war topic

[Samcro]

any chance of a covid style war topic for all the "are we going to war " threads please.

it isn't really for other people to decide that they can't.

It’s for Mumsnet to decide, and I think they have now been presented with all the arguments.

However a thread is much more likely to disappear or be taken the wrong way on AIBU or chat.

@merrymouse

it isn't really for other people to decide that they can't.

It’s for Mumsnet to decide, and I think they have now been presented with all the arguments.

However a thread is much more likely to disappear or be taken the wrong way on AIBU or chat.

I agree that it's for MN to decide, and to then make it clear exactly which topics are allowed on which boards.

If the miscellaneous boards are to remain miscellaneous, then that should be spelt out clearly to everyone, and people can scroll on past threads that they do not like.

If the topics that can be posted on the miscellaneous boards are to be restricted, then this should be made abundantly clear on each of the relevant boards so that everyone knows which topics are excluded. It should also be clarified as to what the process is if people wish to suggest further topics that they would like to see banned from the miscellaneous boards. And also what the process is if people find that topics are being posted in the wrong section, ie is it OK for the self appointed thread police to jump on other posters or should misplaced threads just be reported to MNHQ so that they can be moved.

If we're going to restrict what people can post on the general forums, it does at least need to be clear, transparent and properly managed.

If the miscellaneous boards are to remain miscellaneous, then that should be spelt out clearly to everyone, and people can scroll on past threads that they do not like.

AIBU isn’t miscellaneous, it serves a particular purpose which makes it unsuitable for many serious topics.

If people post randomly for dog food advice in chat and don’t mind the post being lost by the afternoon, that is up to them. I don’t think anyone is going to demand the thread be moved.

The problem is click baity misinformation posted on a small number of topics, that could be deliberate…. or could be provoked by genuine anxiety.

If people are viewing the site through unfiltered active convos the topic makes no difference.

Restricting Brexit posts to a topic did not make it difficult to see Brexit posts. There is no need to derail, just report, as people do with suspected trolls.

*AIBU isn’t miscellaneous, it serves a particular purpose which makes it unsuitable for many serious topics.

So if MNHQ agree that that's the case, then it should be made clear at the top of the board as to which specific topics are deemed to be unsuitable for the board. In the absence of such guidance, it will be for individual posters to decide, and it isn't for random MNers to determine that for everyone. If MN decide that they want to reduce it to mindless trivia that cannot possibly upset or offend anyone, then that's totally fair enough but it should be made clear so that people can vote with their feet if they don't like what's left

Restricting Brexit posts to a topic did not make it difficult to see Brexit posts. There is no need to derail, just report, as people do with suspected trolls

I agree that it didn't make it difficult to see them, but it did make it very difficult to read them because of the over zealous thread police that jumped on every thread which was misplaced or where the conversation moved towards Brexit from another subject etc. It's all very well saying that there should be a specific topic and that people should just report any misplaced threads, but people will end up putting things in the wrong place and the thread police will be out in force to whinge about them. This kind of moaning derails threads and is really fucking irritating.

I am happy to support the creation of a separate board if the subjects that are out of bounds are clearly signposted on each board,
and if it is made into a breach of talk guidelines to complain on the threads themselves about what has been posted where, with repeat offenders to be banned. If people report quietly, and the threads are moved without a fuss, then I don't have an issue.

The only caveat to that would need to be some sort of exception made for threads where the OP wants a voting function, or else this function would need to be made available on the other boards for those who want it.

if it is made into a breach of talk guidelines to complain on the threads themselves about what has been posted where, with repeat offenders to be banned. If people report quietly, and the threads are moved without a fuss, then I don't have an issue.

That seems fair.

@merrymouse

if it is made into a breach of talk guidelines to complain on the threads themselves about what has been posted where, with repeat offenders to be banned. If people report quietly, and the threads are moved without a fuss, then I don't have an issue.

That seems fair.

We have agreement!

But you could say that about most of the threads on AIBU or Chat etc. Why aren't they posted in relationships or in health or in education or whatever. [...] Unless you're arguing to do away with the miscellaneous boards altogether, then you surely just accept that people will post whatever they like on those boards. And in the absence of any explicit rules about topics that are specifically excluded from those boards, it isn't really for other people to decide that they can't

Yes exactly. AIBU and chat will need a sticky or similar to list the topics not allowed or start sweeping all threads into the relevant topic - most of AIBU /chat threads could go into one of the topics so it would need really clear guidelines. So then which topics will be banned from AIBU and why and how is that decided?

I would still say a new topic needs to show sustained relevant traffic over more than a few days. On MN I wish new posters were restricted from starting threads for the first couple of months and that posters had the ability to hide threads without opening them.

That way overspill from topics would probably be less and moderators could moderate content instead of responding to gazillion reports that a thread is in the wrong place or that user X is complaining about a topic being in the wrong place.

