Rather than delete threads that have ‘got out of hand’...

[Coriandersucks]

...can’t you just stop comments? It’s so frustrating when you’ve invested time giving advice to someone, and have also gained useful information from other peoples comments, only for the thread to be deleted just because a few people took things too far.

It’s happened quite a bit lately and I just think this pulling of threads is getting out of hand. Fair enough if it’s a troll or pbp but I manage a fb group and if things get a bit overheated we stop comments and delete those that went ott.

That way the useful information can remain for those who need it and everyone who has taken the time out of their day to provide helpful information don’t feel they’ve wasted it.

I agree completely @Coriandersucks

The thread deletion seems to be endless at the moment. Equally trolls or PFBs.

Hi there,

Thanks for the feedback. We really do understand the frustration when you have spent time reading and contributing to a thread and it then gets deleted. Please know we don't take deletions lightly, and there are sometimes things going on behind the scenes that mean we have to make deletions.

As ever, we rely on everyone's reports to find trolls and PBPs, so please keep them coming!

But would you consider just stopping comments in some situations? I echo others' frustration about this. Deletions mean that people's good advice and time is lost.

I also think this is a good suggestion.

If you stop comments then the thread will fall out of active fairly quickly.

I went back to 2 threads last night which I had advised on both deleted immediately..

Perhaps @MNHQ could explain what some of these reasons are? Perhaps some examples? Otherwise it does seem to drive down participation from lots of posters and only the most extreme unhinged voices even bother.

I agree. I had a thread deleted once which had contained really helpful advice about leaving my DH. Stopping further posts would achieve the same outcome but allow the helpful stuff to remain.

I do find it helpful when MNHQ explain the reason for deletion eg there was one last night which just got nasty on all sides, so that was fair enough.

Sometimes there's just thread deleted though & that's frustrating.

It does start to put one off commenting.

The pbp ones - why not keep them up, because otherwise unless you'd commented on the first one you'd not know that the thread had been deleted for being by a pbp, and then two months later there's been dozens of deleted threads on pregnant female chemistry teachers moving to a small village in a different country populated by some bloke they don't know, his entire family and the ex he was trying to get back with 5 months before. Unless you've seen the pattern, the thread lasts for a few hours of everyone going "don't do it" and "did you post this before" until it gets zapped. And then the a few days later...

There is clearly one contentious subject at the moment.

Sadly due to the subject matter it can deviate but it is all part of the same big story.

I know I commented and it was twisted round to make my words look hateful which they most certainly were not. If someone chooses to twist words to fit their own agenda it is unfair.

One can only wonder if a very small minority of those on that thread reported because as far as I could see, around 99% were saying the same thing.

What is a pbp please?
I tried Google and it said penicillin binding protein (!)

Previously banned poster Weltans

I also dont understand the obsession with deleting PBP threads.

If it was a trolling thread or inappropriate thread then okay. But if it was a passable thread that then attracted the swarms of troll hunters, if the poster is a PBP then fair enough boot them out - but why zap an entire thread? What's the point?

@RivkaMumsnet

Hi there,

Thanks for the feedback. We really do understand the frustration when you have spent time reading and contributing to a thread and it then gets deleted. Please know we don't take deletions lightly, and there are sometimes things going on behind the scenes that mean we have to make deletions.

As ever, we rely on everyone's reports to find trolls and PBPs, so please keep them coming!

You do take deletions lightly - you delete all the time. You even deleted the thread about why deletions happen. It's really annoying, stop it please.

Delete rude/offensive comments and leave the rest.

If you have reason to believe (I still have zero idea how you work this out) that a poster is a troll, then why not post that on the thread itself, and leave it to posters to decide whether to continue to engage or not? You can also post that a poster has been previously banned. You don't need to delete - they may have even been posting something useful!

As an aside, I also hate the "stop commenting" functionality on FB, it's really annoying too.

Thanks for your comments and we do understand your frustration with thread deletions.

As @RivkaMumsnet has already said, though, we really don't delete any thread lightly.

For every thread that has to be removed, there are many more which we opt to keep up, despite masses of reports or requests for deletion.

We'd always rather keep up threads - unless they're blatant trollfests or beyond redemption - because we hate losing valuable posts from Mumsnetters, just as much as you all do.

Anyway, thanks for your understanding with all this - we'll have a chat here at MNHQ and give your suggestions some consideration.

I agree with others. I belong to several different forums and the others are able to lock a thread to prevent further posts. It is a useful feature.

In some cases, obvious troll threads turn out to be really funny and entertaining, and it's a pity when the daft ones get zapped.

I agree tbh.

I think when a poster is distressed and wants the thread taking down, fair enough, and when it’s a troll, also fair enough.

But when it’s just got a bit rowdy - come on!

Hmm I’m torn on that one tinsel

Sistine chapel, yes. Others have a sinister purpose.

Threads get deleted because they are embarrassing for the site and rightly so.