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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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Original poster

That 'forgotton children' ad has just really freaked my kids out... any chance of changing the picture?

23 replies

PinkTulips · 07/05/2009 15:32

dd (4) was just chattering to me and glanced at the pc. she wanted to know 'why is that girl falling down a hole?' and proceeded to spend 10 mins telling me in quite upset tones that 'the girl looks scared mommy, why is no-one helping her out of the hole', ds1 came over and was a bit perturbed too.

i don't give a figs abou this stuff normally, i'd be the first to say swearing, tmi threads and sex threads all have their place on MN as it's an adult site but that pic is big so dd only had to glance at the screen and she spotted it and got upset.

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 07/05/2009 15:41

I hate that trailer. Raising a worthy issue and I totally support that but I find it very disturbing - and nothing usually disturbs me!

Original poster

PinkTulips · 07/05/2009 15:50

only realised after i posted the damn thing is a video too! our slow connection hasn't been showing it as one for the most part, just the final shot which is bad enough.

agree NL, it's a worthy issue, i don't think it needs to use shock tactics to advertise that fact.

OP posts:

reikizen · 07/05/2009 15:59

I know, it's like those bloody NSPCC ones. I can just see the advertising company sat round now getting all moral high horsey and creating these things. We know life is shit for some children, some of us already feel terrible about it, stop using such disturbing images so freely please. I'll be giving the programme a swerve personally.

SammyK · 09/05/2009 20:27

Never mind our kids, I find it disturbing!

I tried explaining it to DP last night and my voice broke, I had to stop myself crying! Very aware of kids in the care system and their predicament without this awful image.

hippipotamiHasLost26Pounds · 09/05/2009 20:31

I don't like it. On the whole I disagree with charities using shock tactics and this feels a bit the same.
Dd age 6 has seen the picture and was quite perturbed by the girl in the hole.

Can it be changed?

MNHQ

HelenMumsnet · 09/05/2009 20:46

Hello. And sorry to hear you're upset by this ad.

It being the weekend and all, I don't think there's much chance of us getting it changed now, though.

However, I believe the programme it's advertising is on Monday - so I shouldn't imagine we'll be seeing it for too much longer.

janeite · 09/05/2009 20:52

I thought it was a really clever and powerful advert. However, I'd prefer not to have any moving adverts on MN as they make me dizzy!

I do think those who think it should be pulled are over-reacting though, imho.

SoupDragon · 09/05/2009 21:00

Interesting how you have changed your mind about the content on an adult site when it suddenly affects your own children

Original poster

PinkTulips · 10/05/2009 11:30

no, when it's something my kids have no choice but to see.

the pc is in the living room, they play in here and that ad is on every second page i load up... it's big and easily spotted across the room.

i actively discourage them coming up and looking at the screen when i'm on the pc as when they learn to read i don't want them to be in the habit of reading stuff over my shoulder.

i don't give a flying fuck what's typed on the screen or whether it's in the title or the op.... i have issues with images i can't hide and are too big to be ignored, atm i'm basically unable to use MN if my kids are in the room as that image scares dd.

OP posts:

duckyfuzz · 10/05/2009 11:34

the ad is meant to shock, that's the whole point
get off the pc if your kids are around and yuo don't want them seeing - esp if your continue to swear in your comments

Original poster

PinkTulips · 10/05/2009 12:01

like i said, i teach them not to read over my shoulder or come up peering at the screen when i'm on the pc... i like swearing, i use adult sites where to content is explicit, i do not however use sites with pictures that they can see when they're in the room with me, i keep anything involving images until they're in bed..... so it's annoying that i now can't use a text based site when they're around.

it's like putting one of those road safety ads on during the day and saying 'oh but it's not a kids channel so children won't be watching'.... no but they could be in the room with the adult who is.

OP posts:

Rubyrubyruby · 10/05/2009 12:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 10/05/2009 14:28

You can hide the image. The ad isn't on my PC at all. Get an ad blocker if you are so worried about your children seeing it.

