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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why we couldn't borrow PILs laptop

116 replies

Pinkpanthershow · 01/06/2015 22:34

Our laptop has stopped working and DH needed to send a job application so he asked to borrow his parents laptop. They were going on holiday and wouldn't need it for a week so thought it would be ok. However they ended up saying no as there may be personal stuff on it and we shouldn't see their dirty washing!
I am slightly at a loss as to what would be on it. They are both retired and it's not work stuff. Our laptop has nothing on it we would need to hide from them (although I would log out of mumsnet first!). It just seems odd, although it is up to them to not let us borrow it.

I am wondering if other people would not let their family use their laptop? They have a key to our house, and we have never worried about them prying into anything private. We are also not particularly good at IT and we wouldn't have looked for anything private on their laptop anyway.

We will buy a new one anyway, it was just a temporary fix.

OP posts:
usualsuspect333 · 01/06/2015 22:53

I'd have to log out of every site I visit and delete all my bookmarks.

To much like hard work.

sonjadog · 01/06/2015 22:55

Photos of them in the nude and home sex videos, I reckon.

Aren't you glad they stopped you from seeing them?

Original poster
Pinkpanthershow · 01/06/2015 22:56

I didn't think they were that good with computers, they can't even text in a mobile and so I didn't think finances would be on there. Slightly hurt they would think we would look at private correspondence. They could look at things in our house, or open the iPad but I just assumed you wouldn't do that. We never borrow anything - which may be just as well.

OP posts:
SilverBirch2015 · 01/06/2015 22:57

Maybe it's got the draft of her book she's writing: "How to survive with PIA DIL". Wink

SilverBirch2015 · 01/06/2015 22:58

*PITA

Original poster
Pinkpanthershow · 01/06/2015 22:58

SilverBiirch - that is a strong possibility!

OP posts:
SilverBirch2015 · 01/06/2015 22:59
Smile
iwantgin · 01/06/2015 23:00

I don't let anyone use my laptop.

DH very occasionally will, but he logs in on his own account. I do the same with his, very, very rarely.

I just don't want anyone to mess with any settings I guess. or touch it at all ;)

AlpacaMyBags · 01/06/2015 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurpleSwift · 01/06/2015 23:01

I wouldn't let anyone use my laptop/tablet/phone without supervision apart from OH. I can't think of anything specific I want to hide but there is so so much personal info on their I wouldn't be comfortable at all. YABU

SilverBirch2015 · 01/06/2015 23:02

The phrase "dirty washing" is interesting, it does imply some correspondence about family rows or financial matters they are not comfortable about.

WanderWomble · 01/06/2015 23:03

No-one gets to use my laptop.

BackforGood · 01/06/2015 23:03

Same as most other people - I don't have anything secret on my laptop, but I wouldn't lend it to anyone apart from just passing it over for a few minutes while I was there.

UnsolvedMystery · 01/06/2015 23:04

There is no chance I would lend my laptop to ANYONE!!
MY personal stuff on it - doesn't have to be porn to be private.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 01/06/2015 23:07

I would rather assume it contains medical information - perhaps regarding some ailment they consider embarrassing & are not comfortable with you knowing about. Erectile dysfunction for example Wink. Or piles.

Or financial information. Or personal letters of another kind.

I would not expect it to contain nude photos of my PILs. Nor porn TBH. Although, of course, it might do Smile.

usualsuspect333 · 01/06/2015 23:09

I get twitchy if someone asks to use it for a few minutes Grin

Footle · 01/06/2015 23:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IvanOsokin · 01/06/2015 23:13

I'm another one who doesn't allow anyone to use my laptop. Not even my DH and (adult) DC. As others have said, there's loads of personal stuff on there - stuff I'm in the process of writing, my health issues, diary entries, correspondence and so on.

I'd feel very uncomfortable, no matter how much I trusted someone, that they would accidentally come across something I'd written for my eyes only.

There could be any number of reasons why your PIL don't want you to borrow theirs.

susiedaisy · 01/06/2015 23:15

My father won't even share the TV remote there is no way on earth he would let me borrow his and my mums laptop/camera/iPad etc. some people are just like that.

DustyBusters · 01/06/2015 23:18

The last time I let someone use my laptop they clicked yes to a software update on a website they were on that infected my laptop with a horrible adaware virus. It took me a week and 3 different programs to get rid of it. Never, ever again!

Truckingalong · 01/06/2015 23:20

There's nothing massively damning on my pc/phone/iPad either. It's mainly just stupid trifling shite to while the time away but I wouldn't let anyone borrow it cos I'm ded private and it all feels a bit too intrusive.

SaucyJack · 01/06/2015 23:21

They probably don't want you to find all the videos they've taken via the webcam they've secretly installed in your kitchen.

Icimoi · 01/06/2015 23:21

Perhaps it's MiL's MN history which would lead you to all the threads where she moans about you.

TiggieBoo · 01/06/2015 23:24

I would rather let someone borrow my knickers than my computer. It's just too personal.

usualsuspect333 · 01/06/2015 23:24

They might forget to log out of FB and be worried that you will update their status with stupid inspirational pictures and quotes.