AIBU - that sadly, MN is losing its way?

[IntoChanges]

I’ve been on here for a long time and it just feels like it’s not the same place anymore.☹️
It used to be full of useful advice, proper support, funny threads that would keep you reading for hours; the odd bunfight over parking or a real time thread to liven things up, building curiosity and tension. How invested were we!

Now it seems to be:

• endless politics (so much mis-information, which even when challenged isn't backed up with evidence)
• OPs who never come back after their first ‘interesting’ post (so what’s the point?)
• weirdly written stuff that doesn’t sound like a real person/situation at all
• and a lot of repeat topics/commonly applied situations that feel very ‘clickbait’
• no flow - posters jumping in when they haven't read the thread, saying the same thing again and again; endless arguing when posters take exception to something not directed at them; posters unable to accept a bigger picture of a majority rather than their one single view
• derailed threads (immigration, politics)

I miss the days when you could ask a silly question about your laundry habits, or what to cook for fussy toddlers, and get 100 replies that were funny, blunt, supportive or all three. That felt like the whole point of MN, quite light-hearted but sound advice by real people.

I know the site says it’s “for grown-ups” and they don’t want to over-moderate, which I do get.
But honestly — am I the only one who feels like MN is losing its way a bit? Or is this just where all SM/forums are heading?

I feel like if I ever write about an interpersonal conflict most comments side against me and a lot of them are really bitchy there's no need for that. I see that a lot here and so I always try to be nice to people and point out bullying.

Ive been on mn for a year - agree that i get a bit bored at times

Feels like there are a lot of bots

I can't say that it seems particularly different.
I've been on here for a long time.

It's not MN it's the world in general. We're increasingly becoming nasty and a bit thick unfortunately.

I think it’s become a lot bitchier in the last few years.

As for the click bait one post thread starters, I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but … let’s just say I don’t believe they are genuine in any way.

I think the only thing that's made it worse are the bots and AI. With MN being such a huge site, it's an obvious target for bots trying to push an agenda and destabilise things and I have occasionally reported posts that just seem to be stirring trouble.

Maybe you’ve just grown out of it? If you’ve been on here years you’ve seen it all before.

I agree re lots of bots and writers? journalists? politicians? trying out crackpot ideas.

I'm pleased it isn't just me thinking things have changed. For all of examples shared above.

Sad isn't it? I suppose I have a choice not to read, not to share or engage. ☹️

It’s turned into Meannet.

Yes i agree with this.

On MN I think there are some genuinely intelligent, informative and helpful posters. And they express themselves in an. empathetic way.

But I think increasingly there are some very aggressively unpleasant posters who work in tandem with each other. And their view point has nothing to do with reasoned, intelligent points of view. And everything to do with shouting down other posters who express individual, logical viewpoints which don't fit in with the herd mentality.

Too much AI content and disingenuous posts. They ruin things. Also people attributing thoughts and feelings to posters, pronounced with great certainty, are a bug bear of mine - by all means give your own opinion, however outrageous or out there it is, I will listen. But there’s literally no point in posters pretending they know what’s going on in the minds of others - they don’t!!

Sorry wrong quote!😳

Absolutely.

Sometimes it feels like people just get pleasure out of being nasty to the OP.

On some threads I get the impression that the replies are being nasty to/siding against the OP for no other reason than just to be spiteful and argumentative.

Passive aggressive (and direct nastiness) appears all the time against the OP for no reason whatsoever.

It’s so unpleasant and uncalled for.

People are much, much nastier.

The advice does get a bit repetitive.
man does something wrong LTB he’s abusive
woman does something wrong don’t criticise her that’s misogynistic
everyone seems to earn 100k + a year
everyone has a hobby which they cannot mention otherwise it will be ‘too outing’
evening wedding invitations are the rudest thing ever

No, that's the point. I haven't seen all of this before, only now.

I almost feel that all threads are ‘interrupted’ with an agenda, that is if they are not started with an agenda anyway.

I’ve been here years and it definitely feels slightly different. Too many fake posts and trolls, posters quoting ChatGPT and when you scroll down Active these days it’s the same posts constantly appearing. I feel like the site has more users and yet somehow people are actually posting less.

It seems to come in waves though. I like the holiday forum which is generally always busier in summer months. Posters seem to get much more miserable and anxious as winter/Christmas approaches.
And yes, I guess when you’ve been on here long enough, it’s the same old subjects going round and round - useless husband, unlikeable mother in law and cheeky fucker friends.

That said, i was just thinking today how I used to be addicted to twitter, but now I am rarely ever on there

Change is the way of the world 😪

Honestly? It's been about 15 years here for me under many different guises...I think it's always been a bit hit and miss...I've seen and still do see incredible acts of support and kindness alongside some "viper pit" responses. I think arguably the bot situation has increased but that's true of the Internet in general.

Mumsnet used to keep me laughing for hours. It’s years since I’ve read anything worthy of classics. 😞

I think a good proportion of the world has always been nasty and a bit thick, we just see so much more of it now with social media and the internet. 40/50 years ago you could avoid most of those people, now you open up your phone and they’re there waiting for you.

I noticed its sense of humour lessened around Covid, and because we all have so much to worry about now it doesn’t seem to have recovered fully.

I agree, coming into my 9th year on MN. A lot more bitchy and a lot less humour! Also, does anyone remember the threads about what you were wearing that day, with posters photos?! They were great and I often wondered what happened to those!

I actually really like the troll posts sometimes they're funny