My DSs can both read. They can't not read if they happen to look at the screen yet people get up in arms about not swearing/being explicit in thread titles (NB not in threads, just titles) claiming it's an adult site so they can say what they like. Funny how they're happy for this but not stuff that affects their children [shrug].

Apparently those who feel swearing etc should be confined to inside a thread should simply not MN when their children are around. You could try that advice instead.

Original poster

PinkTulips · 10/05/2009 15:13

dp took all the ad blockers off (IT tech and he had an explanation but my eyes glazed over halfway through)

the writing on a thread title isn't big enough to read from more than a few feet away and if my kids come that close i deal with them and lock windows so the screen just goes to the log in thing.

dd saw the ad from about 8 feet away and by that time she was asking about it it was too late to close down without making it seem worse (akin to seeing an accident and saying 'don't look!', would only make it more interesting)

btw, if the ad isn't on your pc do you have any idea what we're talking about? it's a young girl being swallowed up by the pavement while people walk past. her face is horrifying, really terrified looking and she's reaching up imploringly. it's a hideous ad to have to look at even without kids possibly seeing it.

also, it's a seperate debate but in my mind there's a huge differance between swearing and terrifying images... my kids hear swearing all the time, we live in rural ireland and even dd's playschool teacher uses fuck like punctuation, oddly enough my kids don't swear at all. but a scary image can log in their minds and have odd effects... dd already suffers night terrors without seeing images of a terrified child being swallowed up by the earth.

OP posts:

Yurtgirl · 10/05/2009 15:24

I agree with the child falling down hole picture, I dont like it either

Re swearing - Pinktulips, you are fine with swearing as text in a thread title now, whilst your kids arent reading

When they are you may not be so happy with it.

My son is an able reader at 7 - I now find I cant have the active convos list visible with him nearby as he is more than capable of reading words/phrases I would prefer him not to!

Meaning that if my son is nearby I have to tell him to shoo until it is his turn.

singersgirl · 10/05/2009 15:40

Yes, DS2 wanted to know what the 'care system' was.

Original poster

PinkTulips · 10/05/2009 19:15

lol, yurtgirl... i have to tell mine that at 4 and 2.... they've discovered games on the internet so if they're anywhere near me they're clamouring for their go.

as for swearing, i'm really not pushed... i know some people would prefer their kids didn't know the words exist (because of course they'll never hear them at school ) but i'm not of that mentality. i might have trouble explaing bum sex if they read the words but honestly, would prefer that to explaining 'why the earth just swallowed the little girl' to a 2 and 4 year old

OP posts:

Original poster

PinkTulips · 13/05/2009 01:54

don't know if it was MNHQ or the advertiser that changed the pic but it's much better now. those gorgeous kids actually makes me want to watch the program instead of feeling morally obligated to. thanks whoever it was.

i missed the first part as it clashed with greys anatomy so am going to have to check it out online (oh to have a sky+ box!)

OP posts:

ItsAllaBitNoisy · 13/05/2009 09:18

Yep. It was a bit much. My DD (8) was worried about the girl. It was kind of hard to miss.

ItsAllaBitNoisy · 14/05/2009 22:38

Drowning in concrete girl is back. Lovely.

I wouldn't imagine MNHQ want to encourage people to use Adblock, so it might be an idea to get rid of just that one image from the ad.

SuperBunny · 15/05/2009 04:35

Please please can we get rid of this? Or change the picture or something. I know they want people to watch the program but the ad is quite upsetting and I'm not even in the UK so we can't watch the program anyway.

poopscoop · 15/05/2009 07:12

I posted about this the other day and nobody replied so I thought, oh well, must just be then then! Glad you lot feel the same.

MNHQ

RachelMumsnet · 15/05/2009 11:57

Hi, we're sorry that some of you have found this ad upsetting. The campaign has been paid for, so we're not in a position to take it down, but just wanted to let you know that it finishes on Sunday so the ad will only be up for another couple of days.

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