Reporting PMs

[SuePurblybilt]

If you get a nasty PM, is there a way to report it easily - I cannot see one? Could you look into a 'report message' button or a forwarding tool to bring the message to MN's attention?

Apologies if there is an easy way and I have missed it.

Sending e-mail to [email protected] should get it sorted.

This question of unwelcome PMs has been raised before.

Hi SuePurblyBilt.

Thanks for raising this. Yes, currently we do say in our PM guidelines that you should mail [email protected]

But perhaps adding a Report function would make more sense. We'll look into it.

Well yes, I did figure it out - in the end I copied, pasted and reported my own post to send it off so I should imagine it'll come to the same end. I just thought a 'report pm' clicky on the message might make life easier. For u anyway , you'd get loads more reported mails I imagine.

Sorry if it's been done before, I didn't realise.

Sorry, x posted with Helen.
Thanks for the response. And please ignore the 'u', it is poor typing and NOT textspeak

Hello. All PMs now have a Report the message link at the top.

It's quite sad that there needs to be this facility.

Unfortunately, some people "take offence" at getting a personal message. Here's what I got when I asked something in parallel to a threat (state of mind of a regular was being discussed, with/without her viewing - it was not clear as her posts were infrequent but worrying. Someone else posted something, I queried it and the following came my way :-

"and why are you PMing this rather than dealing with it on the thread?

I'm quite happy to back up my post in public.

i don't need to be harrangued in my inbox about it."

So my decision to query something sensitive separately was under fire. Of course she could have blocked me, and not responded if she wanted, but that was back in December and because it was a temporary (Christmas) name I never know if I might 'offend' again, simply by sending her (under another nick) a PM if there is some situation where I feel a PM is preferable to posting inside a thread.

Never had a dodgy PM, have had some v nice ones.

I would report it by opening up a thread, C&P it in there and drawing everyone's attention to the way losers behave

POinting & laughing is the way ahead

Unfortunately (a) there might have been a 'dodgy' PM sent by mistake (have you never clicked the wrong 'Message poster' entry, and what one person may find funny, could offend an accidental recipient, and (b) if there are personal attacks made on this so-called 'loser', then posting the message in a public thread might be seen as intending for the person to be 'attacked', and would not be something MNHQ favours, I feel sure.

MNHQ seems to prefer to deal with matters very much 'behind the scenes' as there can be a poor image presented if the actions of posters goes far out of control, and some threads do include a lot of vitriol...

I'm sure it depends on context (and content). Dozens of PMs sent, dozens received, and for the vast majority, content would not be appropriate on the thread.

In many there may be 'privacy issues' where one might be explaining situations in one's own family which parallel something a thread contributor is asking about.

ChrisPBacon, your suggestion has overtones of "witch hunt" about it and I personally don't think it's a very good way of dealing with it. Reporting the PM to MNHQ and letting them deal with it seems more appropriate.

I have put things in a PM to posters sometimes because I think that the information I wish to give them is too personal for the open thread. So far no one has complained, most people thank me!