Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk

Back to thread
Original poster

what the actual is that facebook like button doing there?

70 replies

CarolCervix · 15/12/2011 16:42

has it always been there? or has it moved? and does that mean if someone 'likes' that thread it will be posted to their fb page?

Go to post
MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:44

@JjandtheBean

>

--i think the like button is a pile of wank too but Helen herself didn't make it and put it there--

and you're quite right

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:46

@Thumbinnapuddingwitch

Wannabe - you are not paying attention to what people are saying - those with iPad/iPhone thingies are saying that it's quite easy to accidentally click on a button they don't intend to, just while scrolling over a page. This does not constitute "an inability to use a website", it is a technical problem with the hardware and a VALID CONCERN to some (not me, I hate touchscreeny things - give me a keyboard any day).

And we hope you've seen that our Tech team are working urgently to fix this for you all.

That was a balls up unforeseen error in the rollout.

(Which is why we can't also promise you the changes to the excluded topics etc today - but we'll try.)

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:49

@IAmFuckingPissedOff

Ok, maybe we should all be able to ask about certain topics.

I've already mentioned Child/Adolescent Mental Health, Fostering, Adoption.

Others have said Conception, Infertility, Forces Sweethearts.

What about Legal, Lone Parents, Teenagers, Menopause, General Health?

I haven't checked them all, but many of these topics are potentially sensitive.

I see Feminism has a nice handly link to save trolls people the trouble of having to cut and paste.

Ok, at the moment, the topics that don't have the FB button are...

Relationships
Bereavement
Miscarriage
OTBT
All special needs topics (including Special Educational Needs)
Antenatal Tests/choices
Antenatal/Postnatal depression
Mental health
Child/adolescent mental health
Life-limiting illness

...and, any minute now... (thanks, Tech!) Forces Sweethearts.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:51

@StupidLikeButton

So you're not getting rid of the actul button then HelenMN

I'm afraid it's not my decision to make so I can't answer that one.

That's not to say we're ignoring or not listening to your objections. As we hope you're understanding our attempts to apologise for the cock ups explain how it all works.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:55

@IAmFuckingPissedOff

OK, so you can change them: Child/adolescent mental health had it yesterday.

Can you look at Fostering/Adoption next. There are very real security issues there.

Child/adolescent mental health shouldn't have it. Shock if it has.

Will go and check now.

And yes, re Fostering/Adoption. Will put on "ones to look at" list.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:56

@StupidLikeButton

Helen It's obvious how it works...and I fail to see how it was a "cock up" which suggest a slip-up or accident...when so may people had made it crystal clear in the past about how unwelcome a like button would be.

No by cock up, I meant the technical probs some people are having when they click on it and then try to cancel - without success.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 12:58

No, no Like button on Child/Adolescent Mental Health

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 13:00

@HopeEternal

Helen, one question and one point:

Question: Can you (or more likely Tech) please explain exactly how the Like link works? For example, I use different e-mail addresses for FB and MN. Does that mean that the Like link wouldn't "work" for me? (Not that I want it to!!!) Or, is it as someone said earlier in the thread that the cookies stored on my laptop are all that is required to post a link if I (inadvertantly) click on the Like button?

Point: I really don't think enough thought went into what may constitute sensitive topics. I've done a bit of exploring this morning and there are a great many topics that I would think highly likely to contain sensitive threads which have the Like button. I would include Fostering, Adoption, Health and Legal Matters in this list. As many posters have concerns about potential crossover between MN and RL via FB you should also remove the Like button from the MN Local Forum as that is akin to drawing a bullseye around where posters on those threads live. In fact, the more I think about it, the fewer topics I think are appropriate.

HopeEternal, I'm pretty sure it's the latter - ie your cookies will work it out for you. But I'll just check that with Tech.

And yes, we've said we'll look more closely at the list of excluded topics. Please bear with us while we do so.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 13:27

@IAmFuckingPissedOff

HELEN, IT IS ON CHILD/ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH Angry.

It is?

