Part 2: MN misrepresentation in recommendations: a depressing blend of abject amateurism and outright greed

[Wondermoomin]

Welcome to part 2. The quote I’ve added in the title is actually a generic quote about MNHQ not specifically about product recommendations, but it’s very eloquent and quotable.

Here is part one: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5326652-mn-have-used-my-quote-to-promote-a-product-ive-never-bought

And here’s a brief summary so far:

• 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 disappeared 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”

Please feel free to use this thread to capture any other examples you find, to update on anything you hear back from ASA, to provide your own professional or common sense input.

If you don’t agree, it’s probably not the thread for you so please feel free to pass on by! An issue doesn’t have to be the most pressing matter of our times to be important, and I think it’s important that trusted brands don’t mislead consumers.

Even if this thread and the previous one are disappeared, you can't disappear TrustPilot reviews...

Just saying. https://trustpilot.com/review/mumsnet.com

im just reading up on this. Why do you all keep saying it’s in the Active thread? What’s the implication that I’m missing?

The previous thread started by Wondermoomin raising this issue last week mysteriously vanished from active threads despite MNHQ saying they hadn't removed it from active threads. We all suspect it was in fact very heavily suppressed from appearing so no more people saw the thread and learnt what was happening. This thread by comparison rises to the top of active threads each time it's posted on.

Great detective work to those who have uncovered more examples of this. I wonder if we will get a response today...

Surely all trust in the recommends section has gone now. They'll need to think of another, genuine, way of advertising products

I'm disappointed. MNHQ this is very shabby.

I’m aware that they may be ordering a new patio out the back of MNHQ and if they can’t bury the issue, they may choose to bury me.

Hopefully this won’t be my last on it, but thank you for everything that posters have done to uncover this issue, give their support, and provide the legal perspective. I merely found the one-off cock-up, who could have known we’d go on to find all this…

Hope they don't use their Swears By Patio recommendation...

At one time they used to do product tests, sending out the product for a selection of MNetters to review - the reviews seemed quite honest, people would point out flaws in the product if they didn't like it.

I've been lurking since the first thread and I just want to say well done to @Wondermoomin and other posters for highlighting just how widespread this issue is.

I'm curious to know if we will get another response from MNHQ this morning, especially as they've continued to send out swear by emails.

An open and transparent apology with a promise to do better would be a good start. As others have said, I hope it won’t be some patronising, meaningless PR-style waffle.

Blimey. This is all very murky.

Manipulating reviews on car seats and any other safety equipment is reprehensible, if that’s also happened.

It also shows how daft the “recommended product type” excuse is - fancy that, you recommend that parents own this type of product that’s required by law and nobody has gone without for decades. How helpful.

If people do discover other examples, please can I ask that you make a complaint to ASA to help show that this is widespread.

They might now 😂

Glad we have a second thread and it's pretty amazing that examples of the 1% of misleading recommendations are still being found.

Maybe numbers are different in Mumsnet HQ.

Yes I recommend you have a product that washes your clothes. If you need to wash your clothes. I would also recommend food if you want to want to feed children.

Want to propel yourself on two wheels by the power of your legs? I recommend bicycles .

Want to go on holiday? I recommend leaving your house for a short period of time

MN: Looking to buy a vacuum cleaner? You'd like to know which one's great? Which one will vacuum the best with the least noise and is super cheap? Here's a here's a relevant and helpful comment from a mumsnetter in order to help you decide to buy this Dyssson Maxxiflow Vortex 3300i.

MNer: I have a vacuum cleaner.

I've helped resolve many a cock-up in the past. What often works is just a clear apology.

"At mumsnet, we have found a range of errors in how recommendation quotes have been applied in the past. We have done a clean-up and put in place new approval processes to prevent this sort of error from occurring again. We tried to hide the article because it's embarrassing, and we are sorry for that too."

Not exciting enough to make me stop blocking ads, but entertaining. Thanks for the audit effort OP and other contributors.

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

Agreed

I'm enjoying that MNs recommended "similar threads" for this include one entitled "fake reviews from businesses"

I really hope the continued silence from MNHQ on this is because they are lawyered up and working out what to say, rather than just hoping it goes away.