to tell you that MNHQ can call the police if they’re worried about you?

[PurpleDaisies]

This is news to me. The official policy is this...

'...on rare occasions where there appears to be a clear need to safeguard the welfare of a Mumsnetter and/or his/her family, it may be necessary to contact relevant authorities'

I am not referencing a specific thread or this will be deleted but I think posters should be aware that this is the case.

[Pengrin]

MN have your IP address.

They give this to the police who can use that to find your actual address.

[WorraLiberty]

We understand 'compelling safeguarding considerations' to mean credible evidence of imminent risk of serious harm, especially to a child or vulnerable person.

I have no problem with that at all.

Well done MNHQ.

[TeacupDrama]

well if someone like the guy who shot all the people in christchurch had been reported to police by the forums he had been using just maybe it would have been not quite so tragic; on the other hand it might have made no difference

I think if someone was on here saying they wanted to end their own and their children's lives confidentiality is not really important that is credible evidence of planned harm

[QueenOfTheTofuTree]

They give this to the police who can use that to find your actual address.

Would that not take a long time?

[Pengrin]

Probably a click of a button.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

Lol, we can't find an address from an IP address.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

I'm not sure how MN have intervened in this case, but it is certainly not based on IP addresses.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

The counter intelligence folk have access to better tech, but no, for MN to have intervened, it's most likely the poster gave their actual address to another poster via pm.

[Pengrin]

Lol, we can't find an address from an IP address.



How do you think police arrest those who download/share indecent images?

[PCohle]

Seems sensible and is set out clearly in the privacy policy.

Presumably the police (/other relevant authorities) make the final call as to whether or not to act on the information.

[gamerwidow]

Well of course MN can contact the police if they are worried about you. It’s the minimum duty of care for any organisation to do. Did you really think they would have a policy of just ignoring anyone in imminent danger of harm.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

Those investigations go to specialist units where internet providers share information.

[TheoriginalLEM]

I am glad of this. There are often some worrying threads so i am glad that mnet can inform relevant authorities.

[Pengrin]

‘specialist units‘...

So the police then?

[Brilliantidiot]

If a life is in danger then I think it's a good thing. And I think possibly the police may be able to find your details from an email address? I don't know though. Maybe if you used your real name to sign up and your email address is linked to the account they could trace you that way, or through doing a FB search or something?
If someone comes and says they're suicidal or life at risk from someone else and something can be done, I think it should be.
I would imagine though that in reality the police wouldn't have the resources to trace someone through an email address.

[GirlcalledJack]

Good on MNHQ!

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

Yes Pengrin. And either willing sharing or with a warrant in special cases.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

If someone is reported by a third party to police as being suicidal but they don't know who or where they are, we 1. have hearsay and 2. no way of finding said person.
I think people see a lot of crime shows and think that's how every day policing operates. It's not.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

And the first person we will investigate in the absence of any other information is the reporter.

[ReggieWoo]

Excellent, that's great.

[eggsnham]

They'll be ranting about this over on Reddit 😂

[Pengrin]

But they do know where they are.

They have an IP address which can then be shared with the police who can take steps (contacting provider) to find the actual address.

[U2HasTheEdge]

I have no issue with this at all and always suspected that moderators would call the police if they are very concerned about someone's safety.

They call the police then it is up to them if they want to take it further or not. I doubt very much MNHQ can find your address unless you gave it to them somehow.

[Jengnr]

I dunno what this is specifically about but if someone is suicidal this is what I would expect to happen.

[Brilliantidiot]

I wonder if it works the same if you don't have, or aren't on WiFi but mobile data. I have a PAYG phone and don't have WiFi and I'm not sure my service provider has my address. Think my email address provider does though.