Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be irritated by the UK-centric assumptions on here

373 replies

saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:26

Many posters here seem blissfully ignorant of the fact that the internet is a worldwide thing. Yes, this site is based in the UK, but that should be as far as it goes. Clearly there's somewhat of a UK focus which is fine up to a point. But...

Every second thread seems to end up with someone in the covid police trying to threadjack it because a hapless poster from a country that's not in lockdown, posts about being on holiday/vacation or visiting relatives, or doing something else that's not allowed here at the moment. Why do the threadjackers assume that everyone on here is British?

Seriously, the insularity here is really weird. I've not seen it on any other forum. I belong to two based in the US, but no-one assumes that posters on them must all be American.

OP posts:
42goingon90 · 15/02/2021 14:28

Americans are definitely the worst for not realising they are not the only country.

unmarkedbythat · 15/02/2021 14:30

What proportion of users here are not UK based, I wonder?

GreenlandTheMovie · 15/02/2021 14:31

I actually think some of the comments I've read on here about "lazy Brits" for example are borderline racist. As are assuming that everyone will understand American references on a British based site.

ShipshapeShore · 15/02/2021 14:32

There are loads more references to living in the UK than anywhere else, so I do assume that most people are in the UK same as me.

Aprilx · 15/02/2021 14:33

It is predominantly a UK thing and it is not an unreasonable starting assumption.

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:33

@unmarkedbythat

What proportion of users here are not UK based, I wonder?
It would be interesting to know. But it's pretty active when the UKers are asleep, and of course Australians and Americans (among all the other nationalities) have plenty of overlap time with UK prime posting time.
OP posts:
Tal45 · 15/02/2021 14:33

It's a UK based site with mainly UK users I guess. If you want people to know you're not in the UK why not just say?

FatCatThinCat · 15/02/2021 14:34

This thread is going to go down like a lead balloon because one thing I've noticed lately is that the jingo drum gets banged very loudly on this site.

chipsandpeas · 15/02/2021 14:34

its not even just a UK thing, its a English thing, people forget that the other UK countries have different rules and systems

EdithWeston · 15/02/2021 14:35

It's a British site, of course it's Britain centric

ZaraW · 15/02/2021 14:35

YABU I'm British but live overseas . I always mention this if relevant in my posts. Most posters would be UK based.

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:37

@GreenlandTheMovie

I actually think some of the comments I've read on here about "lazy Brits" for example are borderline racist. As are assuming that everyone will understand American references on a British based site.
How many people refer to lazy Brits, out of interest? And I don't think posting using my usual language on US based sites, means I assume that everyone will understand that when I say biscuit, I mean cookie.

And of course the very first post on this thread makes a lazy (yes I said it) generalisation about Americans.

My point is that this is the only forum I know that considers itself to have a nationality.

OP posts:
Theluggage15 · 15/02/2021 14:37

I don’t live in the UK and would think it’s up to me to point that out on a UK based board so as not to cause any confusion in certain discussions. As for talking about the US not being insular, that must be a joke.

Womencanlift · 15/02/2021 14:38

I would say it’s English centric not UK centric.

The amount of threads that say things like “that’s not the rules” - well it is in Scotland or “why are your DC not in school, they don’t break up until mid July?” - not here they don’t

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:38

@EdithWeston

It's a British site, of course it's Britain centric
The sites I use that are US based, are not nearly as exclusive, and nor do they make assumptions about the nationality of their posters.

Yes, there are going to be more posts about living in the UK here, but it just seems to me that we're somewhat unwelcoming to anyone who isn't a Brit.

OP posts:
midnightstar66 · 15/02/2021 14:39

I find that some people struggle outside of their own town or area let alone the big wide world. There seems to be little awareness that the Uk has 4 nations all with different laws (and covid restrictions), schooling systems etc

AaronPurr · 15/02/2021 14:39

@ZaraW

YABU I'm British but live overseas . I always mention this if relevant in my posts. Most posters would be UK based.
I think this is a pretty common and sensible approach. Sometimes it's not relevant, but for posts where it is, I think most posters would highlight that they're not in the UK.
Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:40

@Theluggage15

I don’t live in the UK and would think it’s up to me to point that out on a UK based board so as not to cause any confusion in certain discussions. As for talking about the US not being insular, that must be a joke.
Yep, I'm only talking about US forums, not the US itself.
OP posts:
IrmaFayLear · 15/02/2021 14:40

It would be really tiresome if every post had to mention domicile of poster, as 99% would state UK.... as it’s a UK site. I frequent a US site often; I can’t imagine complaining that they don’t think of the Brits or whoever in every discussion.

PersonaNonGarter · 15/02/2021 14:40

My point is that this is the only forum I know that considers itself to have a nationality.

Well, you seem to have answered your own question.

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:40

@Womencanlift

I would say it’s English centric not UK centric.

The amount of threads that say things like “that’s not the rules” - well it is in Scotland or “why are your DC not in school, they don’t break up until mid July?” - not here they don’t

Good point.
OP posts:
GreenlandTheMovie · 15/02/2021 14:40

saraclara How many people refer to lazy Brits, out of interest? And I don't think posting using my usual language on US based sites, means I assume that everyone will understand that when I say biscuit, I mean cookie.

Why don't you count them, as its a topic you're obviously interested in?

And of course the very first post on this thread makes a lazy (yes I said it) generalisation about Americans.

My point is that this is the only forum I know that considers itself to have a nationality.

Does it? If it had a nationality, it would be limited to posters of a certain nationality by requiring a residence requirement.

tbh though its not only the "lazy Brits" comment, its being informed by several posters that apparently Spanish and Italian people are not white, as apparently thats a thing in the US. And thats a generalisation that shocked many nationalities on here, not just Brits.

Lweji · 15/02/2021 14:41

Pps shouldn't assume. But I don't get irritated, just slightly amused if it happens. If it is relevant, I usually point out that I'm not in the UK. Or just refer to where I live, to imply that it will not be the same as people usually assume (UK).

Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:42

@IrmaFayLear

It would be really tiresome if every post had to mention domicile of poster, as 99% would state UK.... as it’s a UK site. I frequent a US site often; I can’t imagine complaining that they don’t think of the Brits or whoever in every discussion.
I'm not saying they have to 'think' of anyone. Just not work on the assumption that everyone is English.

This forum is available worldwide, and comes up in google searches on pretty much any parenting topic you can imagine.

OP posts:
Original poster
saraclara · 15/02/2021 14:43

Why don't you count them, as its a topic you're obviously interested in?

How do you suggest I do that?

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread