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

[Wondermoomin]

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.

The fact that there are no paid staff on at night time might mean it stays up until morning for everyone to see.

Wow! Totally misleading and dishonest!

Another one keen to see what they have to say by way of justification on this.

I quite enjoy getting those emails to see what people are recommending. Not a great look for MN.

I wonder if the rules around false advertising, using someone's words out of context to promote a product etc still apply when the person is anonymous.

I don't think it's a mistake; I think it's something they probably do regularly, and they've looked into it and know they're in the clear. All their revenue comes from advertising - they wouldn't cock that up with a stupid mistake.

So gazebo company pays MN, MN finds a post that’s vaguely positive and gazebo-related and then uses bits of it to fake a positive review of the client’s gazebo? Wtf?

We're the product. They can take what we post and use it how they want.

"they wouldn't cock that up with a stupid mistake."

And I never thought i'd see CSA images on MN, but you live and learn

False advertising not included

👀

Good point, good point.

Yeah, the bar is below ground now.

I’m just impressed that someone has managed to get the search function to work. Hasn’t that thing been knackered on here forever? My guess would be some bright spark has stuck ‘gazebo’ into search and lifted the first positive quote that was applicable.

Oh this is so disappointing to read. Mumsnet is the main site I search for decent product recommendations. I hope they will respond soon.

It will be the algorithms fault that was implemented by a new member of staff. But don’t worry we have fired them and are ever so sorry.

Dailymail on speed dial anyone? 🫣🤣

Bet they pin it on an intern and claim it was an honest accident.

They have a problem now though, because we'll all be searching for the user comment to see if it's ligit!

I like the Swears By emails and naively thought that they were real recommendations from real mumsnetters. Feel quite stupid now.

Eek.

Sad, isn't it?

Advertisers might see a real drop off due to this.

I certainly won't ever trust them again.

Oh, this is quite poor.

I saw that too!

I'm going to give mumsnet the benefit of the doubt that this was done in error for now, I do hope they respond and clarify how this happened.

Ooh this is disappointing.
Surprised MN have not yet commented. Bet this thread will magically go poof.

can’t trust anything anymore can you?

I’ve always thought these recommendations were genuine, not anymore. Such a shame

No, not really

They still need to comply with the law

Publishing misleading reviews was banned last month in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act

In theory MN can be fined a spectacular amount. In practice MN is low low down on the list of people to tackle.