to explain the rules of MN Bingo to those who were wondering WTAF last night?

[DameDeepRedBetty]

Last night was very entertaining - until a few idiots started joining in without knowing the rules. So here's a handy cut out and keep guide for the next time.
To start a Bingo thread, ensure it covers at least two well known classic MN themes. Ensure it is outrageously judgey.
Do NOT however involve domestic violence, mental health, or disability, or anything else which any sane person would have strong views on.
Fair game includes Bridezillas, fruitshoots, Greggs Sausage Rolls, Parent and Child parking...
If you see someone being sucked in and posting an obvious 'hasn't got the joke' reply, don't JUST laugh at them. Tell them nicely it's a joke thread, either on the thread or by PM.
If you're getting a lot of serious replies, you've probably judged it wrong. Acknowledge it was a joke thread, apologise, and report it.
Meanwhile, some of the good ones from last night have been allowed back, so I'm going to enjoy reading them now!

uptheanty and Families*. I didn't see that thread last night, or any of them for that matter, as I was busy. I have pointed out on another thread though that the line between humour and offence varies from one person to another. My DD had a conversation recently with a lovely lady in a wheelchair while we were out shopping who was wearing gorgeous shoes and said almost exactly that so not everybody would be offended by that statement.

The danger is that, if we stop everything that could possibly offend anyone, we end up with a very dull and boring forum

One of the things I loved about MN when I first found it years ago was the huge range of topics discussed and views expressed. I didn't care for some of them but think that choosing to take offence and reporting, deleting, banning, etc is the wrong way to deal with it

If people are banned, how are they still posting? Sorry if I'm being dense but I thought banning meant you couldn't

I made a new account - with the same name bar one letter - not hiding behind a new name or anything :)

TimidViper Basically, everybody thought they'd been banned during the Broken MN phase last night, and a whole bunch of threads were taken down. Some people really have been banned or suspended, some have already been allowed back, and HQ have been checking all the taken down threads and reinstating the ones that are obviously bingo ones, which is why you can read them now.

I'm a wheelchair user. I joke about being able to wear heels now.

This is one of those things where it's OK to make jokes about yourself, but a bit dodgy for other people, isn't it?

Because without enough context it can be hard to know which way something's meant, and it can anyway be too sore a point to feel funny.

BTW, excellent OP. Shame it was needed, but sterling summary.

Terrible over reaction to people having some fun and then others trolling on top. M

To shut down mumsnet with basically no warning was irresponsible and doesn't show mumsnet in the best light.

Trolls do tend to happen on big nights, so they should have been prepared. Regular posters blamed and vilified is rather pathetic.

People are actually allowed to have fun you know! But I guess not on mumsnet.

What IS mumsnet for then? No fun, yet also no actual moderation of the frequent and disgusting disablist threads. It seems neither here nor there to me.

I didn't report anyone last night. I thought some of the comments were a little tasteless but didn't warrant shock horror.
I'm not really a clutch pearls type IYSWIM.
I'm nobodies moral compass but I do think it was getting foolish & out of hand.
Some posters lost some perspective due to alchohol and the "crack" of it all.

Fwiw I do think HQ did overreact a little but I also feel if they didn't do something it risked getting offensive- so easily these things turn.

I didn't read a cancer thread either

There's a fantastic blog by a woman who had her dla stopped because she was seen out wearing killer heels. She was in her wheelchair at the time and at no point did she ie was she able to stand/walk in said (red,glossy,) killer heels.

But pp is right, your probably only allowed to joke about it if that's your personal experience.

I thought the champagne thread was hilarious but maybe it kicked off after I went to bed. I can't believe they would ban you for that?!?

I didn't see any truly disgraceful posts last night (Except a few to Julie on the watching you thread)

Thanks gordy and Dame, I wondered how that was working

I looked in late last night and wondered why I'd been blocked when I hadn't even been here, e-mailed HQ to ask if I was on a naughty list or something but cannot understand the hysteria this has caused or the "mean girls" behaviour that has ensued.

I think some people need a NY resolution to get over themselves!

and I'm back in the room xxx

thanks HQ x

Gosh. I missed all the fun trouble.

As bloody usual.

And it's not as if I was out enjoying myself either.

One day we'll all look back and laugh - bit of MN history and all that.

And there was me thinking it was the Netmums OBE that would be the big news.

There's been apologies all round.

I hope the Mod has had some support and apologies today too.

The thread on chat isn't accepting new posts but it's pretty obvious, (to most) or should be that if MNers want MNHQ to take a firm line with xyz-ist posts, it will work every which way, won't it? If you post foul of that then MNHQ have no choice but to 'sort it' and if it hadn't been necessary it wouldn't have been done - don't blame the moderator for that. I've transgressed plenty of times but accept that it's my doing, nobody else's.

Glad you're back gordy

Funny how goady trolls are awful and should be stamped out, but the same behaviour by regular posters is just a laugh. I feel bloody sorry for the mod that was on last night. In between a rock and a hard place.

Being briefly denied access to an internet forum is not the end of the world. Mumsnet is not even the only place on the net where people having a shit-awful time can get support. Sounds like questionable decisions were made on all sides, but there's nothing necessary or admirable about sitting here in a smug glow of hindsight and sniping at someone who was trying to do a difficult job and getting abuse for it.

A few "regulars" really embarassed themselves last night because they had anonymity to do so. In real life they would not have voiced vile, racist, distasteful remarks then given their pretendy apologies for having such bigoted views.
Those who did/do not "get the joke" probably wouldn't laughed even with this patronizing "cut and keep guide".
Keep your inmature "funnies" for each other instead of lowering the tone for everyone.

I have read some very funny shit on mumsnet. The 'bingo' type posts/threads (including the hilarious fruit shoot/greggs ones) are just not funny. I wasn't around last night, but I can imagine the 'hilarity' of posters starting thread after thread of bingo related topics

But then again I don't even know the significance of the goat thing or why it's funny, so I guess I don't really know what I am talking about.

Mister I did not "get" some of threads either, fruit shoot, Greg's, goats, all stupid and intent on wagging their judgemental fingers at some people. Others were just obviously offensive from the outset.

Can't we just move on?

I wasn't there but I can just imagine how awful it was - THAT is very very funny

and most people, myself included, where NOT in anyway RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC or BIGOTTED at all - thank you

it's very easy to lump people together - especially if you where not there

and I am a lone parent and I do get 'benefits' so I am allowed to take the piss out of MYSELF - at least I thought I was

sorry Sparkling - I will now :)

gordy.

It's just that it's happened, it's over, what's done is done. It's a New Year and all that......

The site was tempoararily off line - not because of the joke posters - but because of the foul ones.

Who were NC or new (I think - not noticed homage to Dail Mail poster names before). And who didn't stop initiating foul new threads even when asked to desist.

And who (perhaps) took succour from those posting that MN was wrong to be concerned about foul postings. To be charitable, perhaps thise criticising MN hadn't seen them all,. For I saw posts that I consider indefensible.

Or is mocking life limiting conditions OK now?

I am fairly new here is anyone able to point me to an example. ? And to the kind poster who wished 'me' strength to cope with my hangover thank you!

I get that the bingo posts are meant to be ironic and I am sure most people who post them don't mean offence - in fact they are doing the opposite as the point of them is to highlight the ridiculousness of people who really do hold those views.

Still doesnt make them funny. And filling an entire board with them (even if everyone 'gets it) just sounds like the height of tedium to me.