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 13:30

Shock You're right.

That is a major mistake.

Am going to go and shout at the Tech team try to sort that out right now.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 13:35

OK, it's gorn from Child/Adolescent Mental Health. Huge apols for that.

I've got to go to a meeting now and then I'm going to run out and get a sarnie. So if there's no response from us for a while, it's not because we're ignoring you.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 15:36

@HippoPottyMouth

I'm not scare mongering. I'm not against the button, it doesn't bother me at all in fact.

But I clicked on like above and then clicked 'Close' instead of 'Post to facebook wall', refreshed myfacebook wall on another tab and there is it on my wall.. I had to remove post and unlike from my wall to remove it again. Fact.

This is the cock up glitch the Tech team is working right now to fix, HippoPottyMouth, as we posted up/downthread

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 15:53

@AChristmouseTail

If I press 'like' it appears on my wall. If someone I don't know presses like, the whole thread, including my posts appears on their page? Yes????

No, all that appears on their FB wall is the MN logo, the thread title and a link back to the thread on MN.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:05

@Theonewiththehair

Just a response to helenmumsnet presenting it as different when it isn't.

I wasn't, honestly.

I read your post as saying your posts would be visible on the FB page of someone who liked the thread. They wouldn't.

The thread title would and a link back to MN. To see your posts (and everyone else's) people would have to click on the thread link on the FB page.

Perhaps you think I'm being a bit of hair-splitter Xmas Grin but I genuinely thought you didn't understand.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:15

@Get0rf

fuckinell

Which is, imo, disingenuous.

Well, it really wasn't meant to be disingenuous, GetOrf. Twas the truth. We do think we probably shouldn't turn up our noses at "modern" stuff just because. And, of course, we are not going to dismiss anything that might spread the word about Mumsnet - that would be a bit counter-intuitive.

But the last thing we want to do is discourage discussion. Blimey, Mumsnet wouldn't be Mumsnet without that.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:19

@MardyStropAboutLikeButton

From 12.51 StupidLikeButton: "So you're not getting rid of the actul button then HelenMN" HelenMN "I'm afraid it's not my decision to make so I can't answer that one."

Well, with all due respect, can we talk to the person who does make the decisions. It's somewhat disingenuous and rather unfair to Helen for MNHQ to put her into the firing line when she is only able to say, "sorry, rules is rules".

Xmas Confused

Xmas Smile
MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:23

@Get0rf

I love the word disingenuous.

It is a cracking word to use whilst having a mini-row with a teenager, and they are fudging the issue. It makes steam come out my daughter's ears Grin

You calling me a teenager, GetOrf?

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:24

@MardyStropAboutLikeButton

Is that a passive-aggressive smiley or a friendly smiley, Helen?

It kind of feels like you are blocking us, but I imagine you're just following orders.

It's a friendly-it's-Friday-and-just-me-and-the-poor-overworked-techs-in-the-office one.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:30

@PortBlackSandyClaws

I've been away a while and came back to gawp at the Secret Santa threads ... and find it's all kicking off at Christmas again Xmas Grin - is this going to be some sort of Christmas tradition MNHQ?

I blinkingly well hope not

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:31

@PortBlackSandyClaws

It'll be tickers introduced on Christmas Eve - you mark my words Xmas Wink

Blast! You've rumbled us. Xmas Wink

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:34

@MardyStropAboutLikeButton

So, Helen, surely MNHQ anticipated that there would be reaction to the Facebook linking?

So why didn't they have someone available who can justify the decision?

As we posted earlier on, Mardy, no we didn't. Because we already had the Facebook linking on the Viewport bar. So it's not anything new; just an extra widget doing the same thing.

We knew a lot of people didn't like the idea of liking posts (see 5000 Site Stuff threads of yore) but that's different.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:39

@MardyStropAboutLikeButton

I am getting more and more Angry with the flippant responses tbh. MNHQ, please stop trying to divert the argument with asides about secret santas, tickers and the use of the word disingenuous, and answer the questions and concerns on this thread.

