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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:
IAmFuckingPissedOff · 19/12/2011 00:12

Exactly thefroggy.

Except that deleting your registration doesn't delete your old posts Sad. You have to request them individually, it seems Hmm.

Unless you have a very good reason (which I'm considering having unless they remove it from historical threads).

IdoNOTlike · 19/12/2011 00:22

IamFpissedoff *Mumsnet will no longer be a support site for parents with real problems. It will be a chat site, a fun site, but not a serious parenting forum, imo.

I feel as though I have been kicked in the teeth with the comment from Justine which effectively said "well you choose to post or not, tough luck if you don't like it". I know mumsnet has the right to do as they do, an apology and/or a warning would have been nice, as would not applying such a significant change retrospectively.

And also, the way concerns were dismissed, ignored, or answered with tongue-in-cheek remarks was very disappointing, and not what I had expected from mumsnet.*

Your words sum up very well how I feel about this (having had a chance to think about it)
For me it isnt really the privacy issue. Im not known, I hardly post.
Its more the pathetic need to link in with Facebook in a "every other website does" way. Had they bothered to canvas the 'general MN opinion first' and discovered that generally people liked the idea (no pun intended!) I would have been hey ho (and not personally been that bothered).
Why cant MN exist on its own - why does it need Facebook to hold it up, like a crutch? Tis foolish imho.
Im annoyed that most people dont seem to have an opinion either way (so therefore wouldnt give a fig if it disappeared) but loads of people hate it and MN cant even be bothered to take their concerns seriously. Or just ignore us.

thefroggy · 19/12/2011 00:25

They dont like to delete them...it messes up the boards and is unfair to anyone else who has posted advice apparently.

In other words, thanks for your input over the last eight years, we value your posts but erm, if you dont like our changes..fuck off, there's plenty more where you came from.

Solo · 19/12/2011 00:43

Blimey! not read the whole thread, but does anyone know if the like button would link you to the email address you have registered to Mn with or the fb account you have attached to the Mn group ~ if they are different? (I have a separate account set up just for my Mn friends).

thefroggy · 19/12/2011 00:52

nothing to do with email address from what I gather solo. You could ask mnhq, best of luck with that.

Solo · 19/12/2011 01:43

No, think I'll leave that thanks! Wink and avoid the like button...

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 19/12/2011 07:59

"if you click it you are then prompted to post and have to click on another button. it doesn't just do it"

Does it make it clear that you are posting a full link and not just increasing the "like" count?

QuintessentiallyFestive · 19/12/2011 09:00

I TESTED THE BUTTON.

I was NOT logged onto facebook.

NO confirmation screen appeared. I thought I could cancel by logging out and closing mumsnet.

The full mumsnet logo and thread title, and first few lines appeared, along with Quint Festive likes a thread on mumsnet. With the link through.

There is no two part process. (heck it is not even a half process, it is instant)
You dont even have to be logged on to Facebook. (so not sure how they have linked our usernames and our facebook accounts then)

JUSTINE, this is shit behaviour on mumsnets part. Have you grown too big for your boots?

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2011 09:03

doesntchristmasdragon

it comes up with a pop-up box.

in the box it says "you like this" and then a link to "unlike"

then it has your facebook avatar and a text box for any comment

under that it has a big blue box saying "post to facebook" and another saying "cancel"

it's very clear that it will post it to facebook. you have 2 different options of cancelling, either clicking unlike or clicking cancel

QuintessentiallyFestive · 19/12/2011 09:04

To clarify, I thought I could cancel the process by closing mumsnet. Facebook was not even open.

This means, that if another user have been on facebook, and not logged out properly, and have closed the browser, and somebody else comes online and "likes" a thread, it would possibly end up on somebody elses wall entirely!

Other websites ask WHAT wall you want to post it to. I have two, my personal wall, and the wall I administer for the business. So for me, I could potentially have ended up putting a mumsnet thread on our corporate Facebook page, simply through a click that is so instant that you cant even cancel.

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2011 09:05

oooh interesting though.

i just tried to use the snipping tool to get a picture of what it looks like.

i clicked "like" on another thread, then i needed to go to my snipping tool so i clicked on the page itself, presuming that the prompt box would remain.

not so. clicking OUTSIDE of the box will also make it post to facebook. that needs fixing

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2011 09:06

quint someone else said that further down. apparently that was a glitch that has now been fixed

QuintessentiallyFestive · 19/12/2011 09:07

No box for me. Probably behaves different for different browsers.

