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Original poster

I would like an option to "opt out" of advanced search

56 replies

IAmFuckingPissedOff · 15/12/2011 22:17

I think that might solve the privacy issues.

I would like to be able, on my customise, make my name unsearchable under posts "posted by X".

Is that feasible?

I know it seems recently that the so-called "active" posters are unnecessary on here - in fact on another thread I have just noticed that we are apparently a minority Hmm and therefore have no right to dictate how the site is run.

However, in my opinion (and correct me if I'm wrong) the site would be very much less helpful to parents if the regulars stopped offering advice. There are many active posters on here who post in niche places, giving advice on things as far apart as legal, infertility, mental health, parenting, etc etc. For me, certainly, I'm no longer as happy to post about my life, and thus support others, when it is so easy with one click to post the whole thread straight to Facebook. Where I might be recognised because of my unusual circumstances, and someone can come straight here and read about my life, and my children's life, for the last ten years.

So I'm left with options: I can dereg and not post at all, I can post only on innane threads or I can lurk only.

In all of those choices I won't be giving advice and sympathy because I'm going to be bloody careful what I post.

Or you could make my user-name unsearchable.

OP posts:
wannaBe · 16/12/2011 11:37

I think the people getting hysterical about facebook are mad.

There's always been a link to facebook button - it's just that there's now an additional "like" button.

And if you're not liking posts on your own fb wall how is it that you are going to be identified any more than if someone reads mn and identifies you?

If you're making yourself identifyable on the internet the only person responsible for that is you.

And having username search disabled would increase the prevalence of damaging trolls IMO - one of the key factors when trolls are outed is when people can identify inconsistencies in their posts which often gives them away. That would be lost if a troll could make their username unsearchable and more trolls would get away with it.

ShirleyKnot · 16/12/2011 11:38

Don't be too sure rubyrubyruby.

ShirleyKnot · 16/12/2011 11:39

I know what you mean about the trolls (and as I said I personally use AS on a regular basis - especially if a poster smell "off" to me) but we're not meant to be blimmin troll hunting anyway - are we?

And MNHQ have clamped right down on troll hunting in the last year.

KateMiddlet0n · 16/12/2011 11:44

I can't get worked up about this. I've had a good go - I've done some huffing and a bit of puffing... and still nothing.

You can be anonymous. You can name change, withdraw specific posts, not post stuff... or de-reg.

Or you can huff and puff at the evil lurkers (wtf is that all about?) and get in a tizz. Seems a lot like hard work to me.

wannaBe · 16/12/2011 11:46

not actively "troll hunting" on the boards no.

But mn do rely on reporting if something seems suspicious.

The other day I reported a thread after having gone back over their posting history which incidentally wasn't that suspicious but the thread itself was. If the option wasn't there people might be less inclined to report because one or two posts might not seem as suspicious whereas threads and threads would, eg qvc/dizzymare/ethanchristopher/the other more damaging trolls.

It would certainly make it easier for the more paracitic trolls to post here more freely without the fear of being challenged on their inconsistencies. And while I know that mn hq don't encourage active troll hunting on the boards, they certainly don't encourage those kind of damaging trolls either, which are the ones that would most likely slip through the net with such a feature.

ShirleyKnot · 16/12/2011 11:50

Yeah, I suppose so wannabe.

As I say, I can't get into a froth about it - and my browser at works blocks any thread title with the word Facebook in it so I can't even read the threads were people are flouncing or slagging off lurkers (is that happening? Why is that happening?)

wannaBe · 16/12/2011 11:54

Think yourself lucky, there are loads of them. Grin

I can't get that worked up about it either. Storm in a teacup IMO - there have always been facebook buttons, and even without them there's nothing stopping anyone from copying/pasting a link into facebook/twitter etc.

ImpOfThePerverse · 16/12/2011 12:43

Generally advanced search is used in a positive way, to find good advice or really funny threads so it would be sad if that was lost (life would be a sadder place if people couldn't find and link 'bobble plate' and 'river of sweetcorn' every so often).

