Interesting advice from MNHQ!

IwantToRetire · 2026-08-03T22:04:25+00:00

Post from mumsnet: ^Hi all^ ^Just a reminder... If a thread isn't for you, there's no obligation to read it or post on it - just scroll on by.^ ^We've had to remove a number of posts, so we're hoping that the thread can stay on track from here.^ and ^We've had to remove a number of posts, so we're hoping that the thread can stay on track from here.^ Taken from a current thread but probably applies across FWR!

IrnBruAndDietCoke · 04/08/2026 03:43

I’m confused. What’s interesting about this? They say it all over MN, it seems pretty standard wording?

ETA: I’m not trying to be snarky, I just don’t get it

FinchiePink · 04/08/2026 10:19

This is fairly normal? I'm not sure I understand your point.

MN tends to take a dim view of troll hunting, personal attacks, and deliberately trying to derail a thread (which probably falls under their category of trolling). I'd guess whichever thread you're talking about had a fair share of at least one of those three.

In which case, that post seems fairly sensible? I.e. if you can't sensibly engage within the guidelines then it's probably not the thread for you.

BillieWiper · 04/08/2026 10:21

Yeah they do this when a bunch of people start reporting each other. They threaten to take the whole thing down and they often do. It happens in most sections not just FWR.

Velvera · 04/08/2026 10:26

It's a pretty standard post from MNHQ.

AimsAndObjectives · 04/08/2026 12:24

If it's from the thread I was on, then I imagine the MN post was aimed at me, amongst others perhaps. I'm absolutely fine with MN deleting or even banning whoever they want. In all my iterations I think I have probably asked for a delete just once or twice; probably in response to something cruel being said to a vulnerable poster. If MN ever decide to ban me I will definitely get more housework done.

I use the hide thread option from time to time, and recommend it to others. However, some threads are of interest not because of the content, which can be just rehashing the old ground for the billionth time, but because of the dynamics of the thread. It's a form of people-watching. I see posters who I know are reddit TRAs because you can see them placing the same 'anti-terf' post on reddit. I see posters giving false information and then ignoring women who call them out on it. I see posters starting off all lovely and Terfy and then gradually ramping up the misogyny until they cannot help but expose themselves. I see posters obviously using AI to make their points sound more intellectual. I see posters repeatedly ignoring certain GC posters who ask the hard questions that they cannot answer. It is all fascinating, but sometimes you have to poke around a little bit to gauge reaction, and I guess that the poking is the bit MN doesn't like. Which is fair enough; MN is not my baby.

I would respectfully suggest to MN (yes, I know that they are unlikely to be reading this) that if you don't want posters to respond to earlier versions of a post that has been severely edited, then don't let us see the edits.😘

Original poster

IwantToRetire · 04/08/2026 17:40

Well I've been on FWR for years and have never seen it.

And can think of any number of threads where this could apply.

I wonder why they picked on this one thread, or whether it was in response to the number who directly complained to them.

Its all ways worth remembering that we are all individuals on FWR and someone's personal experience isn't everyone elses.

So for those who say they now about why isn't it applied consistently?

OP posts:

Original poster

IwantToRetire · 04/08/2026 17:44

AimsAndObjectives · 04/08/2026 12:24

If it's from the thread I was on, then I imagine the MN post was aimed at me, amongst others perhaps. I'm absolutely fine with MN deleting or even banning whoever they want. In all my iterations I think I have probably asked for a delete just once or twice; probably in response to something cruel being said to a vulnerable poster. If MN ever decide to ban me I will definitely get more housework done.

I use the hide thread option from time to time, and recommend it to others. However, some threads are of interest not because of the content, which can be just rehashing the old ground for the billionth time, but because of the dynamics of the thread. It's a form of people-watching. I see posters who I know are reddit TRAs because you can see them placing the same 'anti-terf' post on reddit. I see posters giving false information and then ignoring women who call them out on it. I see posters starting off all lovely and Terfy and then gradually ramping up the misogyny until they cannot help but expose themselves. I see posters obviously using AI to make their points sound more intellectual. I see posters repeatedly ignoring certain GC posters who ask the hard questions that they cannot answer. It is all fascinating, but sometimes you have to poke around a little bit to gauge reaction, and I guess that the poking is the bit MN doesn't like. Which is fair enough; MN is not my baby.

I would respectfully suggest to MN (yes, I know that they are unlikely to be reading this) that if you don't want posters to respond to earlier versions of a post that has been severely edited, then don't let us see the edits.😘

Personally I think dont feed the trolls would make threads much easier to follow for those who dont have all day to be on FWR.

And might just stop so many people coming on FWR with no other intention to bait people, and are fairly confident it will get a response!

OP posts:

AimsAndObjectives · 04/08/2026 18:05

IwantToRetire · 04/08/2026 17:44

Personally I think dont feed the trolls would make threads much easier to follow for those who dont have all day to be on FWR.

And might just stop so many people coming on FWR with no other intention to bait people, and are fairly confident it will get a response!

Show quote history

I don't see much evidence of 'so many people' coming on to FWR deliberately to bait trolls. I think that there is a difference between that and trying to dig into why a particular poster is ignoring questions about the material they post or carefully picking and choosing which posters they respond to.

One or two posters have tried using AI to summarise difficult to follow threads. Perhaps you could try doing that when you are struggling.