Ultimately though, this is a site for adults. If the sight of a thread title causes a problem then honestly you need to avoid AIBU/chat or accept that the site has to become fully moderated.

Please do have a separate topic. Nobody want to read the 5 a day gratuitous scaremongering where will you hide when we are nuked threads.

On MN I wish new posters were restricted from starting threads for the first couple of months and that posters had the ability to hide threads without opening them.

But harsh if somebody has just had a baby and wants advice on breastfeeding.

So then which topics will be banned from AIBU and why and how is that decided?

I don’t think anyone has suggested that any but 2 or 3 subjects need to be moved by admin to enable filtering. It doesn’t need to be a big deal.

I don’t think anyone has suggested that any but 2 or 3 subjects need to be moved by admin to enable filtering. It doesn’t need to be a big deal

Which 2 or 3 threads? I've seen dozens of subjects listed here over the years as triggering or problematic. What would you base the decision on? Honestly if the mere sight of a thread title is a problem then you need to avoid miscellaneous topics for a while.

But harsh if somebody has just had a baby and wants advice on breastfeeding

Well MN is not the only source but you could eg say no new threads in miscellaneous or very hot topics for 60 days and delete threads from new posters who abuse other topics. That still leaves the option to add to existing threads (and there are always breastfeeding threads running).

Its really not that high a bar to read some basic guidelines before posting to a new group or forum or to read to see if the subject is already covered.

I don't get it
Rather than stopping people getting support.
Why not just have a topic for the scaremongering

What would you base the decision on? Honestly if the mere sight of a thread title is a problem then you need to avoid miscellaneous topics for a while.

It’s not my decision, but the same criteria used for Covid and Brexit - volume of misleading/goady threads and desire of posters to avoid them. It should make no difference to anyone who wants to see threads on a subject and will make them easier to find.

@Samcro

I don't get it Rather than stopping people getting support. Why not just have a topic for the scaremongering

Define scaremongering considering the range and number of topics people have flagged up as causing them distress or anxiety.

its really not unreasonable to ask people to read the forum a bit, make use of the wealth of experience already discussed and initially contribute to existing threads before starting new threads. Its about as low a bar as you can have short of open door for trolls.

415 comments on this thread and HQ have not even contributed once!

What is the actual point of Site Stuff?

@A580Hojas

415 comments on this thread and HQ have not even contributed once!

What is the actual point of Site Stuff?

They commented once near the start of the thread.

I agree @A580Hojas

Any further thoughts @LilyMumsnet?

Hi all

We're aware that this is a very big discussion and we're keeping a close eye on it (despite being quiet on the thread). Its been flagged for discussion in the office and we will update on the thread as soon as we are able.

Did they Alexa? I must have missed that, it usually gets flagged up with "MNHQ have commented on this thread" but I didn't see that this time.

@merrymouse

if it is made into a breach of talk guidelines to complain on the threads themselves about what has been posted where, with repeat offenders to be banned. If people report quietly, and the threads are moved without a fuss, then I don't have an issue.

That seems fair.

This is what I would like to see as well, but my experience reporting threads in the ‘wrong’ topic, i.e. a blatant covid-related non-AIBU thread posted in AIBU just gets me an email saying they’re looking into it and the thread doesn’t get moved.

I get that MN are reluctant to go down the road of asking posters to adhere to topics and moving them, but I just cannot see any point in having literally dozens of topics then just having everyone post everything in AIBU/chat. The scaremongering over Ukraine and Covid has been absolutely ridiculous and has been pretty much allowed to continue free rein.

The scaremongering is ratcheting up. It is going to end up making some people really ill.

It would be easier if "hide thread" could be accessed without the need to click on the thread in the desktop site.

And I agree @ClaudineClare people are getting thrills from the hysteria.

It appears everyone's gone from being an epidemiologist/virologist to international affairs expect pretty seamlessly

@meditrina

It appears everyone's gone from being an epidemiologist/virologist to international affairs expect pretty seamlessly

That's so true. Any graphs yet?

@meditrina

It appears everyone's gone from being an epidemiologist/virologist to international affairs expect pretty seamlessly

This multiplied by whichever number is currently flavour of the month!

There is one set of threads running at the moment which, for the most part, has some interesting views on them - and posters are often providing or asking for reliable links or receipts.

But the number of ludicrous assertions/panic/etc is getting crazy. And it’s getting harder to decide who is genuinely having full-on panic/anxiety vs who is posting to ramp up the worry level. I’m avoiding commenting - because I don’t want to resort to telling someone they’re “stupid” for panicking, nor do I want to go full-on sarcastic for those that are getting a kick out of stirring things up.

Everyone got used to the covid board fairly quickly. I don’t think this situation is going to be resolved any time soon. Again, for me, it is not to do with “hiding it away”. For me, it makes it easier to easily see it all in one place.