Life is way too short to just randomly search posters for no good reason, I find it a bit sad that people do it over arguments but can't deny it happens. I've seen a lot of suspected trolls and wind-up merchants pulled up on conflicting details and that's no bad thing.

Rather than advanced search not working on some usernames I think it would make more sense to ban certain people from using it if they were using it inappropriately. I think I overuse it and it might be healthier if I didn't...

KateMiddlet0n · 16/12/2011 12:46

I had a particularly unpleasant troll the other night. It targeted me because I was wearing my frothers badge. The scummy twunt thought I had epilepsy so spouted bike at me. Some of that bile's still there but the post where I say it's deliberately being provocative (trolling) got deleted as troll hunting Hmm

Thankfully advance search meant I could tell they were a troll in about 20 seconds. That's a good thing I think.

Original poster
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 16/12/2011 12:51

I'm not saying to disable all advanced search.

I'm asking that mumsnet give us an option to opt out of advance searching our names. If necessary I am happy to give mumsnet towers a reason why I would like to be un-searchable. It would satisfy the anonymity concerns that some posters have.

To stop trolls mumsnet might not allow you to do it unless you had been posting for a while.

Mumsnet hq can find trolls anyway - they can advance search, they can look up previous names and name-changes.

Advanced search isn't for troll-hunting.

OP posts:
BIWIshYouAMerryChristmas · 16/12/2011 12:51

Bike?! That is surely a particularly offensive thing to call you! Xmas Grin

lljkk · 16/12/2011 12:54

Wouldn't you just be able to still do it on Google, though?
Example, or this one.

ShirleyKnot · 16/12/2011 12:55

spouting bike. hehehe

KateMiddlet0n · 16/12/2011 13:02

Dyac!

Pantofino · 16/12/2011 13:08

I can't see that anything has changed. You could always link to a thread on FB. I see threads linked often amongst my MN FB friends. MN themseves link to threads on FB.....

LeninGrad · 16/12/2011 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 16/12/2011 13:17

Yes you can of course do it on google, but it would be time consuming and would be interspersed with all sorts of stuff. In fact if I google my mumsnet username, there are no references to me on the first page. If I google "mumsnet myusername" the first page contains two references to me, and the other threads are all threads using bits and pieces of my user name, which aren't actually me.

Whereas an advanced search on my name here would bring up every post I've ever made, with one click.

Which is pretty intrusive, considering that when I started posting the internet didn't do this bloody integrating your life business, or remembering every website you ever went to, and all the stuff it does to make it, imo, dangerous.

Particularly fecking Facebook.

OP posts:
DoesntChristmasDragOn · 16/12/2011 13:21

Googling is very easy. Simply search for

site: www.mumsnet.com

Piece of cake.

EdithWeston · 16/12/2011 13:23

"I can't get that worked up about it either. Storm in a teacup IMO - there have always been facebook buttons, and even without them there's nothing stopping anyone from copying/pasting a link into facebook/twitter etc."

Good point - and it means the button could be removed without detriment. So everyone can be happy. End of teacup.

Original poster
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 16/12/2011 13:25

Yes doesnt, but if I do that I only get references to my username in mumnet. I don't get every post I've ever made.

Or at least to do so would take a looooooooooooong time.

OP posts:
BaroqueAroundTheClock · 16/12/2011 13:26

that's what every one said when the other button appeared (where did that go - wasn't it above every single post??)............this 'like' thing only appears once on a page and the 'option to share this with the world your 166 fb friends' on each post on the blue bar thing appears to be gone...........I would have thought that would make people happier as they kicked up a fuss about that before..................mind some people would kick up a fuss about anything.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 16/12/2011 13:27

Yes, but what you get is an nice easy list of every thread title you were mentioned in and most likely posted on. All someone has to do is pick and choose the most interesting titles. It's really no different.

lockets · 16/12/2011 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pantofino · 16/12/2011 13:40

Googling Mumsnet Porto was interesting! I found myself quoted by a DM journalist and some nice photos of my honeymoon in Sardinia! Grin

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 16/12/2011 13:40

and of course you've got boardreader which can be used to search for usernames on a particuar site but I've orgotten how..someone who was determined to search your posts and stalk you would figure it I've no doubt