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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Fund to support Mumsnet through the battle

145 replies

ChandraVilla · 08/08/2006 21:32

Some other websites like Damsels, Downsizer and Freeforum have kindly offered to raise awareness and money to support Mumsnet through a legal battle.

As these posts are at a risk of being overlooked as have been posted in the long Nobody's threads, I'm starting this thread. If you want to contribute in someway, be it ideas to help MN or to send some money for the cause please post here

OP posts:
Original poster
ChandraVilla · 08/08/2006 21:38

From Myfreeforum:
We have 1000s of active forums on myfreeforum to which we could make an immediate appeal for support. So far we have only disseminated the information in our own support forums, as we don't want to jump the gun.
The admins here need to decide what to do, but even if they just want initial legal advice funding to help them figure out what to do, we are prepared to contribute on the basis of the advice being shared.
This issue is vitally important to forums and freedom of speech in general.
[...] The situation is also being monitored at myfreeforum.org and we are willing to make an appeal for legal expenses and contribute ourselves.

From Damsella
I just want to add the support, financial if necessary, of www.damsels.org.

A lot of us are mums are we are horrified by this ridiculous legal situation.

If funds are required for a legal fight then I will set up an account for our members to contribute.

Power to the forums!!!!!

From Tahir

Hope we see some kind of sane resolution to this, I'm an admin at www.downsizer.net , this will have a huge impact on all UK based forums. we're looking very closely at the issue of liability in relation to our site and would welcome dialogue with any other UK site that has concerns.

Tahir
[...]Re funding, I'm sure if it was an issue our members would be happy to chip in too.

Thank you so much and appologies if I missed some one.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChandraVilla · 08/08/2006 21:41

Justine, can Mumsnet set a Legal Battle Eventualities Fund paypal account?

Now, please don't leave me alone in this, that I have lots of good intentions but very little money

OP posts:
VladimirllichLeninQV · 08/08/2006 21:46

Lol! You are NOT alone! I think there is a thread saying "we support mumsnet" already though chandra!

Jaysecond · 08/08/2006 21:46

lol chandra, am sure you wont be on your own for long, i am here to support in ANY way possible, i will keep reading to find out how!!

VladimirllichLeninQV · 08/08/2006 21:48

here

Original poster
ChandraVilla · 08/08/2006 21:48

Good QV! I was already getting a bit paranoid!

(I may have been a bandit in my revolutionary life but I always gave the money back to the poor!!!)

OP posts:
CountessPanina · 08/08/2006 23:00

Would it not be better to note the details of all these fabulous people and then start a fund if the worst happens?

Otherwise the administrative burden of returning the payments may be so onerous that MNHQ would just have to blow it all on a massive party....

CountessPanina · 08/08/2006 23:00

(for all of us I mean, not just them!)

munz · 09/08/2006 08:43

cp - well as long as we're invited! lol. can MNtowers activate the subs thing again so we can pay into there if we wanted to??

wannaBe1974 · 09/08/2006 09:31

having thought about this I think the best way to raise money would be to have paid subscriptions. This would also work to prevent trolling as you would have to pay to be able to post to the boards.

While the idea of everyone donating money is a very noble one, I think the number of people who will actually just give money would be very small in comparison to the number of members we have on here. If we look at the campaign topics etc, there have only been approx 500 posts over the past two days, out of 50000 members that's a tiny number. People are quick to offer their support and say that they will do anything, but imo very few will give money, 10's maybe hundreds if we're lucky. For a legal battle against anyone suing for lible we would need hundreds of thousands of pounds. Does anyone know how much x is asking for in damages?

mimitwo · 09/08/2006 09:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

LieselVonTrapp · 09/08/2006 09:38

CK1 had a great idea about wristbands on another thread.

wannaBe1974 · 09/08/2006 09:49

I would say making subs sort of non optional. The way it would work would be something like this:

Everyone can view the site and the boards, anyone could sign up as a member and post to say, the chat board, the general pregnancy board, and the behavior/development board. So that would cover those mums who need a bit of urgent advice but who won't necessarily be staying for the duration. Any other boards, such as this one and all others, you would have to be a paid up member to be able to post to.

wannaBe1974 · 09/08/2006 11:40

have just been talking to my dh about this. He thinks the best bet would be to get an organization such as liberty to help mn fight the case if it came to that, rather than trying to scrape together money for the cause. He said that once you start charging subscriptions for sites for instance, the take-up is very low. He worked for an online gaming website (gamer.tv) and said that they had hundreds of thousands of hits a day while the site was free, and as soon as it became subscription £5 per year, the take-up was tiny, less than 150 members signed up. He said that this has been proven time and again over the web, people will happily click through forums etc while they're free, but once they become subscription they'll find somewhere else to go.

JessaFreedomFighter · 09/08/2006 11:44

couple of other sites have already offered to do a whip round if required - myfreeforum and a poster called tahir - groups that are pro-freedom of speech etc...it was on one of the other threads...lost track now!!

JessaFreedomFighter · 09/08/2006 11:46

but if you limit access to non-sub-payers then they may not actually get hooked in and become keen enough to want to pay subs because they will miss out on the rest of the content...

Original poster
ChandraVilla · 09/08/2006 12:22

I also believe that trying to attract attention from organisations and charities that specialise in freedom of speech is the way to go. But would like to have a way to donate some money because I'm very grateful to Mumsnet and would like to give some help back.

OP posts:
yeahinaminute · 09/08/2006 12:24

Sorry to be bit thick - but where do I go to register and pay my CAT fee ???

edam · 09/08/2006 12:25

Please can people go and look at the Mumsnet demo tomorrow thread? Pretty please?

yeahinaminute · 09/08/2006 12:27

Have looked and will offer cyber support and will be there in spirit but unfortunately tied to the double shackles of work and childcare ... hope it is well supported

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 09/08/2006 12:29

I am wholeheartedly for supporting Justine et al with the financial expense of a legal battle. But - as well as money - it takes an awful lot of time and effort to take on a battle like this and I would like MNHQ to know that we realise they're only human and should they decide they do not have the energy for a fight (even if they had the money) I, for one, would understand.

yeahinaminute · 09/08/2006 12:34

So any clues ladies - where do I bung me fiver for CAT registration ????

JessaFreedomFighter · 09/08/2006 12:39

yeahinaminute got to 'contact another talker' and try to..it should pop up with soemthing about fees...

yeahinaminute · 09/08/2006 12:45

Fab - off to give it a whirl now .... may be back

yeahinaminute · 09/08/2006 12:47

Thanks - all done and dusted !!

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