Can we turn off "Interested in this thread? then you might like..."

[EasilyDeterred]

This keeps popping up mid-thread at the moment, I switched off the "similar threads" feature ages ago but can't find a way to get rid of these, is it possible? They are annoying breaking up the thread as you scroll down.

Yes please

So annoying. We know what threads we like thanks MN!

Thanks, I hadn’t realised you could hide similar threads.

I understand why you’re doing all this, MNHQ, but are you getting enough benefits from it to counter the negative views from your logged in users?

Very annoying I don't understand why @EmpressaurusOfCats

I understand why because I work in this area. It’s about trying to get people to spend longer on the site & engage more.

I’d guess it’s especially targeted at new users who come here from a Google search - they’re hoping that instead of reading a couple of posts & buggering off, they’ll be drawn into reading more threads & signing up.

If I was doing this I’d have tags on the Interested in this thread? links so I could see how many people were clicking on them & what they were doing from there.

I hate both, not to mention the 'Shopping' side panel.

Yes please. Very annoying.

Yes, I'm sure it is. Well if they were to look at my MN history they'd see that I have been here 15+ years and spend far too long on here every day, I don't need to be further engaged.

I agree. It's really annoying!

It's horrible the way it appears in the thread, also would like to be able to turn it off.

Oh, I agree it’s annoying. I’d like a turning off option too.

MNHQ should be able to work out whether the number of sign-ups they’re getting from people clicking on those links balances out the number of MNers who are objecting to them - but I’m not sure how they’d factor in the number of new members who then get bollocked for posting on a zombie thread.

Hi there @EasilyDeterred and others. Thanks for sharing your feedback. We have introduced this recommendation block as a test to help users find more content that is relevant to them. As always, we will monitor the feedback and discuss this before making any further changes.

I'm sure this is behind the sudden upsurge in the number of zombie threads recently.

It is pretty awful, MN, I know things evolve and we move with the times, but it looks very messy

Thanks @HebeMumsnet but as PP say there's a lot of us who have absolutely no trouble spending far too much of our lives on mumsnet and if anything what we really need is for the "Interested in this thread" to be replaced by something like "This is the 12th complex thread you've read through and composed a 5 paragraph reply to today. Is there something more important you ought to be doing?" - but failing that perhaps those of us who already spend plenty of time on here can have an off button for it? And you just show it to the people who aren't addicted yet?

Excellent suggestion from @OpusGiemuJavlo

We no like.

It doesn't work for me as I get annoyed with it and am less likely to read further.

I hate it too. Please turn it off.

At least find a way to stop people waking up zombies. Fine to direct to similar but not from 2 years ago and more.

I don't like it because the tone is often at odds with the thread. You could be reading about a terrible situation involving a car crash and it will pipe up with "Ooh, why not look at the vehicle board!". It's a bit clashy.