Please, please, please can we have a feature to block individual posters

[RudsyFarmer]

Honestly I can’t believe how aggressive some of the posters on the site are. Pure anger pouring forth regularly. I am not expecting MN to ban any posters based on their vitriol, but can we at least have an option not to see their posts?

And yes I know I can leave before a divisive ChatBot comes and helpfully posts this on the thread.

In the threads I’m thinking of there is no discussion. Just a mass pile on with increasingly vile posts. I would like to hide anyone that uses FFS in their reply. They are exactly the people that bring absolutely zero to any ‘discussion’.

Then you have the option to unhide then surely?

I don't believe I have any sort of right or privilege to be able to read a forum and never feel irritated. Use of the report button, although not instantaneous, really is the best way, if they're breaking Talk guidelines. Loads of times I've loaded a thread to see a deleted message and everyone replying to the deleted message and felt a kind of tranquility at never knowing what the goady post said!

Surely you’ve just argued my point for me? I would also like to feel the tranquility at not seeing the shitty message. I just don’t require everyone to not see it alongside me.

There are goady posters that just fly under the report radar but are shitty enough to just make lots of people feel bloody awful. I’d like to not see the posts of those people. Those who like arguing with those posters are free to crack on.

Pmsl ‘ I would not support this!’ You sound very officious lol

Oh you mean you would see something like “post hidden” and have the option? I mean if their posts didn’t appear it all, when you block someone on Facebook you only realise you’ve missed a post when the discussion stops making sense.

But the difference is, everyone can see that the message has been hidden for everyone.

If you have no idea who on the thread can see which posts it'll descend into meaningless misunderstandings. It does that enough as it is, and "RTFT" won't even be a thing any more!

Are you using the report function, or do you not think they are breaking Talk guidelines?

And are you suggesting a block based on username, or based on account, which have the issues I raised in my first post?

I suppose Mumsnet would have to work out the details on that. it’s bizarre to me that this is contentious at all. It’s literally impacting no one but the person who has elected to hide the poster involved. All these accusations of stifling debate is laughable. Most of these GFs hang out on AIBU and could care less about interesting discussions and debates. They just want to put the boot in.

Most of these GFs hang out on AIBU and could care less about interesting discussions and debates. They just want to put the boot in

They really do. I've reported one a couple of times and she's still around jumping on unsuspecting posters.

I would like to be able to block by name.

As I said Mumsnet can work out the logistics. I’m not an expert of how best to block or hide. I would assume by username but I guess it would be up to the tech people.

I honestly don’t think there some sacrosanct conversational ethos that shrouds the site. I think there are an awful lot of trolls, troublemakers and chatbots that make it intolerable for many and they just leave. That is what stifles debate. By leaving an open door for the arseholes it creates an environment where the decent people just go.

You need to chill out 🍷

As I said Mumsnet can work out the logistics. I’m not an expert of how best to block or hide. I would assume by username but I guess it would be up to the tech people.

But what is the thing you are asking for? They are quite different things.

It's not a techy question I'm asking - is it that, whatever that person posts on MN, you don't see it? Because, as I have explained a few times, that would expose people's usernames as linked, so there would no longer be any function to have entirely separate usernames that can't be linked back to each other.

I'm trying to work out if this is the thing you are asking for and if you think that is worth being less irritated?

I'm perfectly chilled, thanks! I'm used to patiently explaining things to people who tell me I'm wrong but haven't understood what they're saying!

I used capitals for emphasis to distinguish between 'you not seeing them' and 'them not seeing you' as you seemed to get them confused. So I apologise if you thought I was shouting, I was typing on my phone and trying to use italics to format short words was more fiddly than hitting caps. But now I've had to type this out to explain my use of it, it would probably have been worth it.

Ideally I’d like to block by username. I have no idea about the name change problem as I’ve never done that.

People argued for ages about how unworkable having an edit button would be because the site would fall into immediate anarchy. Well weirdly it hasn’t, it was an incredibly reasonable option that pretty much every other forum affords people and seems to have been implemented without any problems.

i suspect if Mumsnet wanted to allow people to be able to block users they’d figure out a way to do it.

How the heck is 'I wouldn't support this' an officious phrase?

It just made me laugh. I visualised you with a placard marching back and forth. Down with blocking usernames!

Ha ha! It wasn't intended that way - just to be factual and not over-dramatic.

Ideally I’d like to block by username

And then you'd be back in 5 minutes complaining because they've changed username and you're seeing their posts. And it will become a tedious game of trying to guess if that's the person you've blocked or not. And everyone will try and guess "it's obvious PosterA is also PosterT" which is against Talk guidelines.

On other forums such as Reddit it's explicitly forbidden to try and 'out' someone as having another username/account etc. (But they don't have the namechange function).

I do think it's a bit officious to demand changes to a forum when you don't understand the ins and outs of how it's used because you haven't personally used one of the functions.

I'm used to patiently explaining things to people who tell me I'm wrong but haven't understood what they're saying!

I know exactly what I am saying, thanks very much.

I don't agree with you. I am not wrong, neither are you, we just disagree.

And yes, capitals is shouting.

My ideal implementation of this would be for there to be an "ignore" button which would collapse all posts from that username for me. These posts can then still be viewed by clicking "expand". Personally, there are certain regular posters who have such poor reading comprehension skills I'd just rather not see any of their posts if I can help it.

OK, please explain how I am wrong to say blocking by account won't expose usernames.

And just to be clear: you are claiming, as you said, that "If you block an account, they cannot see you at all."? That blocking someone will affect what the other person sees? Please, do explain that. I assumed you'd mistyped but you say you haven't.

No really I’m not being officious. I’m asking mumsnet if it’s possible and they’ve said they will chat about it. You seem to have come on to have a little argument about why it’s not possible. I’m not on Reddit so I know nothing about Reddit. I guess Mumsnet is best placed to answer if it’s possible.

Sounds good.

That sounds more workable. I'm interested as to under which conditions you would hit the 'expand' button?

Tons of posters already can't follow what a thread is saying so 'it not really making sense' wouldn't be that much of a prompt for some....!

Would their messages also be hidden when people quote-reply, in a similar way to deleted messages?

I'm struggling to see how the 'ignore' would be materially different from the 'block'.

I would prefer to block the user account but on reflection, this might be a first step