters probably see a deletion as a warning to moderate their posts, but some clearly don’t.

If a poster is having 10 or 15 or more deletions on a thread, it is difficult to see that they are discussing the thread topic within the guidelines. If some of these are personal attacks, they are probably driving other people off the thread.

Wouldn’t it be sensible to

a) send a poster an automatic notification when they get a post deleted

and

b) have a rule that there is a limit to how many deletions a poster can receive on one particular thread before they can no longer post on that thread? Say 10, 15?

A warning notification could be sent after say 10 (or whatever) deletions that further deletions will remove the poster from the thread.

I know MN like to consider every case on it’s merits rather than have set rules which are automatically followed without looking at the specifics and I respect that, but I think a more robust response needs to be considered in these situations where posters are repeatedly breaking guidelines, often including personal attacks, with no sanction.

In my view this would not be stifling debate, as often these types of posters are actually preventing others from posting. It would give posters a chance to moderate their tone or comments so as to post within guidelines once they saw they had been deleted numerous times, and if they failed to do so they would not be able to continue that particular discussion.

At the moment as long as posters keep just to this side of getting their account banned, there seems to be no penalty for continually breaking the guidelines on a thread for those who aren’t bothered about being deleted.

I would be interested to hear other people’s thoughts and Mumsnet’s response to this suggestion.