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.

how can MN be such an established (read old) site and still be this inept at getting changes right?

turn it off until you’ve thought through how you can stop extremely sensitive topics across your whole site being shoved into unsuspecting users faces.

can’t do an edit button, capitalise the first letter of a paragraph, or implement anything else users have been asking for but can implement badly thought through changes that nobody wants. Someone’s pet project was it?

This is what you get on the current thread about Poland

I hate it, I like to different things not get stuck in a box

Just popping in to add my nope and please fix it!

This is so random.

If I want information, I normally either search, which already shows an array of threads and does at least now favour recent ones.

Or, I write a new thread. I don't just go looking through a section (or Active) in search of threads.

Newbies tend to try and write a thread, sometimes it's not clear to them how to do this. Why not make the start new thread button clearer and then when somebody is writing a thread, or just after it's posted, it could come up with suggestions of threads you may like as a temporary thing to look at while you wait for replies?

If I click on a thread from active or a section, I generally do that because I think I might have something to add to it. It's no use showing me (or the user like me) other similar threads!

You may like... Seems useful for articles or a shopping website, but less so for a discussion forum 🤔

Could we at least choose to opt in or out?

I don’t remember a thread where opinion on this was gathered, I’m guessing nobody asked for it?

I bet the Like button is on its way. ☹️

Look what I've just seen suggested on a thread called "Are second babies easier?"

Sorry but what?! 🤣🤣

It is as irritating as the Christmas box last year. Just no need.

I wonder how this works when it’s a troll thread that’s posted on.
You might like these troll threads too…

It’s awful that some really sensitive threads are being resurrected. Women who have posted in fear at bleeding in pregnancy - if they subsequently lost their pregnancy, how will they feel getting notifications that people are posting on their thread? People posting about losing a child, or trying to escape an abusive relationship… the lost goes on, and it must be so distressing for OPs and anyone with notifications still on old threads.

So many sensitive and emotional topics are covered here that this seems crass and unnecessary when there’s a good search function.

Of course, locking threads after a certain length of time would eliminate the issue, and also solve another problem while you are at it…

But if you DO decide to keep it, could the You Might Like list be placed BELOW the box for one’s reply? Please and thank you.

This kind of related content feature works on other kinds of sites but it's completely inappropriate and unworkable on MN for the reasons given.

This. Useless.

I don't hate this as a concept as such, but, a) I do hate zombie threads and the fact that almost nothing is done to avoid them - and this will make it worse, and b) it seems partly to be an acceptance that the search facility is rubbish (wasn't this supposed to have been improved?). It is still better to search MN via google.

I’m not complaining, honest - but I just happened to notice Site Stuff isn’t plagued by the dreaded “You Might Also Like” nonsense.

is that because Site Stuff is mainly people complaining - and MN don’t want to signpost them to more complaints, encouraging more people to complain, in an endless circle of frustration?

Ah yes ‘you might also like’ all these other threads complaining about the function of the site. 😂

I don't usually bother commenting on this sort of thing but OMFG @mnhq please remove the whole feature, it's fucked up my night time routine and I don't like reading old threads!

Was just coming here to add another dissenting voice. 'You might also like' sounds so - gleeful. Not all of us are reading this site while cracking out the popcorn and scrolling through for the lols.

Not a fan of it either sorry @LilyMumsnet @YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet

Cheers grannies 🥰

Ha! I noticed this tonight and was confused as to how I’d missed it for so long. Apparently I didn’t!

And yes, I clicked on one and it was old.

Honestly, it's grim. People post such sensitive, difficult, and sometimes traumatic stuff on this site. It's absolutely inappropriate for some of those threads to be revived, and presumably brought to the OP's notice via email if they're quieted, years after their tragedy or anguish. Just blocking the bereavement and infertility branches isn't going to filter all of those out.

It's simply not a facility that is appropriate on a site like this. It really isn't. Zombie threads are the least of the problems with it.

Sorry, I meant irritating zombie threads are the least of the problems. Upsetting zombie threads are the real issue.

In the hope that feedback is being taken on board, I'm adding to the chorus of people who loathe this idea.

If you absolutely must, because of revenue etc, move it underneath the reply box and find a way to keep zombie thread out of it, or better still lock them.