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AIBU?

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Original poster

MN have used my quote to promote a product I’ve never bought 🤔

979 replies

Wondermoomin · 01/05/2025 20:52

AIBU to expect MN recommendations, where they quote a poster/member, to be genuine?

I like being able to rely on recommendations in MN swears by and other emails. I excitedly opened an email with the subject “Big bargains for our most loyal Mumsnetters” wondering what MN could make me buy this time (I should probably get other hobbies).

Imagine my surprise to see my own username quoted there with a recommendation! Imagine my further surprise when I realised it was a post I wrote almost 8 years ago, and it was being used directly under a specific product to give the impression I was recommending it - and I’ve never even owned that particular thing mine was more expensive.

I don’t like posts being misrepresented as a recommendation for a specific product. It makes me question the credibility of other MN recommendations.

Hoping I’ll manage to attach screenshots.

PS my gazebo broke but I’ve replaced it. Still not with the brand I supposedly recommended according to the MN email.

MN have used my quote to promote a product I’ve never bought 🤔
MN have used my quote to promote a product I’ve never bought 🤔
OP posts:
Thread gallery
63
TURNYOURCAPSLOCKOFF · 05/05/2025 14:52

Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 14:48

Remember that MN has said here on their Swears By stuff that every item is recommended. Nobody has recommended that robot lawnmower that they said “Mumsnet Swears By”

Show quote history

They're also lying when they say nobody pays to be in swears by. NOBODY TRUSTS @MNHQ NOW. so why would we believe that line?

They're just advertising these products for free apropos of nothing?

Bollox.

Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:00

Shynapple · 02/05/2025 14:22

Here's another one. A recommendation from xmasdealhunter for a childrens camera but they are actually talking about an item on Amazon that has great reviews. Who is to say what the quality is like on the former? (Images added)

This is another example of MN using a quote from someone about a specific item to promote a different item.

OP posts:
RockyRogue1001 · 05/05/2025 15:01

Zonder · 05/05/2025 13:39

I did a TAAT a few days ago if that's of any use.

But it's it site stuff, I think, so doesn't get a huge amount of traffic

Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:03

JessyCarr · 02/05/2025 14:47

Best Tablet for Kids in 2025? As “highly recommended by Mumsnet families”?

MN Swears By says the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet is the best for toddlers. It’s apparently recommended by RestingPandaFace, who’s quoted as saying “Kids’ fire is really easy to set up and pretty indestructible”.

What in fact she said (in October 2021) was “Kids’ kindle fire is really easy to set up and pretty indestructible”. Her words appear to have been edited to delete the reference to “Kindle” which would have betrayed the fact that she was talking about a now-obsolete product.

Another one. MN edited out the key bit of info that would have revealed that the poster was recommending a now-obsolete item, and they put the quote against a different item.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:04

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 02/05/2025 14:51

Ive just gone through the MN Swears by tab and its a crock of shite.

For example, the washing lines

  • One quote is pulled from a thread about an entirely different product
  • One Quote is 13 years old, doesnt specidy the one they are refering to and the link the user posts doesnt work
  • There's another (for a £25 Argos one) that is old and is about a different Argos one.
This is ONE category, so basically they don't actually give a fuck

Here’s what another user concluded going through “Swears By”

OP posts:
Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:06

Shynapple · 02/05/2025 20:09

Generic recommendation, not for Hangsun

Another example of using a generic recommendation against a specific named brand that nobody has ever recommended.

OP posts:
WouldYouEverCOMEON · 05/05/2025 15:07

Hamandpineapplepizza · 05/05/2025 14:43

If I wasn't aware of this thread, and later heard about it and discovered MN had suppressed it I would feel incredibly cross about it

If you are making commission off the posts of your members you need to at least treat them with some degree of respect, however belatedly

This. MN members are clicking and spending money right now - based on 'Mumsnet Swears By...' recommendations. They have no idea that those recommendations are in fact fictional BS, because MN are suppressing the fact.

Absolutely shocking contempt for members of this site.

Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:09

Shynapple · 02/05/2025 20:22

This is a great one. Recommendation for Russel Hobbs heater but StarDolphins is reviewing a bargain she got for £8.50.

I could keep going but have things to do. All I will say is from my limited search, this is rife.

Also in some way it's theft of a review for another product. Its funny how StarDolphins link to the product she is reviewing is not featured.

Another completely mismatched quote and recommendation.

OP posts:
Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:11

NamechangeforLCJ · 03/05/2025 18:10

On the Swears By page on the website I counted:

64 articles that have been edited on May 1 or May 2, 2025.

11 articles that have not been edited on May 1 or May 2, 2025.

The Swears By articles edited on 2 May 2025 included one about best Black Friday deals of 2024 for electric blankets and heated throws.

I wonder what prompted that article to have been updated yesterday, on one of the hottest days of the year, long after Black Friday 24 was over?

Edited

This shows some of the extent of the editing spree that ensued

OP posts:
Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:14

homeedmam · 02/05/2025 22:22

This is a long thread, but just to be sure I have understood...

