Are you avoiding posting on here in case the media pick up on it?

[Paparazzicrap]

Just that really. Aibu to think Mumsnet has run it's course?

If you wouldn’t want it on a poster outside your house, don’t put it online. That’s good advice in general, not just on Mn.

Yes I can remember one or two times I stopped myself from hitting post because I knew I wouldn't be happy if my post blew up beyond MN where I can ask for it to be deleted.

See, I'm a regular name changer and there was a time when I typed up my thread and my cursor hovered over the post button for a few seconds before I decided to forget about posting it. It's weird seeing your 'situation' in black and white as opposite to floating about your brain whirling around endlessly. Reading my potential post was like a flash bulb moment in that I saw how crazy it all sounded and how even with tweaking details it was still identifying so I never posted it because I knew if it blows up it will be beyond asking MN to delete the thread.

Ideally, I'd like to have controls over editing and deleting my own threads and comments but I suppose there is a certain level of censorship and accountability by having to ask MN for such action.

Yes I started a thread last year regarding a certain situation that was quite sensitive to me and a bit embarrassing and a couple of days later I saw the sun had done an article on Facebook about it. There were loads of comments on the article taking the piss out of me

I used to type replies to threads all the time, then go back, edit the draft post, cut some more out etc... and eventually just delete the whole thing. Most of the time I feel like it's not worth the risk of being outed if you do post anything personal/identifiable, & much of the rest of the time I don't feel I can add anything to the discussion that's not already been said (often much better than I could). So now, I generally just lurk.

Always think these threads demonstrate a (widespread) huge lack of understanding about a) the internet and b) the size of MN.

Let's imagine a world where the tabloid press are for some reason unable to take threads from here.

• MN is huge, it has millions of users. If you post an interesting topic it will be viewed thousands of times, the vast majority of those won't post a reply. Given the demographics on here, if you're a woman of childbearing age in the UK, I'd be astounded if someone you know doesn't read it. Then if it's identifiable they'll recognise you, and if you haven't name changed they'll be able to search all your other posts.

When I was engaged I lurked on an Irish wedding planning forum. From a tiny detail that happened in someone's wedding, I recognised my aunt's friend's daughter. She had the same name throughout the site, so I would see her pop up through TTC, other topics etc. That woman has no idea who I am, but I knew she was pregnant before her mother did.

• Even if the tabloids can't use your post, friends can share links, and screenshots. It can be posted to Twitter (see the Mumsnet madness account), Facebook and other social media - both small personal accounts and massive ones with huge numbers of followers. It can be shared and discussed on Reddit and other forums - and likely not in a kind way.

• It will exist forever really.

If you wouldn't put it on a billboard with your name and address, don't put it on the internet.

I enjoy posting here and spend too much time here, but I've only started my own threads looking for advice once or twice, and always name change for those threads.

That won't work. They can't pretend they wrote what is written on MN, but they're legally allowed to quote, screenshot or link. They'd just not share the signature. It's all out there in a public domain.

They don't need to. The papers do it themselves.

Mumsnet isn't a super secret place nobody ever goes.

It's hugely popular with millions of visitors.

I don't put anything on here that I wouldn't want the world knowing.

People need to stop thinking Mumsnet is some sort of safe space or that they are being betrayed if threads get talked about elsewhere

Happened to me in the DM and another has appeared (much to my shock) on a Facebook ad!

Yes, have been for a few months since there's hbeen so many stories in the mirror.

The more media outlets reprint GC views, the better

I started a thread about DH which ended up in the Daily Mail!

Luckily he doesn't read the Mail and I'd changed the gender and age of our children so it wasn't easily identifiable.

I would think twice now though.

I'm always seeing posts by Mumsnet on Facebook where the person could easily be identified. Family weddings, fallouts etc.

YANBU. I posted a couple months back with a namechange. I got 3 messages from papers/media. obviously had no interest in talking to them.

Much more careful what I post now.

I work as a journalist. The page views on a contentious thread here are much bigger than the page views the DM gets on the story they wrote about said thread. And honestly, the DM stories about mumsnet threads are largely a crossover audience. Most people who don’t already read mumsnet are unlikely to click on a DM story about a mumsnet thread.

Journalists are extremely unlikely to actually start threads here because there are already so many great ones to choose from and they simply don’t have the time to come back and post as the ‘OP’.

And it’s really not ‘lazy journalism’. Most newsrooms don’t class it as journalism, they describe it as ‘content’, a necessary evil which drives traffic to websites to generate advertising in order to pay for the really decent journalism which, despite the moans, does happen at the DM.

But as others have said, that’s nothing new, it’s always been a totally open forum.

Of course it's lazy, Janice. Just copying a story, that's not journalism.
Different if an issue is raised, then you create an article about how women feel about unisex toilets or post natal care or whatever. Just copying "Is my mil a mean host" is just a quick and easy click bait. I know you have to generate revenue, but really.

Definitely. I will reply to message but won't start my own or ask a question

Yes, which is a shame because this started out as a forum for mums to support other mums. Now it's more like somewhere to go if you fancy a bun fight and don't mind the fact that there are tabloid lackeys hanging around searching for low-hanging fruit. Or you just want to canvas opinions on the best flavour crisps.

Our local news page picks up threads and posts it as their own, in the guise of being “local” . Almost bloody daily

I agree with @ilovesooty once it's out there it's out there. MN have FB and IG and they put threads on there, to promote their site and drive traffic to it. I think I saw a thread on MN FB that had been deleted on MN this week.
Look at all the new users the made up Penis Beaker brought to MN when it went viral.
If you don't want it in the public domain then you shouldn't post it.

No but I do think carefully about whether I want anyone who knows me to see my posts as this is a well known site. I do the same on all social media, though, not just MN.

Journalists are extremely unlikely to actually start threads here because there are already so many great ones to choose from and they simply don’t have the time to come back and post as the ‘OP’

Oh no that's not true at all. There have been a few journalists caught out in the past, or naïve enough to eventually admit to it and think no-one will mind.

Also, why would they 'simply not have time' to work? Because working is what it would be.

Absolutely!

MNHQ are sell outs! Moderators don’t care either and when requested by the original poster; refuse to delete threads that may be outing.

What keeps you here if you feel that strongly?

Don't care about the journalists; I'm not posting under my real name.

The trolls are annoying but they always come in waves. I'm jealous they have so much free time; over the weekend there were a couple that were on every single thread, very worried about the poor men and such.