Get rid of the Laugh reaction

[LetsNCagain]

We don't need the Laugh reaction.
I've now only had it had used mockingly.

Specifically for example, in a thread where the op is upset about something and I gave a supportive message. Some loser gave me the Laugh emoji because they think op is being ridiculous and by extension, so am I for showing sympathy.

Mumsnet, please just get rid of it. If someone says a funny joke, the clap hands or thumbs up is perfectly adequate. The Laugh emoji is the only one that can be used in a mocking way

Edit to add Please!

Thanks mumsnet!

Well done Mumsnet

Thank you for raising it! Well done.

I'm glad it's gone. It was used in a nasty way to mock people. I wouldn't object to a public like vote. I much preferred the old emojis

I thought introducing a set of emojis (whenever it was ... fairly recently) was a mistake ... choice!! Eeek!

Having said that, I have enjoyed getting Laugh emojis when I provided something funny, and I liked Laughing at other people's funny posts. I can live without any emojis, I think "love" is schmaltzy, "agree" is hard, and that just leaves "thanks" which I prefer, really. I also don't understand why the reactions had to be private. As mumsnet is social media it seems a bit precious to send private/secret emojis. But hey, they're emojis. They are unimportant and silly, open to all kinds of interpretation, and massively over-used.

runs away cackling evilly

Thanks for getting rid of it MN!

You can still get them - they’re just hidden away under the smiley face underneath this post on the right, then under M

Or people are just using by the heart/love emoji instead - had my first one today 🙄 Twat!

Hurrah!

Oh, that's not so great 🙄

perhaps they shouldnt be hidden
or just get rid of them totally

I thought the agree function was fine.

Quite often it was a way of communicating with another poster without derailing the thread - particularly if the comment you were agreeing with was in itself slightly off topic. Or of thanking someone for supporting you/ agreeing with someone being attacked without re-inflaming another poster who had disagreed.

You do get some angry types who want to dictate the thread direction and simply won’t back down. It’s a way of communicating “around” them which can be for everyone’s benefit.

I was on one thread where a poster joined who was honestly just unhinged. I’m sure there was as much private thanking as there were actual posts going on because if anyone dared disagree it triggered the poster to come rampaging back like one of those angry spiders that feel something land on its web, and we’d then get another lengthy, nonsensical rant!

I'd like the laugh response back. People should be encouraged to report misuse of the response thingies. If I thought it would be taken philosophically, I'd suggest adding a 'get a grip' reaction, but it wouldn't, so I won't.

I have missed it too. On a lot of long running support threads I am on people make humorous comments that the laugh response was perfect for acknowledging without filling the thread up and letting them supportively know their joke hasn't been ignored or fallen flat.

Shame it has been removed when any "incorrect" use could have easily been dealt with by reporting.

Because it didn’t work on the app, I was left feeling things had ‘fallen flat’ whereas for years before these ‘reactions’ you’d find one or two people posting a or - there was no need for everyone to acknowledge a witticism.

Yep @ErrolTheDragon it was pretty pointless for app users because all you can see is the thanks response

What, you mean they used it sarcastically? Ugh if so.

I quite liked the laugh reaction for its proper purpose, i.e. when someone had said something obviously intended to be funny, but I've had a few sarcastic/mocking laugh reactions to my own posts so I can see the problem. It's a shame there are always some people who do this kind of thing and think they are being oh so edgy - they're really not.

The wrong people are getting blamed for its removal. It’s not the people on the receiving end of it being used in a snarky way who are at fault here.

So ironic that, earlier in the thread, when I talked about new mums with ppd, or bereaved people, or victims of domestic abuse, getting secretly mocked I was told they ought to get a grip. That they ought to stay off the Internet if they couldn't handle it.

But...you told a joke and you are sad no one laughed because there's no emoji for that?

Erm... who should get a grip here?

Edit to be clear it's the general You. Not thinking of a specific person, just pointing out the two arguments for and against removal

Yes, and of course there are still plenty of emojis, just may take a click or two more.

Yes. Doesn't upset me just highlights the fact it'll make no difference removing the laugh emoji.

Well the laugh emoji has gone. I used it if something was funny ha ha but I suspect many used it to laugh at the OP or another poster, meaning that what they had said was risible. I quite miss it but on the other hand I do not miss wondering if someone is laughing at me - I have noted it sometimes on posts where I disagree with the current mode, for example. In general I do not think I will miss it and nor will many others. Perhaps a celebratory firework or something would be a better choice?😃

I see there's a poll running about bringing it back on AIBU

It was used honestly and kindly for genuinely funny posts. It's a shame it's gone for those.

Would it be too silly to have a tickbox by the "post" function where you can tick a "yes this is intended to be humourous" tickbox which make the laigh emoji possible for that post?

If you think about the sort of personality that would think 🤔 “ I can use this to mock someone and no one but the person will see” you realise what craven, nasty people are scuttling about under rocks.