Literally no one ever in the whole of Mumsnet history has recommended the Outsunny Gazebo or Russel Hobbs plug in fan heater.
Never even made a slightly positive post about them.

But Mumsnet for some reason needed to promote them as being recommended by Mumsnetters 🤔

So they found some quotes about completely different gazebos and heaters, edited them a bit so it wasn't obvious, and emailed out those quotes as the recommendations?

This is a lovely concise summary

OP posts:
Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:16

My flurry of posts seems to have got this thread back up in the top page of active 🥳

MN have used my quote to promote a product I’ve never bought 🤔
OP posts:
NormaMajors1992coat · 05/05/2025 15:17

Might also be worth reposting the patronising and deceptive communications from MN @Wondermoomin

Hamandpineapplepizza · 05/05/2025 15:18

Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:16

My flurry of posts seems to have got this thread back up in the top page of active 🥳

Ah well done!

JaneJeffer · 05/05/2025 15:20

Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:16

My flurry of posts seems to have got this thread back up in the top page of active 🥳

Don’t post too much in a short time or MN will put you on cool down for 20 minutes!

Tryingtokeepgoing · 05/05/2025 17:04

Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 15:11

This shows some of the extent of the editing spree that ensued

Show quote history

It’s a bit amateurish mass-editing historic posts to try and conceal the dodgy practices. The evidence will exist on the web on archived sites anyway, not to mention the emails they’ve sent out over the years. Those aren’t deletable…. Is the virtual shredder working overtime in MNHQ this weekend I wonder 🤣

Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 17:20

Yes I agree. Whether you view the editing as a cover-up or as corrections, it shows how prevalent the practice is (not an isolated cock-up and not a tiny minority and not 1%).

OP posts:
Tryingtokeepgoing · 05/05/2025 17:24

Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 14:37

It’s a long thread, and I know that some people will show all of OP’s posts only, as a way of catching up on a thread they haven’t been following, so I’ll try to do a quick summary and will pull out some key posts/sources…

  • MN were caught out, allegedly acting in breach of ASA guidelines among other things
  • The thread was temporarily hidden
  • MN then provided a few explanation posts saying that this was a one-off cock-up and sorry that we MNers were confused
  • Then we were told that in 99% of cases, the quotes refer to the specific products being featured; in a tiny minority, they are referring to a generic product category and will make that clearer
  • Several users easily discovered multiple other examples, suggesting that it wasn’t just 1% of cases, or a one-off cock-up
  • MN went on an editing spree of their swears by/recommendations sections (editing about 64 out of 75 things), also suggesting it’s not just 1% or an isolated cock-up
  • The thread largely disappears from active and trending, suggesting it’s been suppressed
  • MN says it hasn’t been suppressed, threads appear in active based on popularity and how new they are
  • Another MN source shows that they do sometimes remove threads from active to give them a chance to “calm down”

Let me try sharing a few posts for anyone just arriving who might be filtering only on my posts.

I think it’s worth as many people as possible reporting this apparent breach of ASA standards, fake reviews and misleading “swears by” emails to the ASA! This needs to be brought to their, and Mumsnet’s advertisers, attention by as many people as possible. Anyone know the most effective way of highlighting it?

Spies · 05/05/2025 17:26

Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 17:20

Yes I agree. Whether you view the editing as a cover-up or as corrections, it shows how prevalent the practice is (not an isolated cock-up and not a tiny minority and not 1%).

Indeed, that comment was about as believable as their comment saying the thread wasn't being kept out of active. 😅

AngelicKaty · 05/05/2025 17:26

Tryingtokeepgoing · 05/05/2025 17:24

I think it’s worth as many people as possible reporting this apparent breach of ASA standards, fake reviews and misleading “swears by” emails to the ASA! This needs to be brought to their, and Mumsnet’s advertisers, attention by as many people as possible. Anyone know the most effective way of highlighting it?

Show quote history

I posted this link many pages ago and OP has already used it to make a complaint: https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html

Make a complaint

Quickly and easily submit your ad complaint with us online.

https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html

Tryingtokeepgoing · 05/05/2025 17:31

AngelicKaty · 05/05/2025 17:26

I posted this link many pages ago and OP has already used it to make a complaint: https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html

Show quote history

Thank you. I think I will as well; the more complaints the better I’d have thought!

Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 17:37

This thread is filling up and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to link to part 2 later on if I’m busy, so here we go now:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5329058-part-2-mn-misrepresentation-in-recommendations-a-depressing-blend-of-abject-amateurism-and-outright-greed

OP posts:
Original poster
Wondermoomin · 05/05/2025 17:37

I wonder if that one will make it to active 🤔

OP posts:
SnakesAndArrows · 05/05/2025 17:52

Thanks for starting the new thread.

Spies · 05/05/2025 17:53

Funny how this thread still isn't showing in active...

SnakesAndArrows · 05/05/2025 17:53

And this one is way down in Active.