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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To be surprised MN is moderated by volunteers at night?

106 replies

brasty · 01/10/2017 20:12

I am surprised that MN is largely moderated by volunteers at night. MN is a business, should it really be using volunteers?

OP posts:
Migraleve · 02/10/2017 01:00

a charity is also a business

not really

Yes, really.

sharksDen · 02/10/2017 03:35

Mods do it for the same reason as anyone else over-invested in a chat forum. For the power!

ANightWatcher · 02/10/2017 03:41

Mods do it for the same reason as anyone else over-invested in a chat forum. For the power

You're so right because the power we have is massive Hmm

sharksDen · 02/10/2017 03:45

I omitted 'perceived'

Nightsleepneeded · 02/10/2017 03:53

Bit rude to call the volunteers naive to be honest.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 02/10/2017 03:59

I thought about volunteering for Night Watch when we moved back to North America but then I decided I didn't want even more of a reason to waste time be on here!

It's an interesting debate

Nightwatcher · 02/10/2017 03:59

Another volunteer NWer here Smile

I too prefer that its voluntary because I don't want to be obligated to keep watch - I'm in another time-zone, and pop into MN throughout the day (my work are fine with internet use etc.)

I actually have got feedback from MN (both positive and erm, negative, when I've been a bit trigger-happy with the red-button...)

But as ANightWatcher says we don't have all that much power.

Nightwatcher · 02/10/2017 04:01

and yeah, I'm really not naive - just that I've been on MN since the Stone Age and I guess I'm fairly reliable in my support of the site etc.

EssentialHummus · 02/10/2017 04:03

I agree with a PP - the fact that people are willing to volunteer doesn't make it OK. If MN take moderation seriously and are committed to legitimate part-time working opportunities for its users (as they claim), these should be paid roles.

CariadzDarling · 02/10/2017 04:38

This subject came up on the Reddit sub forum a few days ago.

Is this their latest attempt at rabble rousing?

Original poster
brasty · 02/10/2017 09:43

If you are asking if I am part of an out side group who are rabble rousing, the answer is no. I knew nothing about the reddit forum until a few days ago, when someone posted a link here.
But I have worked a lot with volunteers and have run training sessions on working with volunteers. I am very aware of the ethical issues, and I think this is unethical. It is not "rabble rousing" to say this.

OP posts:
User843022 · 02/10/2017 09:47

' is this their latest attempt at rabble rousing?'
God don't give them the credit, they'll be backslapping and frothing that they got a mention on a site they claim to hate, yet spend all day over analysing. Grin

Butterymuffin · 02/10/2017 10:40

I'm not a Redditer either. I've seen the site but not posted on it. Started the other thread on this topic because I'd posted on a now deleted thread where it was being discussed and MNHQ came on to say 'we respond to things like this in Site Stuff' so I thought 'right, I'll start a thread there, then!' So no external rabble rousing there either. I've been here for years under various names.

Original poster
brasty · 02/10/2017 10:48

I think ethics matter.
I only became aware of reddit stuff because of multiple posts about a poster who supposedly makes stuff up about their life, with a link to the reddit site. My reaction was, I couldn't care less. But I do care about ethics of the site.

I was also surprised about the aggressiveness of the poster on here that many seem to know. Never noticed them before, but their comments shocked me.

OP posts:
User843022 · 02/10/2017 11:15

'But I do care about ethics of the site. '
Yes but the thing is if people volunteering enjoy it and if they can't commit to paid work then can't you accept that if unpaid hours are want they what there isn't actually a problem?
If they felt exploited or didn't want to do it then I presume they'll stop and mn will have to review the set up.
Yes the many desperate links to Reddit to try and entice others to join the handful of people critiquing MN all day long are hard to avoid Grin

Original poster
brasty · 02/10/2017 11:29

No, ethics is not about - well if people will do it for free, let them. Ethics is about doing the right thing, not just what you can get away with.

OP posts:
Saucery · 02/10/2017 16:37

I've never seen the point of allowing a section where people can post "Coukd you look at X as I think they are a big fat Trolly Troll?"

Original poster
brasty · 02/10/2017 16:40

Where can people do that?

OP posts:
Saucery · 02/10/2017 16:57

In The Night Watch topic.

Original poster
brasty · 02/10/2017 17:15

Never heard of that. Thanks

OP posts:
Saucery · 02/10/2017 17:22

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_night_watch

So if I rocked up here and said 'MNhQ you need to look at this, Op seems to be trolling' I'd get a warning or ban for Trollhunting. Put it as a whole new thread in there and that would be ok.

FaithHopeCharityDesperation · 02/10/2017 20:48

*This subject came up on the Reddit sub forum a few days ago.

Is this their latest attempt at rabble rousing?*

To be fair, they’re doing a sterling job over there of spotting thon trollz GrinGrin

AVirtuousLife · 02/10/2017 22:58

It doesn't surprise me that hard-nosed business people would use unpaid enthusiastic amateurs with limited power to run a little sub-topic.

I see the usual MNHQ defenders are here...

Notthemessiah · 02/10/2017 23:18

Presumably the alternative is that mumsnet have to actually pay some people to do this, people who could probably do with the extra cash, but of course why pay someone when you can get some willing person to do it for free (who no doubt doesn't need the cash and doesn't appreciate that they're effectively taking it away from someone who might).