Oh, I'm not being flippant to try to divert you, Mardy. We're answering all the questions we can (sometimes several times over).

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 16:55

@MardyStropAboutLikeButton

"We're answering all the questions we can (sometimes several times over)."

Well as far as I can see, you've answered lots of questions about the use of the button in certain sections of MN, but not the overall decision. There have been lots of posts about how this increased presence on FB will bring the trolls and other idiots onto the site, but none of these concerns appear to have been addressed afaik.

Yes, we're addressing every issue that we can. What I can't do right now, given my minion status, is take any overall decision about the keeping/nuking of the button because that's not my decision to make.

Completely understand that this is hugely frustrating (and disingenuous-seeming Xmas Wink) for some of you but I'd like to keep my job it's the truth.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 17:22

@MistleTobyLeWolef

The only possible reason for not polling us about this is because MNHQ knew what the answer would be. Then they would not have been able to pull the "Oh, but this functionality has been there all along, so we didn't think you would mind if we put AN OBVIOUS FB LIKE SYMBOL RIGHT AT THE TOP OF POSTS, rather than tucked away at the top where hardly anyone notices it " crap.

It's bullshit and I'm getting tired of being lied to. I wish MNHQ (not necessarily Helen, but as has been mentioned, perhaps someone who actually does have the authority/ability to implement changes) would just be honest about their motivations here. This is not for our benefit.

It's not bullshit and you're not being lied to.

MNHQ

HarktheHelenMumsnetAngelsSing · 16/12/2011 19:03

@IHateTheLikeButton

HelenMNHQ I think you've been put in a near impossible situation by MNHQ.

I honestly think it would be better to wait until all the questions can be listed with answers from MNHQ. This is dragging on because the questions such as: Why did MNHQ do this?
Did they not realise that there would be huge concerns from some MNers over this?
Why the rush to introduce it before checking that it worked properly?
Why wasn't it excluded from all sensitive topics?
Why time it at the end of a working day (yesterday) and then leave HelenMNHQ to cope with all the resulting questions?
Is that not an awful position to put someone (who would like to keep her job) in?

are not able to be answered and it causes frustration amongst some MNers. Now....if it had been but up for discussion by MNHQ beforehand, this could have been avoided.

Bless you but tis my job although I'm whingeing.

Ok, attempt to answer your Qs (forgive me if you've already clocked these answers further up/down the thread):

Why did MNHQ do this? Because we thought it would be a good idea to allow people, if they wanted to, to have a slightly more intuitive and more familiar way to link to an MN thread they like on Facebook. More intuitive because it's next to the thread title rather than in the Viewport bar as it is now (and still is) and more familiar because those who use Facebook are used to seeing it on many, many other sites. And, yes, because it might bring some extra traffic our way (which helps pay to keep MN free to use, keep MNHQ in biscuits etc)

Did they not realise that there would be huge concerns from some MNers over this? Truthfully, no. Although we did wonder if some people might mistake it for a 'Like this post' button - which has been discussed at length on many Site Stuff threads and generally panned.

Why the rush to introduce it before checking that it worked properly? Embarrassingly, we did think it worked properly. Xmas Blush

Why wasn't it excluded from all sensitive topics?
It was excluded from Relationships, Bereavement, Miscarriage, OTBT, all special needs topics (including Special Educational Needs), Antenatal Tests/choices, Antenatal/Postnatal depression, Mental health, Life-limiting illness. We'd also requested it be excluded from Child/Adolescent Mental Health - but that somehow got lost in the workings. It is now excluded from there, as well as from Forces Sweethears, Fostering and Adoption.

Why time it at the end of a working day (yesterday) and then leave HelenMNHQ to cope with all the resulting questions?
Agree that it wasn't the best timing. But tis my job to cope with your questions, so I can't moan really although I probably have a bit

Is that not an awful position to put someone (who would like to keep her job) in? Not really. I can take it.

Watch this thread for updates

Tap "Watch" to get all the latest updates