Laugh reaction

[Itsjustsodepressing]

I know when MN introduced the reaction button which included the Laugh emoji a lot of posters weren't happy about it. And there have been various comments by posters about its misuse.

It is just being used so commonly now to mock and deride serious comments that are in no way funny. That can no way be interpreted as light hearted.

It would appear to be being used to try and drive posters off threads. And the impression I get is that it's actually often certain posters ganging up together to try and silence people who don't agree with them.

I think MN having guidelines for posters to stick to civilised responses to other posters is being undermined because they have given those who are minded to be unpleasant to other posters the perfect tool to be nasty to them without having to verbalise anything and risk getting their post removed.

I'm failing to see any benefit in providing the laugh emoji reaction when it's principal use now is to upset and drive away genuine posters.

I don't think it was a good idea in the first place and I would like to see MN remove this reaction option.

@BeckyAMumsnet can you comment on alternatives such as making the laugh emoji public (with names)?

The reactions really did seem to reduce those long lines of posts simply saying “agree” or “haha”.

Excellent. Thankyou for that.

I'm sorry it's gone. If someone is going to laugh mockingly at a post, they'll just quote it and add a laugh emoji for all to see, which is more likely to encourage a pile-on of similar.

It’s ridiculous isn’t it, so we can do a laughing emoji publicly in a sarcastic response to a post, why is that better?or are mumsnet going to ban all laughing emojis unless the post is actually funny?

Exactly.

FFS what has happened?@?! I am really raging now about the lack of laughing emoji options now!

But everyone will see that, rather than only the poster. That is a big difference.

You’re raging?! I think you probably need to put the internet down for a while

I'm glad it's gone. I was on a thread once where one poster was using it for multiple posters and then, when called out, made out she was the victim.
We can all disagree, all get wound up, all post something and then regret it but, if you do, at least do it out in the open.

I only used the laugh emoji once. The poster had posted something intentionally funny which made me laugh. I hovered over the emoji thinking she might think I was mocking her. That's how toxic it had become. Good riddance.

And where's that laughing emoji when you need it? 😆😆😆

IMO

What an overreaction

I think it was nice to have it to laugh at funny and witty posts (and there are many on Mumsnet,) but as has been said, it was used to mock and ridicule. I put quite a few posts on where I was being serious/talking about something serious, or upsetting, or emotional, and sometimes someone would put a LMFAO 'reaction' emoji. It was cruel and nasty. And it was ALWAYS a 'new username' who did it. Not someone recognisable/someone who has at least 1000 posts/a username that has been registered for more than 6 months.

I miss it for being able to LOL at funny posts, but I am not sorry it's gone because it felt like a nasty and insidious personal attack when someone put a laughing 'reaction' emoji on your post.

Yes you can still do this on the thread >>> 😂 but everyone can see you laughing, mocking, and ridiculing someone who is putting a serious or emotionally charged post. No-one could see it when you put it 'secretly.'

People who think it's an 'overreaction,' and people are being OTT or 'over-sensitive' have clearly never had it done to them.