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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Reply to Justine

776 replies

TheOriginalFAB · 18/12/2011 18:46

The first objection I'm afraid I can't really buy - Most of the UK population uses Facebook. Most Mumsnetters use facebook. It's a bit mad to object to facebook on principle - it's like objecting to people.

This is just daft and is irrelevant whether you buy it or not. Just because "most of ths population" use FB doesn't mean everyone on MN is going to like it. It is like saying you don't buy that some people won't eat meat as the majority of the population are not vegetarian/vegan. And it is nothing like objecting to people Hmm

The second objection I just think is misguided, as I've explained. Users' privacy is no more compromised by this button than it ever was.

It might not be "no more compromised" than before but the point is it is much more visable now and before people might not have been aware of the link button but now they are and they don't like it.

So should we change something because some people on this thread dislike it even if we think they are mistaken to dislike it? Even though what they are objecting to is already in place?

You may think we are mistaken not to like it but we are part of MN and without posters you just have a website with adverts no one sees. And the fact that it is already in place is not the issue. Before lots of posters weren't aware of it so couldn't object.

I've been doing this long enough to know that new things are never well-received - but it doesn't always mean they are bad.

That comes across as patronising and lots of posters are telling you this is a "bad" idea and lots of people don't like it.

For me this is a huge loss as I feel unable to discuss something I would have appreciated help with and that makes me feel sad. And namechanging doesn't work for me as someone always guesses who I am and outs me.

OP posts:
SirCliffRichardSucksEggsInHell · 20/12/2011 15:14

Frothing - so you accidently post things onto your teenagers wall thinking that it is your wall?

If you accidently click on 'Like', that is easily changed. You log into your facebook account and delete your update. I've done that before now.

I'm not sure if I can help with your accidental posting. I mean, do you not notice that your profile picture is different? Sorry but I'm very Xmas Confused

FrothingBeserker · 20/12/2011 15:20

As I said in an earlier post, I have not always had the confirmation box pop up (not all accidental clicks! - trialling different thigns to work out scenarios...) so no, I could not see the profile picture is different if it doesn't appear...

obviously accidental clckings to my wall can be deleted. as they could if they were to a teens wall, if they are logged in.

there have been instances of accidental clicks (reported by other MNers) whre no one wa slogged in to FB, so the window was cancelled, and it then posted ot the next person-to-log-n-toFB wall. not a good situation - which has lead to the 'delete all cookies after browsing' solution.

but, tbh, it all just adds up to making browsing Mn a lot more hassle than it should be.

I am under no illusion that MNHQ qill care if I post/browse less.

but I do think that they should start acting like a 'proper' global website, and think through how any changes they make will impact on their users.

FrothingBeserker · 20/12/2011 15:21

sorry - 'how any change will impact on their users, and warn them of this in advance'

IAmFuckingPissedOff · 20/12/2011 15:23

When you click on the like button, and then cancel or click away it posts anyway, it doesn't show you the page you are posting to (unless you are logged in).

There is some question that if you "like" and then "cancel" the computer remembers and likes anyway when next you log in.

That is the bit that they won't either confirm or deny - and since it took them four days to admit that cancelling doesn't actually cancel it, I'm not sure if they know or not whether it will post the next time they log in.

So I'll give you a simpler scenario. I'm on mumsnet, I accidentally hover over "like" on a thread, cancel or click away or refuse to log in in the Facebook login comes up. Then I log out of mumnset, and another user (say dd or dh) come and log in. The thread I have liked appears on their wall.

I don't know about it, because I'm gone.

When queried about this, the only suggestion is that I should clear my cookies every time I log out of mumsnet.

Mumsnetting is becoming quite a faff (as well as ruining my online game levels, and making me have to type in emails, logins and passwords on all sort of sites where usually I'm happy to have them saved).

When I clear cookies the computer forgets my amazon login, the childrens sports team reminders, my email, all that type of stuff. So every time I use mumsnet I have to re-enter all that.

It's crazy.

Get0rf · 20/12/2011 15:35

wannabe you should bold your post that says that you can disable the FB links in MN

Using wannabe#s advice this is what I have just done. I use Mozilla Firefox.

  • Go to tools and add-ons
  • search for 'ad blocker' in the search facility
  • no. 2 on the list is a thing called Page Tweak - download this, it takes seconds
  • restart Firefox and open MN thread
  • go to Tools and select 'Page tweak options'
  • On the VISUAL tab tick 'hide social media' and click OK
  • refresh the MN page and the FB link will have disappeared.
Get0rf · 20/12/2011 15:37

iamfucking try the thingy above, hopefully it will work on your laptop and remove the worries that you have (without bollocksing up the rest of your settings).

Get0rf · 20/12/2011 15:37

lol at typing iamfucking.

I'm not, by the way Grin

IAmFuckingPissedOff · 20/12/2011 15:38

Thanks GetOrf, I have to go now but I'll investigate as soon as I get home.

