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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Journalists writing articles about MN threads

35 replies

VivDeering · 15/02/2017 10:27

What is the position on newspapers doing this? I think there's a difference between them writing about a humourous AIBU and a sensitive advice thread, but the journalists don't appear to agree.

Is it not a case that the content belongs to MN?

Or is it a case for MN that any publicity is good publicity? (Sorry I can't word that nicely, I'm hoping for transparency/honesty).

OP posts:
PigletWasPoohsFriend · 15/02/2017 16:27

People shouldn't need a warning on every page. Once you post something on the internet it's out there for all to see.

^ this

It is basic Internet safety tbh.

TiggyD · 15/02/2017 17:01

I'd pay a pound a year to make this a private forum and keep the journos out.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 15/02/2017 17:04

journos could still join....

TiggyD · 15/02/2017 17:06

I'm sure there would be more legal redress for using stuff from a private site.

CrikeyPeg · 15/02/2017 18:50

Copyright: This Web site and its contents are copyright Mumsnet, all rights reserved. Reproduction of all or any substantial part of the contents in any form is prohibited. No part of the site may be distributed or copied for any commercial purpose without express approval.

WannaBe · 15/02/2017 19:07

If you made this paid subscription the site would be gone within a year.

People simply wouldn't sign up here, and one of the things that MN prides itself on is that it is available to anyone 24/7. And given the numbers of posts vs the numbers of threads which are copied across in the tabloids it's not worth doing.

And as an aside, I find it interesting to note which threads end up being taken for copy. Not the general aibu or chat ones, but the more sensitive ones. Interesting that tey're always from first time posters, often who post late at night or early in the morning, usually an unusual scenario.

Given the hundreds of threads which are posted every day, many of which run into hundreds of posts and sometimes even more than one thread, does no-one find this remarkable and wonder just how many of those threads are in fact planted there by someone in order to draw attention to the site?

It's never a well known poster's sensitive thread that is taken, or one which could really get the DM frothing. Look at the "builder scammed my autistic kids" one for instance. That thread is at part 2 now and yet it was never picked up? Why not? And yet a thread from a first time poster which may be sensitive is always the one to be grabbed and reproduced.

I think that, rather than getting outraged at the DM and the like and claiming that they are putting people at risk (they're really not,) people need to think more along the lines of that the DM and their ilk have plenty of members and new joiners here who are prepared to tell a story to gather supportive posts which can be reproduced there tomorrow.

I think that the idea of someone actually being at risk from having their post copied from one site to another is far less of a likelihood than the fact that most of the threads being copied across were probably just plants anyway.

GahBuggerit · 15/02/2017 19:18

i think its shit but whaddyado? i just dont post for any personal advice anymore, shame as ive got a lot going on in y life atm that i knowid get some good,but tough to hear advice but i cant risk it being picked up by lazy, 3rd rate journalists

GahBuggerit · 15/02/2017 19:22

personally i think those first time posters are probably nc'ers, its what id do, so even if it does get picked up its only that one poster history being seen by someone who potentially recognises the op iyswim Wannabe

WannaBe · 16/02/2017 10:39

Well, turns out the last one was indeed a troll/pbp. And this isn't the first one iirc, wonder if they're the same poster in fact.

TBH, rather than getting outraged at the DM and its ilk posting threads from here, and talking about the (imagined) risk to posters in doing so, if people just continued to act as if nothing had happened when these posts appeared, maybe report to MN to get them to check out the poster to see if they have form, but just carry on on the thread with no discussion of the tabloids, they would soon realise that there is in fact very little to be gained by making up threads to post on their site.

I already had doubts about that thread anyway But I actually think that sensitive thread appearing in the dm/sun/ is more likely to be a troll than not.

CrikeyPeg · 18/02/2017 20:16

So was the thread about the OP whose husband was going out at night a have?

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