Top Talk topics
Most popular
Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.
Please create an account or log in to access all these features
Add post
Watch this thread
Save thread
Start a new thread
Hide thread
Hide shortcut buttons
nocampinghere · 10/02/2018 10:12
Why is it possible to search all historic threads by username?
Surely it only encourages stalking?
What genuine use is it for an indefinite time period?
Is it possible to block /or if not delete old posts?
HebeMumsnet · 10/02/2018 10:29
Hi there NoCampingHere,
That is an interesting question. We do understand that sometimes the facility to search by name is used in order to drag up old posts and be a bit mean to a poster on the boards. When this is reported to us we tend to delete the post and will have a word with the culprit. It's not what we think the search facility is for and it feels a bit 'not in the spirit'. Having said that, it doesn't seem to happen too often, thankfully.
On the positive side, we think the search facility can be quite useful. It means an OP who has a bit of a long-running situation going on can say 'see my previous threads on this' and anyone can then go and read up if they want to.
It's also maybe a good way to get a bit of a bigger picture about someone if you're fairly new to the site and following a thread with an OP who has clearly been around a long time and everyone seems to know the backstory already. Having a quick search might save you feeling like a noob and having to ask for a precis, if you see what we mean?
We think that the fact that we allow people to name change means that there is at least the option to keep one aspect of your life separate to your other posts. So if you were, for example, going through a bereavement or divorce you could prevent that being advance searched by everyone you were posting on a thread about EastEnders with, where perhaps you just want the opportunity for a bit of a chat and escapism.
There isn't a facility to block or delete posts although if someone is in really dire straits we do occasionally do deletions of posts they are concerned about. This is usually if someone has been spotted IRL and they don't want that person to be able to search all posts under their name. We can either edit out odd bits of information or whole posts or we sometimes do a retrospective name change on a post so that a historic post appears under a different name to the one it was posted under and therefore can't be found under a search for their username. It's a bit fiddly to do so it's not something we do all the time but the facility is there for us to help out if anyone is really concerned about something.
Hope that answers your question? Do drop us a line again if we can explain any further.
DawnMumsnet · 10/02/2018 19:24
@nocampinghere
You can either report one of your posts on this thread or drop us a line at [email protected]. If you tell us (in private!) what your concerns are, we'll see if there's anything we can do.
Tap "Watch" to get all the latest updates
There are no more MNHQ posts on this thread