Your account is on cooldown

[Decideforme]

Is it a new feature to limit posting? What are the rules?

[Decideforme]

@mnhq bumping 😊

[SheIsStuck23]

I was also wondering what the countdown is?!

I keep seeing on AIBU posts “two days remaining”…..

Is that two days to vote?
Two days and then the thread is being removed?

I don’t understand?!

[AutumnFroglets]

Where did you see this? Was it a DM or email? I never access my emails because it requires a very old, very slow laptop so would never know if my account was about to be "cooled"


(also bumping this)

[Decideforme]

I posted a few times in a row to close an ongoing thread that was nearing 1000 posts (which is quite a 'normal' thing to do on MN, IME). Then I got a message saying that my account was on cooldown for posting too much and to try again later.

If there are restrictions, it would be nice to know them in advance.

[AnxiousPangolin]

A lot of forums have a feature to stop people spamming threads. If you posted several times in quick succession, it’s likely that.

[AutumnFroglets]

I agree with @AnxiousPangolin (awesome name btw). It's to stop bots/scripts from overloading the server. It's one form of a DDOS attack.

[Decideforme]

I understand that but I've been posting for about 15 years and it was a really common thing to close off a thread by filling the last few posts so that people move on to the new thread. If I had known that I'd be (temporarily) suspended for it, I wouldn't have done it. It would be nice if new features are added, that in effect constitute a 'rule', to be told about it.

[AuntieStella]

I agree that a series of countdown/going going gone! posts at the end of a nearly full thread is utterly normal MN posting style.

And if it is to be sanctioned, then yes, people need to be told.

(I never get the feeling, these days, that any MNHQ staff are actually MNetters and that this has led to less familiarity of what the site it really like. Data-driven, not community-driven, and at times that is unfortunate)

[Decideforme]

Thanks @AuntieStella . It would be nice to know whether it's frequency of posting, or number of posts on a thread that triggers it. For example, on one of my regular threads, we're a small group having a conversation. Will 10 posts in an hour trigger it? 10 posts in 5 minutes?...easily doable on a small conversational thread. Or is it the number of posts across different threads? Again quite possible if you're mooching through Active Conversations.

@MNHQ I'd really appreciate your comments.

[Wheeking15]

@AnxiousPangolin they have something like that on Meta/Facebook I think though I haven't seen it on there.

[Decideforme]

Bump for @MNHQ

[pinkfondu]

Wtf

[YourNameGoesHere]

Adding another bump for you, I've literally never heard anyone say there was a cool down for posting on MN in all my years on here. I completely get what you're saying in that if it's a new rule we should be made aware.

[RandomersAssociation]

Interesting …

I’ve been here a similar length of time and haven’t come across this, @Decideforme. Would certainly like to know if it’s a new feature.

[Decideforme]

@RandomersAssociation

Interesting …

I’ve been here a similar length of time and haven’t come across this, @Decideforme. Would certainly like to know if it’s a new feature.

I've never come across it before either. I literally posted a link to a new thread, then started closing off the last 7 or so posts of a 1000 post thread so there wasn't that classic situation of people posting on two threads. Then I got a cooldown notice. If it had said 'try again in 5 minutes' or 'your account has been suspended for 10 minutes' or something else informative, I wouldn't be bothered. But 'try again later' is really vague and unhelpful. Because there are no rules, I'm hesitant about going to my usual threads, posting, then popping on to active and commenting on threads there, in case I break the mysterious threshold that has obviously been set.

[MagentaRocks]

I haven't noticed the cool down but have seen the time limit on voting which is new.

[ScottBakula]

I haven't seen this yet but would also like to know what's going on.

I understand that something needs to be done about the bots that keep appearing on multiple threads at the same time but how will it distinguish between bots and fast typers on different threads.

Or if its posting repeatedly quickly on one thread , threads like WAG , WAGmusic, will get us all put in the cool tank

@mnhq , please enlighten us.

I also think the new poll display is wrong. You can now see the poll before you vote , I think it will sway people before they read the post.

[SabrinaThwaite]

I saw this on a thread where people were live commenting on a radio interview - so a rapid series of short comments - and got the same message.

[BeckyAMumsnet]

Hello @Decideforme sorry for the delay in responding to your question. We introduced the cooldown recently as part of several measures to help prevent spam. We don't like to discuss the details of limits, etc. as this would allow said spammers to circumvent it. Our aim is to get the balance right so it will stop spam but not negatively impact genuine MNers and it may require some further tweaks if lots of people are being impacted. Your feedback is, as always, very much appreciated.

[AuntieStella]

The best way would to look at the series of posts that have triggered the concern and see what they are, rather than going automatically straight to sanction.

[Decideforme]

Thanks for the reply. I think it would be better to impose those limits on new accounts rather than all accounts, personally, because there are fast moving threads where people may post short contributions frequently and it would be a shame to dampen the flow.

[Pinkpinkpink15]

@BeckyAMumsnet

could you please confirm that the @MNHQ
doesn't go anywhere.

[AutumnCrow]

This is going to impact some of your best genuine contributors, @BeckyAMumsnet. For example, the contributors on the long-standing TV and radio threads who watch and listen together as a communities will often post rapidly and frequently.

Examples of such threads are those set up for watching Masterchef and Strictly Come Dancing. Mumsnet even has its own glitterball.

These posters have been on MN for years, and have contributed a huge amount of wit, fun and expertise, all given freely. It seems wrong that they will be swept up in a sledgehammer moment to tackle (say) South Korean camping spam.

[TiptopTommy]

@AuntieStella

The best way would to look at the series of posts that have triggered the concern and see what they are, rather than going automatically straight to sanction.

It’s not a sanction though, it’s just a tool to make it harder for spammers. A lot of the spam occurs during the night when there is no-one to look at the posts.

This is a good thing, surely?

[RandomersAssociation]

Gosh, yes - exactly as @AutumnCrow says. At exciting moments in ‘The Archers’ the thread can move incredibly quickly, with highly invested listeners posting swiftly and repeatedly both during and immediately after a broadcast.

Would be awful dull if we lost that!