Update on the Gina Ford legal situation

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello all,
Some of you may have seen a Gina Ford interview in the Mail on Sunday today, in which she refers to the Mumsnet legal situation, so we thought it was only right to update you as to where we are.

We are due to go to mediation on March 7th. Our position with regard to this hasn't changed - since very early on in the dispute we have suggested mediation as a sensible way forward and so we are pleased to be meeting with Ms Ford and her lawyers on March 7th.

In the meantime GF has issued a claim form, which means that the court clock is now running and we have to put in our defence within 28 days.

Obviously, as Ms Ford has made clear by this action and by her statements in the Mail on Sunday if mediation fails, she intends to sue.

We're sorry that we are still having to ask you not to discuss Gina Ford or her methods but given the potential for something that may be used against Mumsnet to slip through, this probably remains the safest course of action.

We will, of course, keep you fully updated.

Thanks for all your support.
Mumsnet HQ

Thats what I don't get. Are Mumsnet being held responsible because they provide the forum?

I agree Eleusis - I just think there should be some kind of code of conduct on these forums. Freedom of speech is great but can sometimes blow up in your face - look at Jade Goody.
Is it really right that we can say what we want about who we want. I was bullied at school and it didn't feel right then.
I take your point though about MN not being to blame. I've gone off on a bit of a tangent haven't I?

When Celebrity BB was on, there were a load of pretty damning remarks about Jade - and there have been other similar situations - but they didnt attack MN over it.

No, but Channel four got into a lot of trouble. I did say though that I didn't blame Mumsnet.

I can see both sides here.

I hope that the mediation will work and GF will feel she has made her point - surely a ban on discussion about GF methods on mumsnet has worked and is enough?

I am sure GF will realise that mumsnet is a fantastic help to many parents and that they share COMMON AIMS

Elsusis, that's the key issue if you look at my posts below. I think they should be treated like internet service providers, hosters, AOL etc and not liable for content you don't check in advance and NOT treated as a publisher who checks things out first. Presumably there must be some cases in court already somewhere in the 25 EU states that have the same EU rules on no liability for ISPs.

..ooops 27...

Bobsi- I kina see your point in that I'd never have made that comment either, however this is a community and communities can't exopect to be all the same- the very nature of this board means that MN can't police very post or it couldn't exist, I don't think they should be penalised for that. MN have saved my sanity many tiomes. First when DS1 was DX with AS, and now DS3 is being dx's with ASD. Its my main source of information, and my main place to run to (outside of DH) as we live away from family.

Mumsnet has also saved my sanity many times and I'd be lost without it. I suppose I just want to make the point that sometimes I see posts that I think are nasty and I think it's a shame that people have to be that way. I suppose I should just log off though!!

Quick Quick! Justine's been interviewed by the Evening Standard (today, pages 18, 19). The article isn't available on their website, so sorry to out of Londoners, but it puts her side of the story across very well. Funny though, the Evening Standard is the sister paper of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday!!

Xenia's post... ' I think they should be treated like internet service providers, hosters, AOL etc and not liable for content you don't check in advance and NOT treated as a publisher who checks things out first.'

WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE

Generally if both parties to a mediation want to resolve things it is best if both of them don't go anywhere near the newspapers and approach the mediation with some desire to compromise even if they know they're in the right. What you want to avoid is a hardening of attitudes and positions and for both sides to see how weak their case is and how wise it is to just be done with it and do a deal.

Ottermerecat I couldn't find it on the Evening Standard web site, do they normally run the same stories in the paper as on the web?

Message withdrawn

"It would be interesting to do a role call, to see who else has not been able to express their view on the DM comment section. "

me , for one ! i bet there are a lot more !

I sent a second one, more moderate than the first, but that hasn't appeared either.

MOSSY.... the website doesn't appear to display any of the feature articles only news ones (www.thisislondon.co.uk/news.) Would anyone else know how to reproduce the article - or maybe MN Towers can help. Anyone?

NurseyJo - Here you are...

Someone in London could scan it on to a web page somewhere?

I was thinking exactly the same as Kathryn from Sheffield about the FREE advice and how it impacts on other websites that might have also been mentioned in the article...

NurseyJo - oops! sorry...

Where exactly is the Standard article? What edition and what pages / supplement?