Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to think too many people use the Aibu topic on Mumsnet, when the Chat topic would do just as well?

42 replies

bibbitybobbityyhat · 11/02/2019 21:13

Why is Aibu so over-used?

People post everything in there. Don't they know about all the other topics/boards on this website?

Even if they're only using the lame excuse "posting for traffic" why not use Chat?

Aibu is for questions where you might be right and you might be wrong - so you're trying to gauge opinions.

It is not for asking yes or no questions or general tittle tattle. Any aibu that starts "Am I being unreasonable to ask" is not an aibu.

Do people even understand this?

Everyone who replies with "why does it bother you?" can fuck off btw.

OP posts:
LilaJude · 11/02/2019 21:14

Because this is the only board with reliable traffic and posting on chat is just screaming into an empty void.

theworldistoosmall · 11/02/2019 21:15

When mnhq think a post should be somewhere else they move it. I very rarely look at the topic is posted in. I just read the title and may or may not click on.

WendyImhome · 11/02/2019 21:15

I find it a bit annoying too.
People posted by baby names, or asking for holiday tips. If you mention it’s not an AIBU, they say ‘you don’t have to read the thread’

Just fills up the board with irrelevant rubbish though, doesn’t it?

toriatoriatoria · 11/02/2019 21:15

I do agree that there are definitely things on this board that belong in chat.

EggysMom · 11/02/2019 21:16

Do they need separate boards though? IMO Mumsnet has too many boards, that's why people aren't sure where to post. You could have just one 'chat' board and people preface any AIBU posts with AIBU in the thread title ....

cadburyegg · 11/02/2019 21:17

I’ve posted in other forums before and got maybe 1-2 replies. Similar threads on here have got 6 pages of replies!

PooleySpooley · 11/02/2019 21:18

You should have posted this in chat.

halfwitpicker · 11/02/2019 21:37

It's more cut throat.

The punters love it.

SilverySurfer · 11/02/2019 21:47

People are addicted to AIBU.

Talking of Chat - does anyone know why the Chat Board has a preceding its name? If you do an advanced search Chat is at the bottom of the list of Boards - never understood why.

amritsky · 11/02/2019 21:48

Yes. Does my nut in, trivial crap like 'aibu to ask if these curtains would look nice in my living room?' Can people please just respond Yabu. Posting for traffic in aibu when you're in crisis or desperation is another matter though- I can't think anyone has a problem with that.

WineAndTiramisu · 11/02/2019 21:48

Most other boards are pretty empty, think there's needs to be a cull... Grin

Jaspermcsween · 11/02/2019 22:25

Yes.
Mumsnet should sort this out.

I don't know how though

UterusUterusGhali · 11/02/2019 22:28

There is a reason for the underscore before _Chat but I forget why. So it comes at the top of an alphabetised list maybe? It's gonna bug me.

SilverySurfer · 11/02/2019 22:34

No, it comes at the bottom on advanced search which seems a bit daft.

Original poster
bibbitybobbityyhat · 11/02/2019 22:47

Whoever said Mnhq move threads out of aibu ... no, they don't do that. Only in very exceptional circumstances and if asked to do so. They don't habitually tidy up the boards and rearrange accordingly.

OP posts:
OnTheHop · 11/02/2019 22:52

It drives me whacky.
When someone needs serious or specialised advice on a legal or relationship issue and they get the AIBU idiots piling in with inaccurate, insensitive or downright dangerous advice.

‘Posting for traffic ‘? Why, because 17 people with out of date hearsay misinformation is SO much better than waiting for one well informed and helpful lawyer?

arethereanyleftatall · 11/02/2019 22:54

I like the irony.

QwertyLou · 12/02/2019 01:01

I have to admit I’m guilty of this, I posted questions about my child’s birthday party here and only later discovered there is a dedicated “Party” board!? Lots of people only discover mumsnet while googling some parenting issue, and if google takes you to AIBU you just post there.

OnTheHop · 12/02/2019 06:44

“Lots of people only discover mumsnet while googling some parenting issue, and if google takes you to AIBU you just post there.”

Which shows how it becomes an exponential trend.

I don’t know why MN don’t just change their name to AIBU.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 12/02/2019 06:47

Doesn't everyone browse by Active Threads so the section is irrelevant?

recrudescence · 12/02/2019 06:49

AIBU must drive a lot of traffic to the site - I doubt the owners will want to do anything that threatens that.

WorraLiberty · 12/02/2019 09:31

OnTheHop but no-one should ever use an internet chat forum of any kind, if they need serious or specialised advice on a legal, or relationship issue.

I don't think the issue of AIBU/Chat being used for traffic will ever be resolved, until MNHQ have a proper cull of individual topics tbh.

NameChangeNugget · 12/02/2019 09:43

YABU Wink

Waspnest · 12/02/2019 09:51

Yep I agree OP but I don't know how MN can change it. These days I often don't even bother with a YABU/YANBU in a reply. I actually prefer chat, I think it's gentler and funnier but unfortunately the trending threads tend to be AIBU so stupidly I get drawn in.....

ShowOfHands · 12/02/2019 09:55

Chat is not a void. It is very busy.

I can't bear AIBU and periodically hide it. People post there for traffic but the vehicles are misinformed or plain nasty. It's a cesspit of vitriol and it was better when AIBU was just an item on the acronym list.