Should MNHQ Keep the 'Similar Threads' feature?

[PiggyInTheLidl]

IMO this 'You might also like' feature revives Zombie threads, causes Active Convos to be cluttered up with threads that are no longer relevant (The wedding was 6 months ago, hopefully she found a frock!) and generally makes MN feel like a dentists waiting room full of out of date magazines.

YANBU - The feature should go
YABU - It enhances my use of MN no end, how did we ever manage without it?

I don't like it. I find it irritating and pointless. And as pps have said it just resurrects old threads. Some 2-3 years old - some even older.

We had this troll doing that for shits and giggles the other week (bumping up/resurrecting old threads,) and it became a huge nuisance, and made the site unusable! Now MN have introduced a feature that does exactly the same thing...........! Resurrects old threads! WTAF? WHY, Mumsnet WHY?

Get rid of it or make it opt in/out. Like the emails to notify you when you've been quoted.
It doesn't enhance the site in any way I can see. But as a PP says historically MNHQ just changes stuff and that's the way it stays despite any negative feedback.

I use the app so I can't see that feature, but maybe this explains why Active is full of weeks/months old threads now - people are clicking on these threads commenting on them without realising it's from September 2021 or whatever. It's pointless and annoying. Some posters upthread have it correct when they say maybe it's for clicks because MN isn't getting the site traffic it used to. Certainly in the last 6 months since the updates, users have gone by the wayside and trolls seem to be on every other thread.

Yes, I must admit it did annoy me that you put the options in the opposite order to the voting buttons. Off to get a life now…

It wouldn't be so bad if you didn't have scroll past the suggested threads in order to post.

No I don’t like it. I like the variety of active threads and don’t want to read three of the same thing.

It's awful! So many threads being resurrected that make no sense!

No, it's providing fodder for unpleasant, goady posters who go plopping round the boards.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/site_stuff/4678030-what-is-this-you-might-also-like-clutter?page=1

This is the thread in Site Stuff with replies from MNHQ

Well my earlier post on this thread was nonsense as they have been moved. On Saturday when Strictly was on I had to keep scrolling past them to post.

Ah that's why there are so many zombies! I just had a look at one similar to another thread I posted on, and the person who resurrected the zombie was also on the current thread, so I think some people just don't realise, or check the date.

@WeAreTheHeroes I think it's only just been moved!

Definitely a good move to put them under the comments box.

But overall I'd far prefer it if MNHQ listened to what their content providers are saying, and just admit this was a mistake.

MN arsed up big time when they relaunched and did away with the advanced search function that worked well on the previous version. They should focus on fixing that as opposed to this paltry offering of irrelevant zombie threads (and the privacy concerns that go with that).

No. Fecking annoying.

Well they've made one change and moved the Similar Threads to below the Add your message here box - at least they've taken some small amount of feedback on board.

But yes, get rid of it! It really doesn't help when the title is AIBU? And then all suggestions are the same - who knows what they're about, probably all different AIBUs so not at all similar.

What I find funny is the thread in Site Stuff isn't suggested on this thread? Surely it should be as they're about the same thing

All of this, plus the board getting cluttered up with threads asking for advice about something was due to happen 6 months or a year ago is plain annoying.

If you are looking for something on a particular subject, you could use the search function, surely.

Threads on site stuff don't show as suggested threads

Threads on site stuff are also excluded from the new feature and don't show any similar threads

I guess this is because MNHQ implemented the feature to benefit new users so don't want to link them to issues / problems on the site.

@Hawkins001 yesterday you revived a thread yourself that was far from 'timeless' and didn't understand what you'd done or how you'd done it until I explained it to you

No. As far as I'm concerned they're completely pointless.

They were a major irritant when you had to scroll past them to get to the comments' box. Now they've been moved below the comments' box I'll probably never notice them again as I'm not going to scroll down to find them.

I'm on this thread at the moment and I happy with it, I don't need to be told that other threads are available.

It's bloody stupid!
More bumph to scroll through and a zombie reviver.

Who on earth thought it was a good idea?!

Awkward ...

The feature isn't available on Site Stuff, which is ironic - they made sure no similar complaints/threads would show up there.

Bumping Zombie threads - when a troll does it, it is so irritating that MN shut down new registrations for a bit to stop it happening. When MN do it, it's a feature. It's the inconsistency that is winding posters up. It is possible to turn it off, because they have already done that on boards where it might be distressing to have a post from years ago pop back up.

Nope, needs to go.

Are you for real? Which threads, exactly, are 'timeless'? If they're THAT good they'll be in Classics. Or do I mean 'Classics' since they're mostly works of complete fiction.