Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

MN oldies, what do you wish HQ would do differently?

198 replies

bibbitybobbityyhat · 18/04/2023 20:38

I'm not putting this in site stuff because I'm not addressing it to HQ, I'm addressing it to people who've used the site for a few years. By oldies I mean people who've been around for a bit - maybe a couple of years?

For me - it's still that they will NOT housekeep AIBU so that the site doesn't look like nothing but AIBU for everything.

Some people post really serious stuff in AIBU (paraphrasing but AIBU to be upset at this devastating cancer diagnosis/violent relationship/being made homeless/dire poverty/dog poo on the streets/state of the NHS/genocide in x country/shall I abort or not) etc. There is nothing unreasonable about what they are posting.

I've moaned about it for years and years and, yes, I'm still here - there aren't many alternatives and I enjoy the food, travel, S&B, TV, property and chat boards and have received and given loads of useful info over the years. But I probably missed a lot because threads on those topics were posted in AIBU.

And also, I think outside of Mumsnet it makes us a bit of a laughing stock.

So that's my biggest petty gripe. What is yours?

Bonus 100 points for every "if you don't like it you can fuck off" post.

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 18/04/2023 20:46

And also, I think outside of Mumsnet it makes us a bit of a laughing stock.

Being a mostly female site which doesn't take any shit means we have to be laughed at. Because it's dangerous.

I like MN how it is. I complained about the Sex Board, they listened. Frankly, I think it's a good balance, which is why it trounces the competition.

Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 18/04/2023 20:47

I guess the fact that it was smaller and attracted less scammers so we didn’t have to name change every week but can’t change that!

I remember aibu starting and the absolute drama that it caused.

Ragwort · 18/04/2023 20:50

I like it as it is ... been here 22 years now. If you don't like a thread or the 'tone' of a discussion just move on to a different thread ... there's always plenty of interesting and not so interesting debates.

What I don't particularly like is 'new posters' complaining about the site and making suggestions Grin.

AdamRyan · 18/04/2023 20:52

I wish they'd be a bit stricter about racism and some of the outright misogyny and victim blaming. I'm sure they used to be.

Also I wish they would stop hiving objectionable threads to sex and FWR, and delete them instead. Sometimes it feels like they want to keep clickbait now.

SwedishEdith · 18/04/2023 21:02

When did "a few years" become an oldie?

I wish they'd become tougher on obviously political paid to post type influencers. The biggest obvious drop in the site was when the made up penis beaker made the Daily Mail.

But other than that, I'm still here.

ssd · 18/04/2023 21:04

Ha, id get your bonus points then

SixPurpleChairs · 18/04/2023 21:14

Sometimes it seems to be an advertising site. 'Please recommend a cross body bag' results in three posters recommending a tiny company and I'm sure there is sock puppeting going on.

QueenOfHiraeth · 18/04/2023 21:31

I do think the site has dumbed down and just miss the wit, humour and incorrectness of years gone by, people are now far more serious and worthy plus seem to be more aggrieved by life and everything in it.
I used to regularly end up giggling away while reading random threads which I rarely do now

MeinKraft · 18/04/2023 21:33

I've been MNing for about 10 years or so under various usernames. Since I joined people have been bemoaning how it used to be wittier and nicer and now it's just vicious. I think MN HQ do a great job, I really enjoy discussing various topics with other intelligent women and I wouldn't change a thing really.

anyolddinosaur · 18/04/2023 21:43

When mumsnet started the site owners were sock puppets, although I didnt come across that term until years later. I remember the fuss about AIBU - I supported it and have sometimes regretted that but the site wouldnt be here if the owners werent making money from it and AIBU attracts punters. .

I come and go- when I get too pissed off by the blatant commercialism; the lack of balance in moderation, especially of FWR; the disdain for science; the fake threads created by mumsnet staff I leave for varying amounts of time. It's not the site it used to be and the quality of debate is much lower - but there are still some intelligent women here.

FloatersintheHotTub · 18/04/2023 21:45

I would love the founders to secure the MN Talk model for the future, before Justine moves on to politics. They could arrange for it to become some sort of trust- still run to make money commercially but as a legally protected legacy operation with a mission to facilitate women to talk to each other, in perpetuity.

