Deleting abusive private messages 'at users request.'

[hazeyjane]

I'd like to know what the protocol for this is?

Does that even happen?

What?

I'd like to know too. I had 3 clearly abusive messages last night (judging by the titles- eg. "Racist Nazi Scum"), at 4.40am - I can only see the titles this morning.

Can you explain how the content has been removed "at the user's request" ?

Yes, along with pretty much everyone on the thread, I received a PM around 4.40am, mine was titled, A word of advice, Nazi. I never got to see the advice, however I am guessing it wasn’t style and beauty tips. The message however had ‘been removed at user’s request’.

My only comment on the thread in question had been to say, there Seems to be a rumour going around twitter about this....so nothing particularly shocking.

removed at user's request seems a bit strange. Removed because the sender's being an abusive dick/banned would be more appropriate.

I just find it a bit off that loads of abusive messages can be sent out, within a fairly short time by, one assumes, a brand new poster. they are then able to delete all those messages (leaving a taster of the title) and there is no message on the thread about the pms or that poster. Just waking up to read that I am a Nazi.

Has anyone heard anything back? Like everyone else on that fateful thread (with apologies to the few disappointed posters who were not deemed 'Nazi' enough by our late night friend ) I opened up mumsnet this morning to discover I am a 'Nazi Bitch'.

I reported the pm hours ago - but nothing so far.
(I also pmd our friend back to thank them for their kind words and it seemed to send - so presumably they hadn't even been blocked as of this morning?)

I assume the MN function of deleting a pm at the senders request must be done without MNHQ being able to see the content of the pm or the title - because otherwise they appear to be condoning hatemail being sent to their users, and allowing the sender to repent at their leisure .
But as this function clearly allows people to harass users and then delete without any repercussions - it seems to be a function that is not fit for purpose.

I would have quite liked to read what that pm said. i don't think someone who sends out abusive messages in the early hours of the morning deserves the right to then take them back without repercussion.

Hopefully, they believed that the pms would be deleted in their entirety, so we would never know they existed, and my pm in response this morning has shit them right up

I remember a thread about this recently; just found it...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/3288763-Private-Messages-Deleted?msgid=79087190#79087190

At the time it was said to be something to do with GDPR and people having the right to delete all their data when they de-reg.

"In the case of PMs, messages by poster A can often contain personally identifying information about poster B. Because we’re putting poster B’s right to delete her data above other concerns, when poster B deletes a PM that was sent to her, the PM is deleted from our servers and will disappear from poster A’s ‘sent’ folder."

"Likewise, if poster B de-registers or asks us to delete all her data, we think she will rightly expect PMs between herself and poster A to be deleted from our servers. That means they’ll also disappear from poster A’s ‘sent’ folder."

So I guess the send de-registered and had all their posts and messages deleted. Or were banned and MNHQ deleted all their posts/messages for fear they would be abusive. Which is more what it sounds like.

I think I'd be quite pleased that MNHQ could intercept potentially abusive messages from known trolls before they were read by their intended recipients.

Ok, but if they are going to delete abusive messages - then it seems daft to still get the little red dot...'ooh, I wonder who has sent me a message, lets see...….hmm, someone called EattheTERFs……...maybe, this isn't going to be a friendly hello.....[title] Word of advice for you, Nazi.....This message has been removed at user's request'

Also if they are going to delete these message (and there were a lot.....one poster got 5!), then don't you think a quick post on what has happened, either on the thread, or in a message to the 'Nazi's', might be courteous.

5?? Bloody hell, that is one serious whack-job. I'm so sorry for anyone who had the misfortune to get one - or five!!

Yeah, I agree it would be sensible to remove the whole message including the little bell and the title. Hopefully this will give MNHQ a prompt to sort that out, if that is indeed what's happened here.

Ok, looking at that thread from July (!) - it seems this was never resolved, and this paragraph

In the case of PMs, messages by poster A can often contain personally identifying information about poster B. Because we’re putting poster B’s right to delete her data above other concerns, when poster B deletes a PM that was sent to her, the PM is deleted from our servers and will disappear from poster A’s ‘sent’ folder .

Likewise, if poster B de-registers or asks us to delete all her data, we think she will rightly expect PMs between herself and poster A to be deleted from our servers. That means they’ll also disappear from poster A’s ‘sent’ folder.

Does not address this problem, posed on that thread

If the pm is deleted from your servers at the same time as the sender deletes it, can you please explain how you will retrieve that to use as evidence if there is a case of harassment or abuse?

MNHD stated

we need to privilege the right of users to delete their data. - which is one thing, but surely they also have a duty to mumsnet users who are being abused by random people who log on for the night and then de register.

Sorry, I meant to say, protect mumsnet users from being abused by random people who log on for the night to call mumsnetters Nazis/biches/die etc and then de register.

Ah jesus, I can't even spell bitches any more.....I'd be no good at hurling abuse.

@MMHQ

I would like a response to this please, I was sent a message titled “Die Nazi Scum”, with content deleted at the posters request. Can you please assure us that the poster who sent these has been banned ?

Hi there OP,

We're so sorry to hear this has happened to you, and to others on the thread.

We've taken a look into this and it seems that an abusive troll registered, sent those messages, and then deregistered (with the option of withdrawing all their sent PMs). This all happened very quickly, and they deregistered before they could be banned.

So, to answer your question - that poster is definitely no longer on the site.

We're sorry again you've even had to see those messages in the titles.

Are you sending the IP address to those that got the messages so that they can report it to the police?
Or do the posters that got the messages report them all to your local police force and you then disclose the IP addresses and email address under which they registered to the police when they ask for them? Or to their local forces?
Or do you report them as a matter of course?
How does this work?