Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Friend asking me to sign an NDA

351 replies

Shinebrightinthenight · 02/01/2023 16:45

Aibu to refuse to sign it? I don’t understand why people would feel the need to put a friend that they trust under an NDA. She’s asked all her other friends to sign NDA’s as well so not just me. She is quite well known (was in the public eye) but nothings happened recently to cause this so it seems quite random to now be wanting to put us all under NDA. The NDA’s are proper ones as well that have been wrote by lawyers.

OP posts:
Onnabugeisha · 02/01/2023 17:05

I’d run the NDA by my own legal counsel and amend as necessary.

Obviously, the friend isn’t going the share the info covered by the NDA in advance of you signing it, so it’s perfectly normal that you would not know about anything coming up or know anything worth selling at this point on the process.

I wouldn’t reject it out of hand, I’d only not sign if my legal counsel advised me not to. That would probably be a safe way to not sign but keep some level of friendship.

Beautiful3 · 02/01/2023 17:05

It's a contract. You could be sued for breach of contract. I personally wouldn't sign one, unless it's for work. You gain nothing positive by signing one. I'd say, no thanks.

Hmmmmnotsure · 02/01/2023 17:05

She probably watched 'Rooney Vs Vardy' and got nervous.

Buffypaws · 02/01/2023 17:06

Why tf would you? I have to sign NDAs regularly to bid on work. We are getting something out of it. The opportunity to bid for a project and make money. The client has to share the details so that the bidders can form a proposal. I cannot see why you’d sign one just because you are friends with someone who thinks she is interesting.

Wfhandbored · 02/01/2023 17:06

I guess it depends on how important the friendship is to you, if my best friend had become famous and needed those around her to do it as advised by a lawyer I'd do it, for someone I wasn't overly arsed about I probably wouldn't bother

Newwardrobe · 02/01/2023 17:06

parietal · 02/01/2023 16:59

you typically ask people to sign an NDA before you disclose important info. so maybe she has something to share (pregnancy / weddings / family stuff) but wants to keep it from the press. so if she thinks an NDA is the only way to protect her privacy, then she can go for it.

if you don't want to sign, you'll have to get the gossip second hand and online like everyone else.

If my famous or even not famous friend told me something in confidence, then I wouldn't go telling anyone else , I wouldn't need an NDA in order to keep my trap shut.

ILoveeCakes · 02/01/2023 17:06

I don't think I'd sign away my right to speak.

Not that I'd sell stories to the papers, as I'd find that dirty, but I wouldn't sign up for a gagging order either - that would also feel dirty.

Greatly · 02/01/2023 17:06

For context, I had newspapers ringing me making me really attractive offers. Perhaps some people would be swayed by them.

My friend had just done something which was about to make him very famous - perhaps your friend is on the cusp of something she can't talk about. Maybe the show has demanded it?

TheYummyPatler · 02/01/2023 17:07

Lenald · 02/01/2023 17:01

I really don’t think it’s a big deal. She’s a good friend and she wants reassurance- do
it.

The UK media are vicious and are responsible for several deaths - it must be a terrifying position to be in. Not knowing who to trust, never having anyone to talk to.

do it - provide some comfort for your friend and carry on being the great mate you are.

It’s incredibly weird to ask your friends - who you’ve known for some time - to sign legal documents like NDAs. Weird.

The request itself puts your friends in an uncomfortable position where they have to sign a document on the basis that they are assumed untrustworthy otherwise.

It’s one thing for an employer to ask… but really weird for personal relationships.

I wouldn’t sign one.

wizzywig · 02/01/2023 17:08

Has she been watching rooney and vardy?

Onnabugeisha · 02/01/2023 17:08

Newwardrobe · 02/01/2023 17:06

If my famous or even not famous friend told me something in confidence, then I wouldn't go telling anyone else , I wouldn't need an NDA in order to keep my trap shut.

Show quote history

Unfortunately famous people are vulnerable to charmers they let into their private lives and then sell their private info. They don’t have the luxury of trusting friends like normal nonfamous people do.

doitordontdoit · 02/01/2023 17:08

Greatly · 02/01/2023 17:06

For context, I had newspapers ringing me making me really attractive offers. Perhaps some people would be swayed by them.

My friend had just done something which was about to make him very famous - perhaps your friend is on the cusp of something she can't talk about. Maybe the show has demanded it?

But this wouldn't require all friends to sign an NDA if she shouldn't be talking about it anyway

kingtamponthefurred · 02/01/2023 17:08

I'd want at least a low five figure sum before I would sign anything of the sort.

ImAvingOops · 02/01/2023 17:09

I wouldn't sign it - my friends either trust me or they don't!

secular39 · 02/01/2023 17:10

I would not hesitate signing this. If she just singled you out- I Willis have understood. But she is making all her friends sign it- so therefore I would. In an ideal world, we would trust our friends not to stab us in the back but this is not always the case and many friendships go sour. I'll sign,

Greatly · 02/01/2023 17:10

ImAvingOops · 02/01/2023 17:09

I wouldn't sign it - my friends either trust me or they don't!

I don't think you can necessarily trust your friends if you are famous tbh.

Whowhatwherewhenwhynow · 02/01/2023 17:10

I’d just say no. The Maybe suggest she just not tell you about or include you in anything she doesn’t trust you with. Make sure she knows that’s not a bitchy comment but a genuine comment

Barbie222 · 02/01/2023 17:11

There'll be something about to come out that her friends could corroborate/ add juice to / shit stir and she will be trying to stop up as many potential leaks as she can.

IncompleteSenten · 02/01/2023 17:11

If it's come out of nowhere then the obvious question is what the fuck has she done that's about to come out!

What will happen if you refuse to sign it?
She stops being your friend?
How much do you value having her in your life? Is it worth signing something?

Cakecakecheese · 02/01/2023 17:11

Has she even explained why? Like if she said 'my agent thinks it's a good idea because of the upcoming show,if you don't mind' I'd be more minded to do it if asked nicely than if she'd just sent it to you without a heads up.

butterfliedtwo · 02/01/2023 17:12

EmmaDilemma5 · 02/01/2023 17:04

Why wouldn't you sign it?

Friendships, like any relationship, do often end. Sometimes not nicely. So it's common sense for her to want an NDA, it's not personal.

If it was my friend, I'd sign it no problem.

Agree. I think it's sensible.

Notthetoothfairy · 02/01/2023 17:13

Depends, what is she offering you to sign it?

handbagsandholidays · 02/01/2023 17:13

I would ask the specific reason for it before deciding whether to sign.

Soothsayer1 · 02/01/2023 17:14

she sounds rather self important!

Tulipomania · 02/01/2023 17:14

I have signed several NDAs for work-related stuff, but this seems a bit odd.

What happens if you don't sign it?

Swipe left for the next trending thread