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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:
ANightWatcher · 02/10/2017 23:30

who no doubt doesn't need the cash and doesn't appreciate that they're effectively taking it away from someone who might

Oh if you could see my bank account you'd know thats absolutely not the case 😂😂😂

Alisvolatpropiis · 02/10/2017 23:37

A few of zombie threads I posted on years ago have popped up in the last week and I was surprised by how much more visible the mods were then versus now. Generally speaking then, they'd pop up, join in with a thread and have a laugh rather post "this ian rather in the spirit" shortly followed by the inevitable deletion message as they do now.

AVirtuousLife · 02/10/2017 23:56

ANightWatcher - I understand that "you are happy to volunteer" but I think you are naive.

I don't know enough about volunteering/employment law etc. but I'd say you were being exploited TBH.

And please forgive me if this sounds awful -I know it will - but employers will probably be uninterested in a CV entry that says "Watcher who sat watching a sub-topic on an Internet forum but had no power".

No employer in either of my careers would have taken any notice of that bit of comedy gold information.

ANightWatcher · 03/10/2017 00:21

Im sorry but why the hell would you assume I'd even consider putting something like this on my CV That is so bloody insulting. The whole CV crap has come from other posters not by any NW. The inference Id be that stupid has got my blood boiling quite honestly

I'm neither naive nor being exploited. There's no obligation for NWers to be here. We don't have to commit to certain hours there's no rota

All it is is people who'd be popping on and off anyway during the early hours have the facility to delete posts

BoysofMelody · 03/10/2017 00:47

Mumsnet made a profit of well over £2m last year and a turnover of £7.2m. They could easily afford to pay for professional moderation 24/7. They are no different from any other media company exploiting the labour of volunteers to save themselves a few quid. Shameful.

User843022 · 03/10/2017 07:27

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

Well it's not hard to spot the trolls is it? Just because a handful of people 'over there' clamour round shrieking 'oo oo Ive found one' doesn't mean they haven't been spotted here too, just most intelligent people tend to report and then move on, not froth about it. The pbps and their cheerleaders actually spend most of their time calling people here 'cocks' rather than doing 'sterling job' Grin.

'I'm neither naive nor being exploited. There's no obligation for NWers to be here. We don't have to commit to certain hours there's no rota '

This for anyone losing sleep over the shameful use of volunteers by 'hard nosed business people'.

NightWatcher · 03/10/2017 09:46

Agree with ANightWatcher - it really is laughable that we would be using this voluntary position as a stepping stone to anything else.

I have an established career of 20 years overseas, don't need another "job".

I applied for the Night Watch as I knew I would be able to pop in and out, taking over from MNHQ in the wee small hours. As a PP mentioned, there were quite a number of applicants, but I can guess why they chose me - I am boring, don't post much, tend to report stuff (and get it right about trolls - can spot them a mile off after 10+ years on MN), I have moderated another forum (voluntarily, natch), I have counselling training (although that is not my career) so I won't be freaked by threats of suicide etc. , I know the site well and have 10 years of experience here, so have a feel for the place, and am confident that I act in the famous "spirit" of the site.

Its always evolving and nothing really surprises me about the changes that naturally happen in a huge site like MN.

okay then, that's enough from me - see you again tonight Wink

Respect to the all the other Night Watchers, by the way! Wine Gin Cake

Smile
BoysofMelody · 03/10/2017 11:45

Given that mumsnet's founders were backing a laudable campaign about the need for flexible employment opportunities for parents? Jobs that can be done remotely and fit in with school hours? However rather than creating these jobs, they'd rather perpetuate the culture of unpaid volunteers and interns doing what should be the work of a salaried employee and creaming off the profits of their free labour.

HyacinthBooquet · 03/10/2017 12:01

It was members who asked for 24 hour moderation and MN have provided that.

If people aren't happy with the fact volunteers do it then perhaps we should just go back to no overnight moderation.

Original poster
brasty · 03/10/2017 12:19

A 24 hour forum needs 24 hour moderation. And should be paid for.

OP posts:
meximess · 03/10/2017 12:26

Wow that is incredible - unpaid moderators.