I just want it gone Grin.

(Though on the very, very remote chance someone from Mumsnet hq sees this, I'd really love an explanation as to why we can't simply hide it [hopeful]).

QuintessentiallyShallow · 20/12/2011 15:40

Not really advisable to type and fuck at the same time anyway.

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:42

For a start, your punctuation would be a mess!

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:42

For a start, your punctuation would be a mess!

SarahFim · 20/12/2011 15:46

Thanks, I've just followed those instructions and it does remove the facebook button.

Get0rf · 20/12/2011 15:47

lolol at the at the end of 'you can't type and fuck'

BobbinRobin · 20/12/2011 15:47

"When I clear cookies the computer forgets my amazon login, the childrens sports team reminders, my email, all that type of stuff. So every time I use mumsnet I have to re-enter all that."

Yes - that's true, and makes deleting cookies a PITA if it's a computer you use regularly for all that sort of thing as it then forgets a lot of info that usually gets entered automatically for you.

And another thing that has occurred to me - if MNHQ has removed the Like button on 'sensitive' topics then this is surely an acknowledgement that there ARE privacy issues with the Like button?

A lot of people post potentially sensitive stuff in Chat, for example, because they know it will disappear after three months. And really, most topics have potential for breaches of privacy issues if you think about it, even the most seemingly innocuous stuff.

SirCliffRichardSucksEggsInHell · 20/12/2011 15:48

Well look those scenarios are the same for any website.

If you accidently clicked on 'Like' whilst looked at the Cliff Richard Fan Website then you would have to log into your facebook account to get rid of the like.
However if you are NOT logged into facebook, then it would NOT be able to post the like on your wall.

This is about taking responsibility for your own internet usage. You cannot expect websites to tailor their gadgets, widgets and so on just because some users haven't fathomed out how to log out of facebook. Neither can you expect them to change things just because you happen to share your pc. That is unrealistic. If you accidently bid on something on ebay then it is up to you to sort it out, is it not? Same here.

If you are not logged into facebook then you cannot click on the 'Like' button without logging in. If you are logged into facebook and accidently click the 'Like' button then it's not too much trouble to go into your facebook and delete the posting on your wall.

But if you have a habit of accidently clicking on things or logging into your teenager's facebook account by mistake then I fail to see how that is MNHQ's problem? You need to take responsibility at some point, for what your fingers or click-happy iphones do.

Get0rf · 20/12/2011 15:50

I agree IAFPO that I don't know why MNHQ don't disable it, like they customise most other stuff.

It makes me think that they (a) have more financial award in not allowing it to be cusomised (b) they are pissed right off with all the moaning and customising eveyrthing for everyone or (c) they are SELLING MUMSNET TO THE DAILY MAIL NEWSPAPER GROUP and don't give a shit anymore. Grin

BobbinRobin · 20/12/2011 15:51

Oh and before yet another person says it yet again - the fact that this is a public forum and nothing has ever been private is NOT THE POINT.

The point is that the Like button forms a bridge between your MN identity and your RL identity.

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:51

Bobbin, I don't think its an admission that there is a privacy issue (because there isn't) its because it isn't appropriate to have a like button at the top of bereavement.

FrothingBeserker · 20/12/2011 15:52

are you being deliberately obtuse, SirCliff?

if I accidentally broadcast to my teens that I have been browsing the Cliff richard fansite, it won't be a surprise to them anyway in anyway compromise my annonymity on the Cliff richard website, will it?

I am quite happy ot take responsibility for what happens on my computer.

I don't see why the questions IAFPO is asking cannot be addressed, and I remain disappointed by the way this has been handled.

and it will impact on the amount way I use MN. as it has for IMFPO too. and probably others.

I do not expect MNHQ to not change the website at all. I don't think it is too over the top to be warned of changes that could have a wider impact. that is all.

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:52

And again, that bridge was always there. Its just now its more obvious.

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:52

And again, that bridge was always there. Its just now its more obvious.

FrothingBeserker · 20/12/2011 15:55

it is more obvious, and far more easily clicked by accident.

I ahve the viewport bar thingy hidden (bloody annoying thingy it was too!). there was no way I could have accidentally broadcast anything to my teens FB wall (whether they were logged in at the time, or simply the next person to log in) as I couldn't accidentally click the button.

I can now (and have, although thankfully not to a teens wall).

Quite a big difference, really.

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:55

Frothing, the change isn't that big though. The share button has been there yonks and this is no different. Plus mnhq ran a survey a while back asking how posters felt about this (I remember answering)

LissTheSeasonLouBeJollie · 20/12/2011 15:55

Frothing, the change isn't that big though. The share button has been there yonks and this is no different. Plus mnhq ran a survey a while back asking how posters felt about this (I remember answering)

BobbinRobin · 20/12/2011 15:56

The bridge hasn't always been there because the first FB button hasn't always been there. But the more buttons there are, the more likely they are to be misused.