Is Mumsnet addictive?

[PurpleFlowersShed]

Listening to R4 on the social media ban for teens, with Justine Roberts talking about how addictive algorithms are so problematic.

I'd agree with this. It's not just teens though is it? How much are we trying to save our past selves (because our current selves are past saving) with this ban? And how much is Mumsnet itself addictive and intentionally so?

(Also, mostly separate issue, but I wonder what the basis is for Justine talking for 'Mumsnet Users.' Seems to be a fair diversity of opinion on here about all this, but that's not what's presented.)

Yes it is and I wish someone would ban me.

I also feel as though it has addictive properties...the basic mixed ratio response of gambling (will people reply to me, will a new interesting thread pop up, etc). It doesn't have to be flashy and sophisticated to be underpinned by addictive components?

For me, yes.

I wonder if it takes more than it gives. For me I think that depends...some communities / threads are genuinely useful and supportive. But then there is a LOT of dead time.

100% addictive! I rarely enjoy it anymore. The threads I read annoy me, they are very repetitive, too many trolls etc, yet here I am!

I will be talking to my son tonight about the ban. He is just coming up to 8 so other than supervised you tube, he doesn't use a phone/social media etc. But I will be taking a leaf out of my own book and reducing my screen time too.

Yes, it's really making me think I should give myself a ban and a month off to reset! Otherwise, what am I modeling to my kids?

I just wasted 20 minutes reading about holiday homes. I do not have £100k to invest, I have never had any interest in a holiday home. I have no idea why I was there. On the Sussex PR thread there is a huge discussion on the growth and shrinkage of MM boobs. Time I will never get back.

But it so much easier to scroll that get on with the jobs i am supposed to be doing.

I often think this, at the moment, they cant see. But I am supposed to be working right now. I will have to catch up this evening once they are in bed. I have taken to putting my phone on charge in the kitchen every night when I get home so I can focus on the kids and they can see that I am not stuck to my phone. But I have struggled to give it up entirly.

Yes, while there are some interesting and useful threads, why am I reading about really random / tedious / irrelevant things?!

Only in that salacious content drags me in. The more usual, day-to-day, mundanity of life isn't interesting, but is more usual.

I think this is the reason for over dramatic threads. Often reading as a bit AI. I do wonder how much is MN generated.

I put up a controversial thread a few months ago (should have known better) and begged to have it removed (threads are removed at the posters request loads on here) and it never was. I think because it was generating traffic.

Yes, it's addictive. I must go but not before saying that there are very interesting discussions to be had here, and a lot of laughs. Maybe 2 hours a week, like an evening class, would be right!

I'm a bit addicted.

Very addictive!

I agree! I think I'm going to implement a reset ban for myself then a v limited controlled dose...

I find myself guiltily putting my phone down when the kids come in- totally the actions of an addict!!!

Yes. I kid myself that I’m reading clued up opinions and reducing my loneliness. I’m not on Facebook etc, but can spend hours on here.

For me it is and I probably use it for similar reasons that children use social media, lack of real life social interaction.

100% - I have only really used it properly over last few weeks as recovering from an OP.

But you can't help but bite and the loopy opinions.

Me too 😂 I installed one of those site blockers - and kept turning it off so I could come back and catch up!

Are there ursine lavatories in forested areas?

Definitely. In fact the internet as a whole is addictive. Why don't I switch off the computer and go and do something less boring instead?

I certainly spend time browsing Mumsnet - but I see it as different from mindlessly scrolling pictures and videos as in TikTok/instagram/FB - at least I’m reading ☺️

I'm on here today because I'm trying to keep myself distracted until my elderly mum comes back from a worrying medical appointment. I'm scrolling with one eye on the clock.

In some ways, Mumsnet is less addictive than other social media because it is more focused in content, has no video to watch and also sooner or later, a thread will come up that is so bizarre that you click off in alarm and dismay.

One that really startled me from the last week or so was, "Has anybody seen Operation Mincemeat, The Musical?"

"Surely not," I thought. "Nobody could have made a WW2 themed musical comedy about MI5 stealing the dead body of a Welsh homeless gentleman who died of rat poison intoxication, hungry and alone?

Then dressing the deceased as a Naval Officer, transporting the decaying corpse from England across Europe before dumping it off the coast of Spain to fool the Nazis about invasion plans?"

But it seems they did and some people on here enjoyed seeing it. I can't imagine the song and dance numbers. My best guess is, "Springtime For Hitler" meets, "Weekend At Bernie's."

"Operation Mincemeat." Even the title! Blimey.

I don’t think Mumsnet is set up to be addictive, it operates in a completely different way to the curated algorithms found on social media.