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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not understand Mumsnet policy on thread deletion

82 replies

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:15

Why is it that a thread literally titled I hate Kids is allowed to run for days, yet a thread daring to question whether an elderly woman was rude is deleted quickly? Also there is currently a thread calling children vile names, such as Cretins and Crotch Droppings which has not been deleted. Will this be deleted as its in reference to other threads?

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SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/06/2023 09:16

Is this about the bus thread? I was reading it and it vanished. Shame because it was incredibly eye opening.

Skinnermarink · 03/06/2023 09:18

They need the traffic, so they keep controversial ones with a lot of posts up for far longer than they should. See also threads that are quite clearly bollocks but are generating a lot of visits to the site.

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:18

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/06/2023 09:16

Is this about the bus thread? I was reading it and it vanished. Shame because it was incredibly eye opening.

Yeah, I'll be honest I didn't read it all but it seemed fairly tame compared to some recent threads. It seems elderly people are a protected species when it come to criticism, but kids are fair game.

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Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:19

Skinnermarink · 03/06/2023 09:18

They need the traffic, so they keep controversial ones with a lot of posts up for far longer than they should. See also threads that are quite clearly bollocks but are generating a lot of visits to the site.

That makes sense I guess

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ImustLearn2Cook · 03/06/2023 09:20

Have you reported those threads about hating children and calling them vile names?

If you do report those threads and posts point out that hate speech and ageism applies to children too. It’s not ok to discriminate against people based on their age. If it’s wrong to discriminate against the elderly for their age then it is just as wrong to discriminate against children for their age.

Sirzy · 03/06/2023 09:21

I would imagine with a thread like that they have reason to believe it’s a troll - seemed to tick a lot of boxes!

Fandabedodgy · 03/06/2023 09:21

It seems elderly people are a protected species

Ageism is protected under the Equality Act

MN can no more let and ageist thread run on than a rabidly one

PS I agree the I hate children thread was awful but let's not justify ageism.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/06/2023 09:21

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:18

Yeah, I'll be honest I didn't read it all but it seemed fairly tame compared to some recent threads. It seems elderly people are a protected species when it come to criticism, but kids are fair game.

Also that thread showed Mumsnet in a very bad light.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 09:23

I think there's a higher % of older users who are more likely to complain?

Sigmama · 03/06/2023 09:23

Well it's not mumsnet that is shown in a bad light surely, just some posters, although I missed that thread which is a shame, sounds interesting!

polkadottysilly · 03/06/2023 09:23

I was wondering this too. There was a whole xenophobic thread last week and it was awful. It stayed up despite complaints and the pile on was really horrible. It even made the local news here.....

And yet other threads get removed willy nilly.

PP mentioning high web traffic has a very good point. 😔

ImustLearn2Cook · 03/06/2023 09:24

If it is about the bus thread, I don’t think it was discriminatory against the elderly woman. And I don’t think it should have been deleted. I only saw it at the beginning, when it was only a few pages long. So, maybe it got worse. Or maybe it had loads of people reporting it.

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:25

ImustLearn2Cook · 03/06/2023 09:20

Have you reported those threads about hating children and calling them vile names?

If you do report those threads and posts point out that hate speech and ageism applies to children too. It’s not ok to discriminate against people based on their age. If it’s wrong to discriminate against the elderly for their age then it is just as wrong to discriminate against children for their age.

Yes I did and so did other posters but MNHQ said they didn't break guidelines. The one still running refers to kids as shits, cretins and crotch droppings, so how that doesn't break guidelines is a mystery.

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nahwhale · 03/06/2023 09:25

I think they rely on reports

Softoprider · 03/06/2023 09:25

I think it might be the level of complaints against something that gets it deleted. I have had complaints made about some of my posts which the pearl clutchers have taken offence to and I am now on my Scarborough warning.

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:26

ImustLearn2Cook · 03/06/2023 09:24

If it is about the bus thread, I don’t think it was discriminatory against the elderly woman. And I don’t think it should have been deleted. I only saw it at the beginning, when it was only a few pages long. So, maybe it got worse. Or maybe it had loads of people reporting it.

Yes that's the one.

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ImustLearn2Cook · 03/06/2023 09:27

Fandabedodgy · 03/06/2023 09:21

It seems elderly people are a protected species

Ageism is protected under the Equality Act

MN can no more let and ageist thread run on than a rabidly one

PS I agree the I hate children thread was awful but let's not justify ageism.

Do you not think that hating children is ageism? Children are people too. Are they not also protected by anti discrimination laws?

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:28

Fandabedodgy · 03/06/2023 09:21

It seems elderly people are a protected species

Ageism is protected under the Equality Act

MN can no more let and ageist thread run on than a rabidly one

PS I agree the I hate children thread was awful but let's not justify ageism.

I quite agree but the poster wasn't using discrimination language, just asking if the woman was rude.

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Minfilia · 03/06/2023 09:30

Ironic really that this thread will probably get deleted too 😅

(maybe it’ll be moved to site stuff)

But yes, I do wonder about the deletion policy too. So many threads I’m following just go poof…

Minfilia · 03/06/2023 09:31

(And apparently transphobic threads are fine but ageist ones are not? Bonkers)

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:32

Minfilia · 03/06/2023 09:30

Ironic really that this thread will probably get deleted too 😅

(maybe it’ll be moved to site stuff)

But yes, I do wonder about the deletion policy too. So many threads I’m following just go poof…

Yes it probably will!

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SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/06/2023 09:32

Sigmama · 03/06/2023 09:23

Well it's not mumsnet that is shown in a bad light surely, just some posters, although I missed that thread which is a shame, sounds interesting!

Well yes but because the members make the forum what it is, when they're piling on to tell a woman with a terminal brain tumor that she needs to toughen up, mocking her "wobbly wee badge", saying she's about to drop dead, she's wasting her precious time etc, it doesn't show Mumsnet to be a nice place.

Paperlate · 03/06/2023 09:33

The bus thread got pretty wild. Lots of insults thrown around plus it was pretty ageist.

It also ticked a lot of troll boxes too.

hyggeb · 03/06/2023 09:33

Well yes but because the members make the forum what it is, when they're piling on to tell a woman with a terminal brain tumor that she needs to toughen up, mocking her "wobbly wee badge", saying she's about to drop dead, she's wasting her precious time etc, it doesn't show Mumsnet to be a nice place.

I missed that, Wow!

Regholdsworthswaterbed · 03/06/2023 09:35

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 03/06/2023 09:32

Well yes but because the members make the forum what it is, when they're piling on to tell a woman with a terminal brain tumor that she needs to toughen up, mocking her "wobbly wee badge", saying she's about to drop dead, she's wasting her precious time etc, it doesn't show Mumsnet to be a nice place.

Ah OK, I didn't get that far, that would explain, although surely they could have just deleted the nasty comments

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