To not ‘pay my way’?

[LeLavandou]

By not paying for Mumsnet Premium and using an ad blocker. Is that ‘not paying my way’ as Justine Roberts suggested on the MN premium thread in Site Stuff?
Does this make me a freeloader, if I still use MN and just block the ads? Given I only use the talk boards where content is produced by users, where does this stand in the MN freeloader stakes?

No worries @NerrSnerr I just don't get the slagging off from here. MN has a good user base. I'm unsure why all mention of 'the other site' is so contentious.

User, you appear to know posters over there, do you spend a lot of time there?

Maybe it was set up once the Premium membership became a topic for discussion, it is in the public domain.

I do actually think it off that Justine states that people that use free adblockers cause other users to have more adverts. That's a side swipe at users if ever I saw one.

Well most of the defectors were the Megan and Harry loons so it did MN a favour really getting rid of that lot.

Hi @JustineMumsnet*

Thanks for clarifying a few things. A few observations if I may:

It's fair to say we've neglected adding features over that perioud because we're going to be rebuilding them anyway

^ this has never been articulated on Site Stuff. Had users been given the facts at the time, it would have saved a lot of speculation, and saying it now, after-the-fact, lacks some authenticity.

... using an adblocker you're not really playing fair is very different to calling people who use Ad blockers "freeloaders" which was the word that has been frequently reported as being offensive. When ones screen becomes overwhelmed with ads such that the site becomes unusable, the only viable option is to block the ads. Some of them that blink and strobe can set people's epilepsy off. That's against all standard usability principles and risks your site becoming inaccessible to the diversity of people that you should be appealing to.

By contrast, we have chosen to be completely transparent and upfront with users about any data breaches, however small.

Under GDPR the Data controller is bound by law to be "transparent and upfront about data breaches, however small". That isn't a unilateral voluntary decision by Mumsnet, it doesn't involve a choice. The DC is also duty bound by law to declare any data breach to all who suffer the consequence within a reasonable timeframe after discovering the breach, normally no longer than 72 hours. Again, it isn't a choice, it is the law.

The internet is massive, infinite even perhaps. People will go where they want to.

Which means that for a site to make money it has to get advertising revenue. So, a site for 'mums' as in mumsnet, netmums, mumschat whatever they call themselves has a central premise.

Not all mums are at the same stage, some want to talk babies/nappies, some have moved out the other side and want to talk about everything else. Attracting advertisers is about proving that your demographic matches theirs. And a lot of advertisers are quite sensitive about use of language, unmoderated fora etc.

Then chuck in Covid, and you have a perfect short term storm.

Of course, if you've been raking in the ad revenue for years and relying on your posters to give you newsworthy stories you'd think you might have a bit put aside for a rainy day, rather than asking said contributors for £5 a month (with no guarantee of getting it back if things go tits up).

I'll not claim to be tech savvy so would very much appreciate if someone could explain how some folk using ad blockers causes other users to see more ads??

TigerQueenie I think what they mean is that the more peeps use blockers the more ads they have to run to gain the target revenue.

MC didn’t copy Mumsnet style, its copied Tattle.life style because, I think, that’s who set it up.

There’s a lot of pp on here saying “the other site” as we seem to have to call it is full of racists, bullies, the loons from the M&H threads etc. None of these claims have been followed up with evidence and I’m finding it very bitchy to keep reading these claims, especially on a thread about this site rather than “the other site”. Maybe let people go and look for themselves, or not, rather than make up crap which isn’t evidenced.

As I’ve said previously ( I’m not sure if it was on this thread or a different one) I’m visiting both sites, both have different things to offer me. I don’t see the need to choose one over the other, or try to influence other people’s opinions with lies or bitchiness.

Why not discuss this site, as the thread was started to do, rather than attacking another site.

The ads that either flash or are all across the top and down both sides for weeks are pretty tiresome.

I do pay an annual sub to another chat room and I don't mind that, but it is small, run entirely by volunteers and is to do with (gasp) my hobby. There are a handful of ads on there. But they are sponsors of the site and sell stuff directly related to the hobby.

I have subscribed to MN because it’s absolutely worth a fiver of my money every month and I’d miss it if it weren’t here. I don’t need to think about if any more deeply than every time I walk into Costa and pay a fiver for a drink. I’ve have no idea who runs costa and what they spend their money on, I just like a drink from there now and again.

Hey Daisychain - thanks for your comments - a couple of clarifications if I may:
I have never used the word 'freeloaders' as it happens and secondly you're right about gdpr obligations but many breaches prior to gdpr went unreported by loads of sites. Not by us though.

@daisychain01

Hi *@JustineMumsnet**

Thanks for clarifying a few things. A few observations if I may:

It's fair to say we've neglected adding features over that perioud because we're going to be rebuilding them anyway

^ this has never been articulated on Site Stuff. Had users been given the facts at the time, it would have saved a lot of speculation, and saying it now, after-the-fact, lacks some authenticity.

... using an adblocker you're not really playing fair is very different to calling people who use Ad blockers "freeloaders" which was the word that has been frequently reported as being offensive. When ones screen becomes overwhelmed with ads such that the site becomes unusable, the only viable option is to block the ads. Some of them that blink and strobe can set people's epilepsy off. That's against all standard usability principles and risks your site becoming inaccessible to the diversity of people that you should be appealing to.

By contrast, we have chosen to be completely transparent and upfront with users about any data breaches, however small.

Under GDPR the Data controller is bound by law to be "transparent and upfront about data breaches, however small". That isn't a unilateral voluntary decision by Mumsnet, it doesn't involve a choice. The DC is also duty bound by law to declare any data breach to all who suffer the consequence within a reasonable timeframe after discovering the breach, normally no longer than 72 hours. Again, it isn't a choice, it is the law.

Hi all, there was a returning troll on this thread earlier. As they were just here to cause trouble, we've deleted their posts and sent them on their way.

a couple of clarifications if I may: I have never used the word 'freeloaders' as it happens

Maybe not, but you did tell everyone who has an ad-blocker installed that they weren't paying their way!

Many adverts on here over the years have been totally inappropriate for a parenting forum and as many people will be using MN with young children around, you can hardly blame them for installing a free add-on to stop those adverts from appearing.

Maybe sort out your advertising before criticising people for blocking it?

nice quote function there

We're going to draw this one to a close now.
Live and let live and all that - use whatever sites you wish, pay for premium or don't.
But that's not what's been happening here.
We've been the target of some nasty trolling and loads of spamming and it reflects pretty badly on those doing it.
It's probably best to cultivate your own garden.
Peace and love.
MNHQ