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.

WE ALL HATE IT MNHQ.

But will you listen? No, probably not because anything to keep the traffic going, eh?

It's pretty unanimous, I don't think there's been a single positive comment about the new feature. At this rate i'm willing to bet there's more support for an edit function or even a like button, as at least they serve a purpose even if not everyone would like them.

We've removed the feature on fertility and bereavement based on the feedback on this thread

It's really pretty grim that this feature wasn't throught through and properly tested, or it would have been bloody obvious that it was wildly inappropriate to tell bereaved posters about 'other threads you might like' on (basically) death. Posters know which board they're on. They know how to click on other threads if and when they're ready for that.

There are many other boards here hosting sensitive topics and this ghastly feature is going to make the board a very ugly place for a lot of posters who need help the most. How about Relationships? 'Here's some other threads you might like about women being punched in the head by their partners'. Is that how it's going to go? Absolutely ghoulish.

If you won't remove the feature, @LilyMumsnet @YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet could you, at the very least, create a new section for YMALT, so that the threads being suggested are routed there and not into Active Conversations?

But please remove it altogether!

... and I know you won't do that anyway, as it will cut down on the clicks

Is MNHQ going to respond to all this negative feedback?

in summary

it’s a feature that users hate
it links to irrelevant and/or old threads
it is given too much prominence
the algorhythm is far too simplistic
MNHQ stated the purpose is to assist with searching - so why not restrict the use of ittothose actually searching?

Oh, and if it is such a useful feature, why isn’t it available on Site Stuff?

Yes they didn't think to disable the feature from sensitive topics / boards, but someone has deliberately made the decision to exclude site stuff...

That's really shitty of them.

It's positively encouraging bumping of zombie threads

I like it. Keep it.
I have clicked on a few already.

... and impossible to avoid the zombie threads as the date posts were started has been removed from the list in Active Conversations

Ha ha! I noticed that too!

MN has turned into such a dumpster fire. Sick of reading zombies and troll posts.

Also saying please stop recommending zombie threads - it's making the site unusable.

Is that you Justine??

Also, if it's working off algorithms I hope it's not being used on sensitive topics.

^^This.

Mumsnet, please get rid of this 'feature' for the reason above and because it's annoying and pointless.

I just checked and it's being used in Relationship on 'abusive ex' threads.

Yep no suggestions at all on site stuff, but apparently MNHQ are ok with this.

@mnhq it would be really interesting to hear your explanation for this

A thread about problems someone had with collecting ashes after a cremation appeared as a suggestion on a thread about posting spoilers for 'The Great British Bake Off':

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4648830-to-tell-the-undertaker

suggested under:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4678584-to-tell-the-poster-who-spoiled-bake-off-final

That doesn't seem very appropriate.

It's horrendous, it is annoying and often hugely inappropriate. GET RID OF IT.

I would rather have the top few "trending" threads showing in that slot on the mobile site, which was what we had until now.

If you don't want zombie threads resurrected then stop pointing people towards them or you are part of the cause of the problems. You just made things even easier for the trolls.

Ive just been reading a thread in active about someone who cant shift their hangover, it was started in September, pretty sure it would have cleared up by now!

This. It’s a really bad idea. Why on earth encourage the resurrection of zombie threads.

I think it also looks really cheesy and crappy.

It’s AWFUL. I don’t need MNHQ trying to dictate my usage - I’ll decide for myself what I want to read. Make it stop.

Thanks, everyone! Based on your feedback we’re making some changes so that older threads are less likely to be shown. We’re also adding in more controls for sensitive topics and, after that, we’ll tweak it again so that older threads are less likely to appear in Trending.