Why is there no option to block users?

[CollectingAllTheACEs]

I'd be interested to know the rationale from someone at MNHQ about why it's not possible to block certain users on here? There is currently a member who is following me onto every thread I comment on and nitpicking details of my life - it's not offensive so wouldn't work if I reported it but they're matching up details from other threads that have nothing to do with my questions and it's just so TEDIOUS

They could name just change username.
And if you blocked all of their usernames, it could be possible to work out that they were all the one user.

Discussed at length here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/site_stuff/5525733-we-really-need-the-option-to-block-users

People have often auto searched a users past posts, but sure how blocking someone would work on a discussion forum, the “quote” feature for example, how do you think that could work if for example, some you have blocked posts on a thread and there’s nestled quotes with someone else who isn’t blocked, I can see how it works well on personal social media but a public forum where lots of people are taking my part in the same discussion would get complicated if various people aren’t all able to see the same info.

You can keep yourself anon by name changing regularly,  and check you aren’t posting the same info about yourself over multiple posts, it’ll stop anyone looking at your other posts.

I guess there could be something like an 'ignore' button instead then (like there is on Tattle which is also an anon forum) so that poster's responses are just hidden and you don't get notifications if they quote you. Although the member I've referred to in my OP has had several posts deleted now so it's clearly not just me seeing an issue!

You could report them for following you from thread to thread. They are likely a pbp anyway if they are behaving like that.

It works on Threads just fine.

Yes it's strange OP felt the need to start this thread so soon after this quite long discussion about it.

I hope this isn't the beginnings of a campaign.

Change YOUR name. Regularly

Sorry I genuinely didn't realise there had been a recent thread - if I'd read it first then I wouldn't have asked, so no, not a campaign. Just based on the behaviour of someone towards me today - it looks like all their posts have been deleted now though

Thats good advice.

Thanks for raising this, OP. Here's what we said on the recent thread that SparkysMagicPiano flagged (thanks, Sparky) -

The reason we’ve never rushed to introduce a block function isn’t because we think everyone should just grin and bear it when they're annoyed by someone, but because it tends to have some unintended side effects. Threads might start to look a bit baffling if people are replying to posts others can’t see, conversations lose their shape, and it can make it harder (for both users and us) to follow what’s actually going on.

All that said, we do understand why people ask for it (and it’s something we keep under review rather than ruling out entirely.)

In the meantime, if someone’s posts cross the line into being needlessly antagonistic, do report them and we’ll take a look.

Hope that answers your query, OP, but please hit the report button on any posts that concern you.

@JoMumsnet could any consideration be given to an 'ignore' function? So they could still reply but you wouldn't see the response or be notified if they had quoted you. It works well on other forums such as Tattle

@CollectingAllTheACEs

You don't need an ignore "function". Your brain has one.