To think that MNHQ should start warning people that the gutter media trawl these forums?

[ArgumentativeAardvaark]

Example today where a clearly vulnerable woman posted on the Relationships board in enough detail that her abusive partner would know it was her. Thread picked up by Daily Mail, who have quoted the OP in full. Thread now deleted but unfortunately it’s out there in the DM for eternity.

All seasoned users of MN Talk know that this is a risk and that scumbag lazy journalists are legally entitled to publish anything that is posted in a public forum. But a worried person coming here for the first time might not be so savvy.

It might be time for MNHQ to think about having a standard warning along the lines of “The wider media are known to look for stories in this forum. You should be aware that anything you post here may be reproduced elsewhere. Please bear this in mind when posting and consider changing any details which may be identifying”.

It’s hard as people do need to give detail in order to get the right advice, but warning them that what they write could end up in the Mail might help strike a better balance.

It’s a public forum.

Anything anyone says on here can been seen by all. Papers have picked up stories from here for a while now that’s well known

It’s up to an adult go decide what they want to post

That is exactly my point @PinkHeartLoves Cake- not everyone realises that.

Surely people need to take responsibility for themselves. You’re not posting in some secret society - it’s an open forum that anybody can read.

I’ve lost count of the number of threads where a poster has ended up utterly mortified/distraught that it has been picked up. Clearly these posters did not realise this might happen.

What I am advocating is giving people enough information to equip them to make the decision.

It really shouldn't be necessary to warn people but it might be a good idea. I've seen people talking as though they were in a private room.
I also remember people saying they thought only registered members could read posts. Not that this would make it very private as anyone can sign up.

It's not just this site though, is it? I don't want the equivalent of 'click to accept cookies' popping up on every sodding website because someone thought everyone on every website you can post on should be informed!

I agree it's terrible and not everyone will know, but maybe the warning should be when you buy a computer or smartphone or sign up to broadband.

I agree with the OP. It's one thing to post on an open forum knowing that anyone accessing that forum could read it. It's quite another to see that replicated in the national press. And I agree, not everyone would be aware of the press issue: I certainly wasn't when I first began posting my own issues under another username.

@HyggeTygge MN put other types of warnings at the top of the boards- see screenshot. I’d suggest it go there. No clicking required.

It's a well known fact, but tbh ,it's a massive site,would just say only post you don't mind being public knowledge just about anyone could be reading your posts .

Yes, though my point is more that there is a known practice of media coming to MN to look for stories.

I agree with you OP and started a thread with more or less the same thread title about 3-4 years ago. Loads of posters agreed (probably the majority) but nothing was done. That's Mumsnet for you!

When the Mail and other tabloids started lifting stories, they tended to be the less serious ones (Penis Beaker anyone?) but now they don't care what identifying information they publish from serious threads. There should be clearer warnings all over the site.

It's in the terms and conditions that you don't control the redistribution of what you write. People simply cannot behave in this day and age as if they're talking to a group of cosy friends. They're adults responsible for their own well being and usually that of their children. They shouldn't need MNHQ to stick a warning banner up.

Of course people should realise this is a public forum and and the media can copy and publish the posts.
But someone vulnerable and distressed could be preoccupied with their immediate problems and may need reminding of this before posting.
What harm could it do for mumsnet to warn people?

I agree with you as while I'm sure most realise there's a chance someone they know could read it, it seems lower risk they'd be on same forum etc to see it.
Completely different to it being published online by the gutter press so that a far wider audience could see. It no doubt suits mumsnet to get coverage as free advertising to get more to visit the site.

I do think MN should do this actually.

They sell themselves on it being a lovely cosy community where everyone supports each other; that does lure some vulnerable women in and make them forget that it’s a public forum that shitty journalists can copy and paste from when they can’t be arsed to come up with some original content.

MN post a disclaimer about not having checked qualifications of posters etc when surely that is “common sense” as well, so why not a reminder of this?

Yes it's public, but someone who is in a bad place, feeling desperate, in a vulnerable place may well reach out for advice so a warning that journalists too lazy to do journalism are trawling would be useful.

It's one thing sharing a situation for support knowing that whilst public, it's likely to be buried under parking drama AIBUs and another thing sharing a situation when the gutter press so called journalists have such an abysmal set of ethics that they'd take someone's suffering and use it to justify their jobs. How any of them can call themselves journalists is beyond me.

Human decency doesn't exist for some of these journalists.

As an aside, I wonder how they get promotions or other jobs if in their job is 'trawl Mumsnet and paraphrase what I've seen'. It's hardly the signs of a competent journalist.

I still think people wouldn’t twig or would ignore it. I mean look how many times MNHQ warm about not giving money to people etc. And you still see poster coming on and saying “ I can’t believe xyz thread was a scam! I gave her £10”

I can't see a downside. There are plenty of warnings for other situations - don't give people money, not everyone is who they claim to be.

@slartibarti exactly. The posters who keep saying “oh but everyone knows it’s public” etc - not sure what the downside to them is of having a warning? Perhaps they are worried people will post less juicy stuff..

I'm genuinely bemused at the people who read articles relating threads on mumsnet or reddit. Why would you want to read third hand what could be a totally made up problem someone posted on the internet.

Yes I think mumsnet must benefit from the publicity when namechecked in the tabloids and not want it to do anything to stop it.

I'm certainly not worried that there will be less "juicy stuff". That's a pretty offensive supposition. I just don't see that it will make any difference and I don't think people should need that level of guidance to use the Internet safely.

But what is the downside to you @ilovesooty?

And how do you square that with the clear evidence of loads of people who get caught out?

That poor woman. I hope she's ok. I think the media who lift stories like that are the worst.