MN pleeeeease consider CLOSING OLD THREADS...

[Userguaranteed]

...and only reopen if the OP requests it.

Posters are exhuming threads from ages ago and asking for updates, posting advice, etc. The recent one was from 2012!

I often look at dates now because I've been sucked into zombie threads many times in the past but sometimes I forget, especially if the thread hasn't got too many replies.

Can MN close zombie threads from say a year? There's nothing more to be said - let it go [in Elsa's voice].

MN hq won't do it, the babbly reply is just a long way of saying no. Must be something to do with traffic or advertising revenue.

This has been requested time and time again over the last 15 years the best MN has come up with is the Zombie thread notice, which really isnt fit for purpose

Hi - just dropping in to say thanks for the comments and feedback which we'll take on board.

@soniamumsnet

Hi - just dropping in to say thanks for the comments and feedback which we'll take on board.

😂

@soniamumsnet

Hi - just dropping in to say thanks for the comments and feedback which we'll take on board.

I think rather than a 'thanks but no thanks' comment, you need to actually be considering "Is the way we do things now really working for our users?" The evidence displayed on this thread suggests not, but I'd be interested to see any evidence to the contrary.

I'm assuming a review date will be put in place, and the outcome will be shared?

Quantity over quality

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3169428-To-object-to-my-neighbours-putting-their-wheelie-bins-outside-my-house

That thread is a classic example of the absolute pointlessness of a zombie thread.

As well as illustrating just how many people don't bother to RTFT.

Please @MNHQ tell us that you are addressing this?

I don't see how keeping the thread live in my post at 08:28 benefits anyone - the OP, the new poster or any other users of the forum.

All it does is generate income for MN.

At least its only 3 years but yeah, what's the point apart from generating revenue?

When I see one zombie thread, I see multiple after that. It's happening again today. There must be some people doing this on purpose for some reason. Weird.

What's the time limit before a thread becomes a zombie thread

Is it 6,12 or 18 months or more ?

Is it from when thread was created or the last poster posted?

I don't think there is a hard and fast limit but its very different if the OP updating than some idiot just posting for the sake of causing trouble or because they can't be bothered to work out how to start their own thread.

I've clicked on 4 zombie threads alone today none of which were revived by the original poster.

It's getting beyond stupid how frequently they are revived by people who cannot be bothered to make their own thread or people who are asking for an update, if the OP wanted to update they would do so themselves.

I like an old thread. They can be useful. And new posts may still be valid years later (eg health, gardening, how to deal with a toddler. Etc etc)

On the other hand, people posting "F" to follow, what is that all about???

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that old threads should be automatically deleted. Just that after six months of no activity they should be locked. Which is pretty standard on other parts of the internet. I understand that MN reply to old threads to point them out as zombie threads, but I’m not sure what the point of that is when that message just gets added to bottom, presumably after it’s been flagged by posters. And that’s not universal either. In Baby Names there are frequent threads bumped by posters years after they are posted without a message from MN. One tonight on the name Honey originally posted in 2009.

If a poster wants to update then they can start a new thread and link their old one. It might also get more engagement that was, as people won’t see the date and then click off assuming it’s a waste of time.

Would it be possible to put a message above the opening post of every thread stating ‘This thread was started in 2017, please consider if it is still relevant to post’ or something like that? Then even the posters who only read the OP will know if it’s a recent thread or not.

Its alzo pointless posting on zombie threads, posters only read Op and dont read the posts at the bottom, so they dont get any relevant answers

@GreenCrayon

I've clicked on 4 zombie threads alone today none of which were revived by the original poster.

It's getting beyond stupid how frequently they are revived by people who cannot be bothered to make their own thread or people who are asking for an update, if the OP wanted to update they would do so themselves.

I agree it seems to be an almost daily occurance now. I really do think MNHQ need to introduce a semi lock so after a specific time only the OP can ressurrect a zombie thread, but anyone can still view and read it without responding. Some of the more recent ones must have been difficult for the original posters to have to relive.

Maybe we should report as potential trolling whenever we see a pointless revival. At least some are piss takes.

I opened a zombie thread by mistake too
Oops 😬

I just accidentally posted on one from 2008 that someone has resurrected.

I also reckon that it would be better if after say 12 months they could be locked and the OP could revive them, but no-one else.

Bumping this again in the hope of getting MN to start making more sensible changes it prevent resurrection.

It's been beyond rediculous for zombie threads over the weekend it feels like every third thread I'm clicking on is a zombie thread.

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WILL YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?!

@MichaelMumsnet you closed down this thread

It was a perfect example of how horrible it can be when people post on zombie threads.

Cue way too many posters who never bothered to read any of the previous posts pointing out that it was a thread from 2017!

Horribly, horribly insensitive.

However - you closed that one down, so why can't you close other zombie threads as well?

I've been asking MN to do this for years.
In addition to sensitivity issues, Zombies are timewasters.
They frequently are just resurrected to spam, report to HQ to delete the spam, then a few months later the same thread pops up again with more spam. Report to HQ to delete the spam.
I know they have more useful ways to spend their time so don't understand why they don't want to lock old threads.
I use a couple of other message boards and zombies are locked on both after 6 months.