Could Mumsnet add laughing and sad reaction emojis for threads

[Brideofclover]

Can we please have a laughing emoji and a sad emoji for reacting to threads?
it’s probably been asked before but I thought I’d ask again!
Some threads are so nuts they really need an emoji showing that we all think it’s hilarious and likewise some are actually so sad by sharing a sad emoji shows we empathise x

Laughing was tried and they took it away as people used it cruelly

why can’t you just use the emojis on your phone or computer?

Sad is flowers

They won't do that as want to "be nice".

While allowing posters to carry on posting who attack others routinely and even those who have had dozens of posts deleted. I would love to know if they even have a number anymore of when a certain number of deleted posts is "too many".

Double standards Mumsnet!

I think flowers is "support"

The emojis don’t show anyone other than the specific poster anything though. So “we” won’t know that everyone thinks a post is hilarious or sad. It’s not like Facebook where everyone can see the likes etc.

And on the iOS app only the Thanks one shows up anyway! I’d rather they added the others to the app than add new ones.

A laugh emoji when someone is trying to be funny is a nice thing.

A laugh emoji when someone isn't trying to be funny may be insulting, cruel, bullying or belittling depending on exactly what is being laughed at.

When they took the laugh emoji away I did wonder whether there could be a toggle switch on the message composition page where the author could indicate if something is intended to be funny, and the laugh emoji could be active for just those posts, but that's a bit too complicated really so I just use Thanks or Love for funny stuff.

I tend to use for both?

Yes could do.

They removed the laughing reaction because some posters were using it to goad / bully others.

I think the flowers reaction is the one intended to show support for someone struggling.

I used to really like having the laugh emoji to respond to the great many witty MNers (@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles is a perennial genius at this, just for one) making the perfect hilariously incisive comment at just the perfect time - no need to quote it and fill up the thread, but just to acknowledge privately that it was appreciated and much enjoyed. It's such a shame that this is another nice thing that we couldn't keep, because of the nasty bullies using it to mock people.

I'd like to have a WTF-style emoji in some scenarios. On the CF threads especially, when a poster is telling of something appalling that somebody they knew/met once did... 'thanks', 'agree' or 'love' rather suggest that you condone the CF's shocking actions, and the OP doesn't really need 'support' for some terrible behaviour that they observed from afar 20 years ago... but it would be handy to be able to convey that you found it interesting to read, albeit in a horrified way.

A toggle switch could work, but it would rather detract from the subtle spontaneity of it - and might come across as a bit try-hard and "Ooh, tell me I'm funny!" when it was just an off-the-cuff comment that captured the humour in the situation perfectly.

I thought flowers were support x
i never thought anyone would use those two emojis to belittle or bully but now it’s been said, I guess anything is possible in mumsnet land 🤷🏻‍♀️

I have and do at times, it’s not something I would always use as I prefer to say something rather than just use an emoji - but there are times when I’ve been reading comments and want to use an emoji just to say ie I agree but I keep hitting the clapping hands which is thanks and I don’t want to say thanks! If you see what I mean x

Thanks for asking @Brideofclover . We did have a laughing reaction, and most people used it to appreciate the very funny things people post on the boards. Unfortunately, enough people used it to mock others that it caused considerable upset, so we took it away. Very much a “this is why we can’t have nice things” situation, sadly. We're not saying we can never have it back, and we do review the situation periodically.

For the sad threads, the flower ‘support’ reaction is there for exactly that reason. It lets someone know you’re thinking of them when clicking ‘love’ feels a bit wrong. We'll certainly consider your sad suggestion though.

And no need to apologise for asking. 😊

Well I got the emoji correct for your reply @BeckyAMumsnet Thankyou 🤣❤️