Justine says MN is too mean and will tighten-up moderation

[noblegiraffe]

Justine posted this on a low-traffic thread in AIBU and I think it deserves a wider audience than it is currently getting, especially as it is asking posters to report low-level sniping and pile-ons. Perhaps a bigger announcement is planned, I don't know.

"Thanks for raising this - it's something we've been discussing internally as we've noticed the same shift you’re describing and we agree it’s something we need to get a much firmer grip on. Debate is part of Mumsnet’s DNA, but unnecessary meanness isn’t, and it helps absolutely no one.
We’ve already put a plan in place to tighten things up. It’s not just about deleting the really obvious personal attacks, but tackling the low-level sniping and pile ons that drain the life out of threads and discourage people from posting in the first place. That means more proactive involvement from us earlier in a thread, not just sweeping up afterwards.
One thing that really helps is reporting. There are around 25,000 posts a day on here, so we really don’t see that much in real time. If something feels off, please do report it. We promise to read things in context and we’d much rather step in early than let a thread spiral.
Most people on here genuinely want to give support or perspective. When that gets drowned out by needless nastiness, everyone loses. So thank you to everyone who’s raised this. We hear you, we agree with you, and we’re working on it."

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5442610-the-current-state-of-mn-and-how-do-i-stop-reading?reply=148524522&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

I have only really had 1 or 2 OPs. I would never post again given some of the responses. Some of the posters looked back at answers I had given to help other people in other posts and then started to try to pick my OP apart by looking at answers that I had given. I was quite disturbed by how people were trying to pick apart random things i had written (which were true) and it really was quite disturbing. Some of the posters obviously were quite traumatised and had stuff going on in their own lives but it was quite scary how they would 'go for' someone. I would worry seriously about someone who is actually vulnerable who posted and got some horrible replies. I would worry that it would push them into a dark place. Never again.

I was on your thread so remember it very well, Kittlewittle, and as several said on there it's an unfortunate fact that such posts drive traffic ... hence, perhaps, why some of the more awful threads do get zapped, but not until the responses have started to decline

I agree. People often forget, or don’t consider, that there is a real person behind the screen. When someone is already struggling in real life, unkind or hostile comments can stay with them long after posts are deleted or a thread ends.

I don’t always feel that reports are taken seriously, or that moderators necessarily see the full context of what’s being said. There are also posters who stay just inside the rules but are still very hurtful in how they respond, as well as those who reinterpret what the OP has said in ways that weren’t intended.

Sometimes people also decide that an OP’s situation “can’t be true”, label them a troll, and then pile on, which can be really damaging.

I think the traffic that my thread generated was the exact reason why it wasn't deleted by MNHQ despite the safeguarding issues and my requests for deletion: it was tweeted by a well known journalist, and it was viewed over 200k times. It's a pity that it is all motivated by money, rather than the real people who are effected by this.

I did get some really useful advice from some people, but I was disappointed by the racist posts, and those who called me a liar simply because what I was describing did not fit with their narratives.

The racist posters are probably not banned for the same reasons: their posts get engagement which drives traffic. Call me cynical.

I’m surprised posters are allowed to deride and discuss other posters - along the lines of “oh here’s ilovethebeach again spouting her usual nonsense’ ‘oh god, just ignore ilovethebeach let her carry on in her ignorant bubble’ etc etc.

I said this about Reddit and was sneered at.

There’s no nastiness on Casual UK or AskUK. Although l spend a lot of time on cat subs!

l find it much friendlier.