What is this ‘You might also like’ clutter?

[PalatineHill]

Hi MNHQ. Please just take it out. Or let me opt out of it? It looks a mess.

If here’s something that I might also like to read, I’ll find it by using the search function.
These suggestions are just encouraging the posting of the same points on multiple similar threads, and that will discourage healthy normal thread death.

It’s really distracting to look at visually, I really liked the uncluttered ‘clean’ MN format compared to other forums.

I guess you always have been able to, it's just a normal topic, just one that had a specific purpose.

Yes you can!

I just did. Instant classic.

Seems like an oversight? Awks

I love your Classics thread. I might have to have one too.

So rather then being accused of 'aiming for Classics' it's probably best to just stick it in there to start with.

Nah I definitely don’t think you could always just start your own thread in classics- they get sent there. Or did. Seems like another cock up if you ask me.

Amazing how quickly that got deleted. Bet it would have been a belter, too!

<slopes off disappointed as I'd just been about to post a witty reply>

Aww no @00100001 your thread did not warrant inclusion in the end.

Another voice in support of OYBBK's well made points. I tend to navigate through active/trending. I've found some fab threads (weather and preppers) which I now check regularly. But I'd never have found them if it hadn't been for active/trending in the first place.

But it was an instant classic!

I know! It was better than Penis Beaker IMO.

It was funny how the thread morphed into Badgers eating ice creams.... classic

@YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet

Can I just ask what may seem like a daft question. But why are MNHQ going to the effort of adding additional features, monitoring threads and making all these tweaks when the vast majority of users just want the similar threads feature removed?

I'm guessing @Whinge that a) they've paid a lot of money for someone to develop the feature for them and b) it will somehow be driving revenue for them

Can't manage an edit function, however.

I find the feature anxiety inducing. You click on one thread about energy bills and then are confronted by several others. People start to believe it’s all doom and gloom - depressing. Just perpetuating misery when so many people are already anxious and feeling low.

@DrinkFeckArseGirls you can turn it off now though - go into your customise/settings bit.

Can you please tell us why “similar threads” isnt in the Site Stuff threads?

this has been asked several times over the course of a week but MN seem to be ignoring the question - which is

if the feature is so useful, why isn’t it on Site Stuff threads, to point users to others experiencing similar problems?

I agree. In fact, Site Stuff is the only topic board where I would say it’s pretty much guaranteed to be useful, and also save MNHQ time, rather than answering the same question on multiple threads. And there’s no sensitivity about the content. So having it in this section should be a no-brainer.

It's been in the works since at least 2020, so it would be great to get an update on how close it is to being implemented. I really hope no one signed up to premium on the hopes of it being added as an additional feature, as was mentioned back on the original MN premium annoucement thread.

@BIWI You're right, money must be the main reason, as it's certainly not something the users asked for or want on the site.

I still feel as though the issue of long running threads not coming up in trending at all and people being able to opt out of them on active is being ignored by MN, or being written off as acceptable collateral damage.

Can the coders not differentiate between threads that haven't been posted on for 30 days and threads that were started 30 days ago but are still being updated?

Can the coders not differentiate between threads that haven't been posted on for 30 days and threads that were started 30 days ago but are still being updated?

As whatever algorithm from Wish MNHQ have bought can’t tell the difference between funeral options for bereaved posters and Great British Bake Off, then I very much doubt they can be arsed to upgrade to one that can do this

It’s a blunt tool to drive traffic to ad exposure on multiple threads. That’s all they need it for, so that’s all they will shell out for it to do.

I think that was how it worked in practice - it was originally for saving great threads from Chat as they used to disappear after 90 days. But MN has never been particularly technologically advanced, I'm sure it was a normal topic but convention/MNetiquette stopped people from posting in there directly. Since the site was smaller and everyone knew what it was for.

I could be remembering wrong though!

There was also a lovely thread that came up yesterday - 13 years old! - and someone asked for an update from OP and she delivered.

I don't want old threads locked/hidden. But agree that this feature does unnecessarily encourage people accidentally posting on the wrong/annoying kind of zombie thread.

Another slight side effect I've noticed now - I posted on one of those threads that come up all the time (how often do you do laundry) and someone's obviously been on that current, active thread and clicked through to threads they may also like and revived a different laundry frequency thread, and I can't tell which is which in my TIO! So if I'm catching up without paying attention, there's a 50/50 chance I'll read and continue to post on the old one.

Then you're doing exactly what HQ are hoping you'll do, along with a high volume of other posters, and that's to create a significant amount of churn on here, to keep the site buzzing.