That would remove the risk that once the founders move on, there could be an Elon Musk/Twitter-style implosion at Mumsnet if someone new took over and wanted to radically switch things up.

EarlGreyAndCucumber · 18/04/2023 21:46

I used to be able to view an entire thread and scroll from top to bottom without having to move between pages to do so. Now that feature seems to have vanished. If anyone can point me to how to do it, I would be most appreciative.

Chasingsquirrels · 18/04/2023 21:50

EarlGreyAndCucumber · 18/04/2023 21:46

I used to be able to view an entire thread and scroll from top to bottom without having to move between pages to do so. Now that feature seems to have vanished. If anyone can point me to how to do it, I would be most appreciative.

Settings
More settings
Talk settings

.... see screenshot

MN oldies, what do you wish HQ would do differently?
CurlewKate · 18/04/2023 21:54

MN oldies....ah, that takes me back! Anyone staged a breakaway recently? I remember actually being genuinely upset I was left behind....

savoycabbage · 18/04/2023 22:12

It was all so dramatic wasn't it! The Mouldies.exodus. They thought MN would crumble to dust without them.

People,using AIBU for everything doesn't really bother me. I think I hate the constant deletions the most. You can't get into a thread because it will self destruct as you are reading it.

CurlewKate · 18/04/2023 22:26

@savoycabbage wasn't there something else that happened one New Year? Or was that the same thing....

biehrvduevr · 18/04/2023 22:27

Definitely people being all worthy and holy.

I miss people taking the piss and having a sense of humour.

I remember a few right old bitches but you kind of knew their USP (Xenia/scotishmummy/icod). I didn’t like a lot of their opinions but I REALLY respected their ability to express themselves and not bolt and request deletions.

biehrvduevr · 18/04/2023 22:28

Are you thinking of the time a new mod locked the site so nobody could post on NYE? 2012/13. Fun times!

Bambooflowers · 18/04/2023 22:34

biehrvduevr · 18/04/2023 22:27

Definitely people being all worthy and holy.

I miss people taking the piss and having a sense of humour.

I remember a few right old bitches but you kind of knew their USP (Xenia/scotishmummy/icod). I didn’t like a lot of their opinions but I REALLY respected their ability to express themselves and not bolt and request deletions.

Anyone like this is banned now. It’s netmums in the making..,

BeverlyBrook · 18/04/2023 22:47

I'd like them to employ developers with up to date skills and update the app. Or rebuild it.

But on the other hand it's kind of retro, seeing as it was out of date 10 years ago, it's now prehistoric.

So maybe it's a conscious decision?

BeverlyBrook · 18/04/2023 22:48

I do remember more really funny silly threads.
And so many people are so quick to jump in with meanness. But maybe people are just meaner now?

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 18/04/2023 22:53

QueenOfHiraeth · 18/04/2023 21:31

I do think the site has dumbed down and just miss the wit, humour and incorrectness of years gone by, people are now far more serious and worthy plus seem to be more aggrieved by life and everything in it.
I used to regularly end up giggling away while reading random threads which I rarely do now

Been here since 2009 (with a few breaks away at times) and agree with this. It used to be rare to long without a thread that had you shaking your breast feeding infant off your chest or snorting your tea.
I stay because I still get a lot of thought provoking conversation and useful information, but the irreverence and wit is much reduced generally.

FineBerol · 18/04/2023 22:56

Ahhh disappointed.. thought this was going to be about The Moldies!

I joined way after that era but loved researching it

FlowersAndDogs · 18/04/2023 22:56

I’ve been on and off mumsnet for many years.

I wish they didn’t give people the benefit of the doubt so much. Sometimes there’s obvious trolling, racist, pervs etc but because they have a bit of ok posting history, they leave it up. I wish they would moderate the sex board better and consistently. I wish they’d deal with the goady ND threads.

Mxflamingnoravera · 18/04/2023 23:37

I came here from "not the talk" (a Guardian site originally I think) when NTT closed. My son was a child then, he's a grown man of nearly 30 now. Mn was spoken of like net mums is here. I like the (mostly) women user group, I like the slightly quaint format. I really like the lack of stupid strap lines and footers you get on the others sites.

I'm happy with MN as it is. AIBU has become the place for traffic, but the other boards are often more fun/helpful/interesting to read.