Damaging off-topic comments

[mranchovy]

The occasional annoying, irrelevant, off-topic or unhelpful comment is an inevitable feature of internet discussions. However, an increasing number of posts that are actively damaging to the interests of people coming to Mumsnet for help and advice are detracting from the excellent information given in many cases by skilled, qualified and experienced experts in their field.

I ask that Mumsnet should use the discretion witheld in its terms to remove all material posted from the accounts of individuals who repeatedly make such posts, and take steps to prevent any more potentially harmful posts by such individuals.

I am writing this with some regret, partly because I feel some empathy for the individuals who make such posts and wish I could offer them some help that would enable them to participate in online discussion in a more constructive way, and partly because I have an emotional attachment to the concept of free speech. However, in any society that is not an anarchy, freedom must be limited where its exercise impinges on the rights of others. In this case it appears that the interests of many people, over a considerable amount of time have been and are continuing to be harmed by certain individuals exercising the freedom to post on Mumsnet and I assert that this freedom should be removed from those individuals. If you disagree, I would be interested to know why.

@CaptainNancy No, I am unrelated to Anchovy - she has not posted here for some years I think so I hoped there would be no confusion.

@QueenGigantaurofMnet

i don't think it needs a "least bad" acton though.

this is a public forum that invites the contirbutions of all. both the professionals and laymen, the degree educated and the left school at 15's.

it is precisely that mix that makes it the site that it is.

Agreed

Newcomers to the site may well be overwhelmed by the breadth of "advice" they recieve but they should not be treated as stupid.

Not stupid, but often vulnerable

but also that those whohave had a bad experience are just as entitled to offer advice as you or i.
their experiences are just as valid and indeed worthy of consideration.

In some cases though posts are not made on the basis of any experience, just a second-hand regurgitation of things that have been read, assumptions and generalisations which results in something that is just plain wrong and definately not valid or worthy of consideration.

Take a scenario where a parent wants some advice about unexpected involvement from Social Services. This parent cannot understand why Social Services have become involved in their family situation. They have no previous experience of Social Services involvement - only what they read/see in the media. Panic sets in and and they come here for advice/support.
Sympathy from other posters follow. They can't offer advice but do get support nevertheless. Along comes someone with legal or SS experience and offers concrete advice about what to do based on professional experience.
Enter Mr Axegrinder with his usual putdown of social services - in fact anyone in authority and he takes the thread as his own and uses his own situation - OP disappears.
This happens on other sites where Mr Axegrinder posts.
It's not tolerated on other sites - it's tolerated here and he knows it.

@CaptainNancy I outed myself here.

Exactly Marjoriew. Does this make Mumsnet less good than it could be? I think so, that's why I am speaking up.

Oh wonderful. Censorship

This is not a place where experts have the final say. It's a place where people give their advice and relate their experiences.

I believe in freedom of speech but along with that goes responsibility. Mr Axegrinder has a personal agenda and uses vulnerable people to forward that agenda. I don't think it is then censorship to delete his comments.

But surely there is a consensus of opinion which you go with or ignore. BLW, BF, Co-sleeping, Boden, heck shredding and FLY. These are all MN biggies, yet I did none of them.

I give my small child fruit shoots from time to time. We even go occasionally to McD's . MN isn't the BIBLE. It is a great place to go for feedback and advice. Those threads where specific advice is needed - it is ALWAYS suggested that you sse the professionals. CAB, Women's Aid, Samaritans etc etc.

what a pile of pooh
if someone posts in sn and asks advice, surely to god people give the best advice they can.
and that might mean a few people disagreeing.

@Ormirian

I hate the idea of censorship, but I hate the effect of these posts more as I have said below.

And I absolutley agree that this is not a place where experts have the final say. It's a place where people give their advice and relate their experiences.

But the posts that I am talking about do not give genuine advice or relate experiences, they fall into 3 general categories:

1. Irrelevant questions or comments
2. Incorrect, misleading or ill-informed statements that are not given as advice in any normal meaning of the word (I am not going to speculate now on why these statements may be made)
3. Extreme generalisations that may be based on experience but this experience is never related, the generalisation is just repeated or topic changed

But the person I am thinking of doesn't try to give good advice. That is the whole point. They try to forward their agenda with no thought to the person actually in need. The whole thread then gets completely hijacked as people try to point out the flaws in their arguments whilst the axegrinder rants away with no thought to the OP and the problems they are facing. It is incredibly arrogant and has nothing to do with giving good or relevant advice.

And why do you care exactly? Do you feel you have been given misleading advice in the past? Or is it just that you feel superior to us "normal" humans who can make their own minds up and want to protect us from something nasty?

if this a thread about one poster, speak to them or email mn hq,

i think there is a distinct difference between someone like claire khaw posting on here just to riase her own profile and not offer anything to a discussion other than to divert the discussion for her own means, and someone who has had an experience and wishes to share it.

I do recognise the scenario that marjorie describes though. As i have said, i have requested to posters like that that they seek help for their own situation as they are very hung up on it and although they want to help others they arent yet in a position where they can view a situation objectivly.

posters like that can't be deleted. it would be disregarding their experiences.

MN is aware of him. Other situations have been brought to their attention.
He just changes his name and comes back again with the same behaviour.

him?

Spill then!

Because the whole point of Mumsnet is to be supportive. I have no idea whether the people I am thinking of are the same as Mranchovy and I do email MNHQ.

It is absolutely nothing to do with feeling superior and that is a shitty thing to say. It is about community.

Yes, 'him' - although he regularly posts under female usernames.

oh, fgs, just say who we are talking about

I know him from other forums.

Previously Lucinda Carlisle - now West Virginia.

"It is absolutely nothing to do with feeling superior and that is a shitty thing to say. It is about community."

I was talking about the OP.

dunno who "him" is.

if it is always the same poster then whoever is first to the scene just posts "op this is a troll. mnhq are aware, please ignore" and then ignore!

just carry on with the thread without even acknowldgeing the posts

Lucinda Carlisle (or West Virginia at the moment)