Proper procedure should be to test things out before implementing live, especially when there are users concerned.

This is really bad quality control and smacks of mnhq wanting to rush something through before going away on their holidays....

QuintessentiallyFestive · 19/12/2011 09:07

I know somebody else have said that, but people are refuting it is happening.

It IS happening, I tested it now, so it has not been fixed, not as of ma 10 minutes ago.

Cinquefoil · 19/12/2011 09:11

But how can it possibly post to Facebook if you're not even logged in to Facebook? What if a few Facebookers access their accounts on your computer? Will it post to all of them? (I assume not - just trying to figure out how something can post to Facebook when you're logged out of Facebook. )

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2011 09:15

ok well i just did it and had the prompt box...

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2011 09:18

ok, i logged out of facebook and then tried it, and it came up with the prompt box and asked me to log into facebook.

TheLightPassenger · 19/12/2011 09:20

I just tried out the "like" button Quint, but fortunately my pop-up blocker on firefox stopped the process.

I think it's a very fair point that old thread should not have the like button, especially those people started before facebook was a twinkle in Mark Zuckerbergs eye, so before the MN username/real life collision was made likely.

As the parent to a pre-schooler with significant SN, MN made a massive difference to me and my child, I believe that the unbiased advice received on here has made a difference to the outcome for my child. As my child didn't have a diagnosis I could not have received this advice in real life, as locally support groups are very limited and for specific conditions, and the health professionals and council took very much a computer says no/there's nothing you can do whilst your child waits over a year on waiting lists attitude. It's not fair to suggest that those who need MN for advice are automatically some sort of sadsack Hmm

BertieBotts · 19/12/2011 09:28

Hang on, you say that facebook was logged out, but then you say "facebook was not even open". Facebook doesn't automatically log out when you close the window or tab, the "logged-in" cookies are still present in your broswer, so unless you've actually clicked the "log out" button on facebook, you are not logged out. Sorry if you know this already and had done that. If you had logged out using the button, then that is concerning.

There should definitely be a confirmation pop up with the option to cancel though. I'm not going to test it but I am worried if this is not in place, especially if the like button is on the mobile site as I'm much more likely to accidentally click the wrong thing there.

CalatalieSisters · 19/12/2011 09:29

Missed a few days on Mumsnet and come back to a shiney new button. I don't know the backstory at all.

Can someone tell me, will advertisers on the product threads be allowed/encouraged to invite us to "like" their threads on our facebook pages. Is that the point of it -- a bit of viral promo for Mumsnet on general threads, and more viral advertising opportunities for Mumsnet's advertisers on the paid-for threads?

I'm a bit meh about it. it is just one more of those developments that mean I go into Mumsnet like I go into Tesco: hate the whole commercial environment but have to be there because there are things I need.

CalatalieSisters · 19/12/2011 09:32

Will we see competitions in products threads: "Just 'like' this thread to your Facebook page to be in with a chance of 40 pieces of sliver."?Grin

CalatalieSisters · 19/12/2011 09:33

That would be "silver" of course, but sliver might be nice too, on toast or something.

CheeseandGherkins · 19/12/2011 09:54

You would have to be logged into facebook, it's possible that you browser saved the login and the cookies meant that you didn't need to login. There is no way it would post to facebook without you being logged in or your pc storing your login details in some way. Clear cookies and try it again being logged out if so. This is a user/browser issue though and not related to MN in any way.

Honestly, I don't see the problem in the like button, people have been linking threads to facebook for years! It's always been possible and has always been done.

Original poster
TheOriginalFAB · 19/12/2011 10:04

TSC Of course no one is on FAB watch and I never said they were but I do have concerns about things and clearly won't be sharing them on here. If people I don't know can recognise me on here when I name change then of ocurse there is a chance people in real life will work out it is me, as opposed to FAB, and that does concern me as it has implications for the safety of my children.

OP posts:
Anonymousbosh · 19/12/2011 10:06

cheeseandgerkins, I think its the possibility that it can be done acciedentally. If you use an iphone or ipad then pressing the wrong button is waaaaaay too easy!

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