Is Mumsnet killing itself by posting on Facebook?

[noblegiraffe]

Lots of posts recently have commented on how engagement with threads seems to have dropped, people aren't posting as much.

I was just on Facebook and a post from Mumsnet randomly came up as something Facebook thought I might be interested in. I was pretty surprised to see it had hundreds of replies. The first post said 'engage with the conversation here' with a link to the thread, but people were engaging with it on Facebook instead. And they were discussing the issue, giving advice to the OP, who was never going to read it.

MNHQ - what is the solution to this? Do you care so long as you are getting engagement somewhere even if the OP is missing out on the advice/discussion? I don't know how Facebook is monetised.

I think if I posted a thread and people were talking about me and my post elsewhere without me benefiting from the advice or having the ability to engage and respond (I would not be responding using my real name on Facebook to a post I've made as noblegiraffe!) I would be pretty annoyed.

I know we don't own anything we post on here and MNHQ can use it as they wish, but they seem to be shooting themselves in the foot killing discussion on here by encouraging it elsewhere.

Agree. It feels exactly the same as stories being picked up by the press - annoying, intrusive and puts me off posting.

agreed, it shouldn’t be going onto facebook. I had a thread of mine turn up on there & it royally pissed me off.

I didn't know this was happening but I did wonder why so many threads get.so few comments on them.now.

And I am concerned about MN promoting the popular threads by showing how many people are looking at them at a given time. Encouraging people to engage with them while other threads seem to get ignored.

I only discovered that this happened yesterday when someone mentioned that the OP I was following had appeared on FB. It seemed a bit off to me. I know we don't own the content, but a lot of people do post on MN because they are fairly certain they won't get recognised here. It's a bit different having that post plastered all over FB which has an entirely different set of users.

I've also seen, at least two or three times, posts listed on Facebook with active discussions ongoing, which when I've clicked on the link to go to the Mumsnet thread it says that the thread has been deleted. A couple of times it had been deleted at the OP's request because it was a bit too "outing", yet the thread was still there on Facebook, with active comments.

Just looking at these comments on facebook, supportive and helpful comments to a mother who is struggling with her child that people have taken the time to post, and it's utterly pointless as she won't be reading them.

It feels so futile.

That's pretty bad. And it's more likely to be outing on Facebook with a wider audience than Mumsnet!

These days, I would only start a new thread with a temporary username for this very reason. It is only going to encourage more posts from trolls and bots.
Posting these threads on FB surely goes against the original ethos of MN. Soon iMN will be just like the daily fail comments section.

I certainly wouldn’t be starting anything but a lighthearted thread knowing this.
I can see it would recruit more members but really destroys the best of Mumsnet.

It's years since I've been on Facebook and can't remember the privacy settings etc., but do remember that things that would come up on my feed could also be seen by my very small number of Friends & Family. Things might be different now.

Some time back someone on Gransnet had a family falling out because she'd put a problem on GN and the thread appeared on Facebook and the family member saw it!

There's always a risk if you post something on the open internet that someone you know will see it I suppose.

But people post stuff on MN because they want advice or discussion. MNHQ want people to post advice and discussion on here. If the advice and discussion aren't happening on here, then both MNHQ and the poster are losing out.

Not sure what the people earnestly posting advice to the OP on Facebook are getting out of it either.

I have mumsnet blocked on Facebook just because I feel for people who come here for advice and maybe a bit of support is used as "entertainment " i know its the Internet blah blah but posting threads on fb just feels wrong.

Yeah this is not cool.

If you later ask to delete the thread, what happens to the FB version?

I only ever usualy look at Facebook to access a couple of local news sites and lost and found local pet sites. Otherwise I avoid it.

However having read this thread I went on and looked at the Mumsnet page. And I've found it deeply distressing. To the extent of wanting to delete my account.

I know that Mumsnet has it's faults but I've always basically thought of it as a community that had women and their interests and welfare at it it's heart. But there is absolutely nothing of that vibe on the Facebook presentation. It 's just awful. And it it is very disturbing that people post threads on this site only to have it sensationalised on Facebook.

Atm I am feeling conned because I thought I was a part of something I understood only to find out it is a sham.

Would you consider reporting your post and asking MN to move it to site stuff so that we can get a response from them?

This is so dissapointing to hear. Im scared to be open or post now. Ive found mn so helpful too

I've reported this thread to be moved/get a response.

I also just wondered, given the hundreds of responses that some threads are getting on Facebook, whether any of those comments are moderated?

I would be interested to see what MNHQ have to say about this.

Thank you for highlighting this @noblegiraffe

Quite often the threads shared by MN on facebook are exactly the one where I think the op has posted a worryingly identifying story.

I don't know if they are posted automatically by some algorithm or if MN just don't give a shit about the people using their site.

As a minimum there should be a bit of screening of what gets shared

It's not just Facebook, on X as well.

I wouldn't post anything serious on Mumsnet anymore because of this, which is a shame because I've had some amazing support previously. Also, I think it screams MNHQ don't give a shit about the people that use their website for support anymore and as a pp said, it's no better then the press lifting a story from here.

You don't even need to be following Mumsnet on Facebook to see it as it's often popped up for me, so anyone could see it.

I’m really shocked that threads which have been removed from this site at the OP’s request because they are too outing continue to appear on FB. That’s appalling. Abusive partners/toxic friends/employers are far more likely to see a thread pop up on their FB timeline because Meta’s current policy is to throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. This has put me off ever starting a thread of my own. I wish more posters were aware, especially the vulnerable ones.

I like mumsnet because I’m 100% sure no one I know in real life uses it.
Facebook however not so much, and wow some of those posts have more comments than the originals.

Do we know if stuff from 30 days or 90 days gets posted? Do they also disappear from facebook after the 30 or 90 days have passed

I’d like @MNHQto please explain their policy of keeping up threads on FB that have been removed at OP’s request and why there isn’t an opt-out button so posters who do start a thread can decline to have it shared on social media.