If you’re a regular user: Is MN your guilty secret or are you open about using it regularly?

[Theboredpanda]

I’m just wondering if it’s just me or if everyone does this…I’m a regular user, but never in a million years would I admit that to anyone in my real life! If I want to talk about something i saw on here to someone IRL, I may say something like “I saw this thing on MN” and make a self-deprecating joke about how I’m a bit of a loser for being on it. I’d never admit that I’m a regular user or that I have debates with strangers on here or use it for anything other than asking for parenting advice occasionally. Does everyone else do the same or are you open about it with your friends & wider social circle? If not, why not?

Why on Earth would you suggest you were a “loser” for reading Mumsnet?

Internalised misogyny?

I’m very open about it but no one I know gives two hoots as far as I know, unless they’re all closeted.

I just mention it if I'm talking about something I've read on here. Just like I do other social media sites.

It’s a guilty pleasure (mostly). I don’t know anyone IRL who uses MN. I used to change username regularly to avoid outing but I don’t actually care anymore. There’s nothing I’ve posted that I wouldn’t say IRL.

Same with me. 😊

Same here - no kids but as I often tell people, there are forums about everything on Mumsnet.

Guilty secret here

I have told some of my friends that i use mumsnet. I haven't told my mum though as she doesn't understand how chat forums work.

Toal guilty secret. I wouldn’t tell anyone I use mumsnet.

My immediate family knows. My youngest has been known to say ‘I suppose you read that on Mumsnet’ in what strikes me as a rather mocking tone, so I regret him ever knowing😅 I have never mentioned it to anyone else. But then I don’t discuss any of my internet browsing habits with anyone.

I read and post on a number of different forums. It's not a secret. I'll occasionally talk about things I've read but I'd probably just refer to something I'd seen 'on a forum' for simplicity.

There was an hysterical thread some months back about 'Top Tips' and I was in tears of laughter at some of the 'Take A Break' magazine Tips with photos 😂

I sent the link to my adult DC, but that's the only time it's ever been mentioned by me.

Guilty secret.

But also it's a bit like finding the perfect little getaway and you don't want to tell anyone because you know it will get spoiled.

People who don't use MN think it's a parenting website. Men especially tend to stay away. Where else do you get that on such a large forum.

So, don't ask, don't tell. Shhh 🤐

Bit of a guilty pleasure.

I suspect most of my friends do browse, but there's only one who's ever said. We commented to each other that there's always already been on a thread on Mumsnet about everything.

My DP knows I'm addicted. He will sometimes say "what does Mumsnet say about that?" Or even just "What's happening on Mumsnet today?"

I've been here 17+ years and learnt loads about all sorts of things. Including that some people are nuts! Whether or not some stories are made up, I've read plenty that have vindicated how I felt in certain situations or have taught me to think about things from perspectives I wouldn't have considered.

And I lived through quite a specific relationship breakdown scenario. I use one particular username to point others to appropriate support when it crops up on the Relationships board.

No I don't tell anyone.

I just say 'I saw this thing online'.

I tell people if it comes up. Don't really care if they think it's weird.

DH knows I'm on here, as do my DC, but they have no idea how much or what I post about.

Friends know I read it. I've spotted one friend on here, but either she's name-changed or she's given it up.

I tend to do what Cotswolds Camilla said.

But I 'fessed up to mid-20s niece and she said, 'oh, it's my secret vice!'

It raises questions to me about the belittling of women's opinions though. 'Oh, it's only a bunch of silly bored women...'

Something to do with the word 'Mum' maybe? Only a bunch of silly internet mums?

Misogyny is real, from men and women and perhaps we've internalised it more than we think. Raaaah!

My immediate family know I’m on here, and think it’s quite funny! But we often discuss (over dinner) scenarios that have come up on here, and they admit some of them are fascinating/shocking/whatever.

Anyone outside of the people I live with don’t know about it though, for all the reasons others have stated!

I’m out and proud, been here 17 years and reference it a lot. Have also converted a couple of friends. I even told one my user name so she could spot me

Oh and about 10 years ago when we were moving DH suggested I float on mm the area we were planning to go to to see what people suggested. I did and we moved elsewhere in the end. And we chos a holiday destination based on mumsnet also and had a fab Easter break in 2024.

This is fascinating - it never occurred to me to be embarrassed but I probably should be , because most people I know despise mn for justifiable reasons 😳.

It definitely has a reputation that is far worse than Reddit - which no one has a problem with admitting using.

I think it's becoming a bit like admitting to reading the Daily Mail 👀

Only dh knows I use mumsnet. I don't tell people in real life because mumsnet has a bad reputation especially about certain things and I don't want to be associated with that.

Of course people know what it is! It’s one of the biggest chat forums on the internet. I discovered it many years before I ever went on it because every time you used to google something like “how long to reheat a chicken curry for” or whatever, one of the first results would be someone who’d asked the same on Mumsnet. Not so much anymore cos everyone just looks at AI now, but definitely up until recently it popped up in the search results of loads of random things you’d search. I guess I’m embarrassed cos in my world it seems to have a reputation of being snobby, conservative (although it’s not really), pearl clutching etc. Basically not very cool. I’d be far more likely to admit going on Reddit, although I’d still be unlikely to ever admit posting on any kind of internet forum. I guess it makes you look a little like a billy no mates (which I know is ridiculous cos people post to random stranger followers on insta all the time)