MNHQ here: removing the 90 day limit on _Chat threads

[KateMumsnet]

Hello all

Just a quick heads up that we're going to be removing the 90-day limit on the lifespan of threads started in the _Chat topic on Monday.

There are two reasons for this - firstly, people often don't clock that _Chat threads go pouf at a certain point; once they realise, they ask us to move their thread, and that can take a fair bit of time at our end.

The other is that, Mumsnet being the amazing resource that it is, MN _Chat threads show up in people's search results for anything and everything. When they click through, though, the thread's gone pouf - that's a pretty frustrating user experience and we'd really like to fix it.

Don't worry, though, if you don't want your thread to hang around - just post it in the 30 day's only topic, which does exactly what it says on the tin: posts go pouf after 30 days, and aren't crawled by Google at any point.

While everyone's getting used to it we're very happy to move threads out of _Chat and into 30 days' if you forget - so do give us a shout via contactus@ if that happens.

Cheers all,

MNHQ

What about current Chat threads where the time limit is currently running? If a thread was started in Chat on 1st August, will it go poof on 29th October or does this new rule apply retroactively?

So any threads started before monday will still go?

Noooooo!!

Please don't do this.

I'm not sure this is the best of ideas. There are loads of Chat threads which are trivial, or of their moments, which don't need searching for/finding in the future. That's not to criticise the OPs or anyone who replies. And people who post in Chat expect their thread to disappear after 90 days. How many people click on to Site Stuff who will see this thread to get prior warning?

Perhaps it's a good idea to 'sticky' this thread in Chat as well?

If this absolutely has to happen, at least make the user names vanish after 90 days.

Or, just dont do this!!

And how many people know about 30 days only? I suspect far fewer than you imagine.

Nooooooooo
How can we all relive the how often do you change your sheets/what to buy in Aldi/toilet brush vs 10litred of bleach threads
What about all the crap stuff lthat we don’t want hanging around?
The whole beauty of chat is that it does disappear

MNHQ delete threads on request nowadays so I’m not sure it matters a great deal anymore.

I understand the decision behind it although I do love chat. I too would like to know what will happen with current threads?

Why not change the search results so that it doesn't show up old Chat threads instead?

I can’t see that being sensible from an admin point of view. Chat is so popular that will leave a huge amount of threads on the board whereas currently there are lots being cleared out every day. Also, prepare for people bumping zombie threads. Is already happens to a small extent but as most threads are posted on chat, when people search something it will likely be a chat board thread that pops up, and they’ll post on it. Very irritating.

Doesn’t it make sense to stop deleting Chat threads 90 days after you announce that’s what’s going to happen? Surely....?

I think it's a bad idea too. I'm a regular name changer but I still like the idea that most of my posts disappear eventually.

Why is it _Chat and not plain Chat?

So it appears top of the alphabetical list of topics.

Tbf most deleted threads are available somewhere on internet caches so it’s probably not a good idea to encourage people to think that things they say on Chat will disappear completely in the future.

I may be in the minority but I'm thankful for this — so often I've clicked search results only for them to be Chat threads from two years ago.

I do agree that 30 days only needs to be put in a more prominent position after this though, for people who still want disappearing threads.

@KateMumsnet

I really do think it's a good idea to 'sticky' this in Chat now - before you all go home for the weekend.

a) it's pertinent to the Chat topic and (b) some people tend to have more time over the weekends to MN, so will see this soonish.

I'm sure loads of people hardly look at Site Stuff - and some might not even know about Site Stuff!

I think this is a really bad idea.

Thanks, MrsMao.

Actually _Chat appears at the very bottom of the A-Z topics!

I also don't think it's a good idea.
Probably not relevant to your decision, but I often tailor a more detailed response as to whether it's in chat or not, on the basis that if its in chat it will disappear!

So the underscore moves it to the bottom!

Part of the reason people choose to use Chat over both AIBU and 30 days is because they want support for longer than 30 days but they also want it to expire and not appear in their AS result

Perhaps fix the search issue rather than taking away a valuable aspect of Chat?

As a PP said, how wonderful that we'll retain all the ALDI and Netflix threads and all the ongoing select group witterings 🤔