I bet it is mainly women doing this - working for free.

Wow it has totally put me off mumsnet.

meximess · 03/10/2017 12:29

I thought they had a 7.2 million turn over last year and had over 10 million users - unreal and unbelievable that they don't pay moderators at night.

User843022 · 03/10/2017 12:34

'Wow', 'unreal' and 'unbelievable'?! Confused, you maybe need to get out more.

Again, if the overnight mods are quite happy not to commit to paid hours and like being on a forum but also enjoy a role then so what?

You never know, as it is an ever expanding site they may at some point have an overall mod 'in charge' on a night with volunteers as support. until then I really wouldn't sweat it.

NightWatcher · 03/10/2017 12:38
BoysofMelody · 03/10/2017 12:39

Again, if the overnight mods are quite happy not to commit to paid hours and like being on a forum but also enjoy a role then so what?

Because when unscrupulous employers can get for free what they should be paying for, it effects all of our employment prospects as jobs simply disappear.

araiwa · 03/10/2017 12:51

Yabu to be surprised

I would expect admins to be paid but ive never heard of mods being anything other than unpaid volunteers.

Reddit is a far bigger commercial operation and their mods are unpaid volunteers

Original poster
brasty · 03/10/2017 13:29

Reddit is a platform like face book where people set up their own sub groups and forums. If mumsnet were like that, I would agree with unpaid. Users on platforms have a lot of control. Mumsnet is different.

OP posts:
FakePlasticTeaLeaves · 03/10/2017 13:36

Hello! Just caught up and seen the 'CV' debate. I was in no way suggesting people who currently do this, do it just for their CV. I said I know some people who would. I work in digital comms and know lots of grads who would like it on their CV. Wasn't meant as an insult or reason as why people currently do night watch. Ta dah!

User843022 · 03/10/2017 13:41

'Reddit is a platform like face book where people set up their own sub groups and forums. If mumsnet were like that, I would agree with unpaid'

But mn say they only moderate what is reported so it's kind of user run too isn't it. Is your argument just that mn make money out of adverts so therefore they shouldn't use volunteers? Don't Reddit use advertising to generate income at all?

Original poster
brasty · 03/10/2017 15:30

Mumsnet is not user run. I can't set up and mod my own board on mumsnet. Totally different business model.

OP posts:
MNHQ
KateMumsnet · 03/10/2017 16:07

Hi all - cheers for your reports

This is something we posted about over on the site stuff thread over here.

Just to recap - at the moment our busiest periods are during the day, and in the evening up to around 11pm. After that we're very lucky that the Nightwatch volunteers take over, and are able to hide threads till the morning lot can take a look in at 7am. It's incredibly helpful in preventing the occasional dodgy thread upsetting MNers and we're really grateful that the NW are prepared to help us and their fellow MNers out. We don't ask them to make decisions or investigate anything, which would feel like too much - as would asking the NW chaps to commit to any particular hours or days!

We could take another look at the data but broadly, if we had an 'official' mod overnight, we'd be shifting resource across from the busier fully staffed day and evening shifts, which seems a bit counterintuitive. The NW team seem happy overall (and it really is appreciated!) and it seems a shame to mess with things - some folks genuinely are happy to help both MNHQ and the MNer community out, and they do a brilliant job.

User843022 · 03/10/2017 16:09

Yes I didn't mean mn in its entirety is user run , I meant the boards are moderated through user reporting only.
My point is if you have no issue with reddit having volunteer mods on their site which also generate money through advertising, then I'm not sure why you have an issue with mn doing it.

Butterymuffin · 03/10/2017 16:11

So @KateMumsnet, what you seem to be saying is that MN is not willing to pay any more than it currently spends on moderation?

HyacinthBooquet · 03/10/2017 16:20

I would expect admins to be paid but ive never heard of mods being anything other than unpaid volunteers

Yes, that was my impression also.

Original poster
brasty · 03/10/2017 16:29

Mods on anywhere except user generated groups and pages, is a paid role. Disappointed at mumsnet putting profits before ethics.

OP posts: