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

You should really give 90 days notice of this. I know you say threads can be moved to 30 days, but you wouldn't know if anyone has posted within the last 90 days expecting it to be deleted and doesn't cotton on.

Bad idea MNHQ.

I almost always start a thread in Chat BECAUSE I know it won't stay around forever.

I'm sure I'm not the only one.

How about consulting your members first before making such a big decision?

And have you actually posted on Chat to let people know this?

You are a genius, Minge!!!

"And have you actually posted on Chat to let people know this?"

No, of course they haven't, extinct

Yeah, I've just been to check & noticed PanPing.

Useless.

I think either you’ve misread my comment or I wasn’t clear, Pan. My comment is exactly what you’re saying. With a 90 day limit you can have a longish running thread (one that fills up quickly, i.e. within the 90 days) then someone starts a new one and you all move over there, safe in the knowledge that the older threads will eventually disappear.

30 days isn’t usually enough to fill one of those threads (there are exceptions) and people might not want to post if their comments are going to be around forever so it removes that particular function, which is v annoying!

I think all threads should disappear after 90 days especially in relationships where sometimes very personal things are shared.

My apologies, Tooth. You are right, I had misinterpreted your comment. I'm sorry

MN aren't going to make more areas where threads are deleted because threads appear frequently in Google searches for various things and that generates ad revenue. Most forums don't have areas where threads disappear for this reason.

Chat threads are also been picked up by papers because they are one of the areas of the site that are advertised frequently in discussions of the day or on the MN social media and people will come here from those sources to read threads.

Yes, I'm cynical!

I also think this is a rubbish idea. I am on a chat thread where one or two of the posters post things, happy in the knowledge that after 90 days their posts will be gone. Another bad idea from MNHQ.

@Polter

"Bizarre idea. Why not just subsume 30 days into Chat, make Chat threads auto delete after 30 days, and encourage people to use topics.

AIBU threads should auto delete too."

spot on! And the topics need to be slashed, but I guess MNHQ won't do that. It was a bit weird finding book chat under "W" for "What we're reading"!!

Basically, from Monday, don't post anything in chat as it'll be searchable for ever and make it easier for people to search your history, gather pieces, put them together and out you.

Of course you could change your username, but doing that strips any familiarity away from people. Some of whom you recognise and trust the advice of.

Seems a poor idea which ever way I look at it but I'm sure MN has 'Reasons' that aren't financially motivated.. Becca how ever could you think such things.. tut tut...

No worries at all, Pan!

I know klutzy

I’m not at all keen on this idea either - if I post anything it is usually in Chat because I know it’ll disappear. I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of there being no limits on the lifespan of Chat threads and might not bother posting anything on MN any more as I find this really offputting. I’d much rather you put a similar time limit in other areas, especially AIBU, as I’d be more likely to use the site then.

I'm not bothered - 30 days will just become the new _ chat

I think this is a bad move, a huge quantityof info is saved as things are and a lot of people will become a lot more wary of posting if things won't disappear. I have never experienced frustration at doing a search and finding only deleted threads (been here 10 or so years). If anything I think all threads should go after a year.

Great idea! I'm always searching on google and mumsnet threads pop up and I can't read them. Also chat threads are usually lighthearted so not sure why they need to disappear.

I'm in support of this. Sick of using search to get a glimpse of the ideal thread, to them discover it's expired.

I do also agree however, that chat is used too easily for any old thing and that there are more suitable topics that some questions etc should be posted on.

I have never searched MN using google, I always use Advanced search in MN itself, you don't get this problem then.

Oh, it's making sense now, it's another way to appeal to new people and increase traffic and joining via internet searches. It's not about improving the site for those of here already.

No no no

There are far too many topics on mn, which is why interesting stuff ends up getting posted in chat because people can't figure out where to put it. But leave _Chat as it is because for actual chat threads (night owls, barn, sweaty thread etc) 90days auto deletion is perfect. And frankly nobody wants to read them after 90 days anyway!!!

Options:

• leave chat as it is
• create a new 90 days only area

So what? Yes, I frequently google a question and include the word 'Mumsnet' at the end of it to find answers within MN. I find it quicker.

And I was posting on MN for a good while
before I realised that chat was only for 90 days.