The MN Mail Column - what we think, and what we plan to do next... part 2

[whataboutthisone]

Firstly, I am a regular but have created a new name for this.

My thoughts about what I know so far:

1. In a much earlier post there was a discussion about a change in T&Cs and whether they are valid or not. Several years ago I took a company to court for a breach of their T&Cs. Their argument was that they had changed T&Cs and my complaint was therefore no longer valid. However, the judge said that because I had not specifically been asked to accept the new T&Cs, I was entitled to rely on the ones I had accepted and therefore I won my case.

1. I choose to post on MN in the knowledge that the details I give are probably just obscure enough to anyone I may know in RL who also posts, so that what I say still effectively remains private. However, that doesn't mean that the same could be said of, for instance, my mother, who reads the DM (!) There is probably just enough about my circumstances that would enable her to put 2+2 together. I would like the option to choose whether or not I let my Mum ( or anyone else in RL) in on certain areas of my life, and there is a real possibility that this hack, has taken that choice away from me.

1. I have never ( and now will never) post asking for advice, but I will also be very careful about offering advice in the future. I, along with many others, occasionally use examples from my life to explain where I am coming from. If I continue to do that, as I said earlier, it is possible that some people would be able to work out who I am. Now, I am not so big-headed as to believe that any advice I offer is worth taking, however, there are many fantastic posters on here who do give amazing and insightful advice based on their own experiences. It would be a real shame if that was to stop because they, like me, do not want to share some of those experiences with the folk they are close to in RL. It would also be a real tragedy if others were prevented from asking for help for the same reasons.

I am very disappointed that any MNer would feel it is acceptable to violate the trust we place in each other on this forum. I do not know who she is. I do not want to know who she is. But I hope she is hanging her head in shame for breaching the trust that has been placed in her by everyone whose words she has stolen to make a few bucks!

STRIPEY

link (space) your header

Just to pick up on something addressed to myself by Aitch. My old posting name is not of importance, I have not had any of my old posts deleted, not that they would have been of any interest to you whatsoever. I did not change my name to contribute to this thread, I have posted previously.

Sometimes people get lucky and coincidences happen. I reiterate that yes, LH was asked to do the story by the editor of Femail who did not know about LH's background. I'm sure you will choose not to believe that as you are all desperately wanting to believe some great consipracy going on that would justify your rage. How disappointing for you if it turned out not to be true. So let's brush away the truth as it doesn't fit our arguments and let's theorise instead.

And the little box you tick - I've never seen that. It says you can contact MNHQ if you don't want your posts reproduced by them. Presumably that would be for the books they have published. It doesn't say that would protect you from other publications. I wonder how many people contacted them in any case?

foxinsocks, precisely, this debate has been had before so people should have known the score.

nappyaddict, she's a freelancer and works on commissions.

It was the job of the DM to contact MNHQ, not her.

Using that link, it becomes very very clear that the DM have quoted mumsnet plenty of times. They have obviously been watching and the editor has decided that interest in Mumsnet is strong enough to warrant more articles.

And they have used a wide variety of journalists to write them.

Which begs the question why no-one has raised concerns sooner.

i've been here three years and i've never seen this debated before, sounds like it's about time such a discussion was had again.

i find your real identity relevant, FC, precisely because of the way that you are referring to your long experience on here. i just like to know who i'm speaking to on here, that's all. i can't think what the problem is, tbh, to say who you were. what's your objection?

where is LH? did you suggest she come on here?

I think it's probably because the lifting of threads feels more intrusive though having said that, think the Indie did a similar thing at one point.

They are probably showing interest in here because of the number of times people are clicking through to the DM from here (although strangely enough, largely to point fingers and mock rather than to enjoy, but hell, that's always been one of their USPs!).

oh JESUS CHRIST, fruitcrumble.

because this is regular. can you stop brushing that truth under the carpet please?

"It was the job of the DM to contact MNHQ, not her."

and that, FC, is bullshit.

I haven't said I've been on here a long time Aitch. I left due to personal issues. I hardly see why that is relevant to my pov now. Unless you wish to search my previous posts to find incriminating evidence against me.

I also fail to see what good will come of LH posting on here. The trial started and finished without her.

If this is regular Aitch, where is it today?

Who said it was a regular thing? Have you inside knowledge?

Of course, the editor isn't responsible for getting permission to do commissions before sending them out! Silly me to even suggest such a thing.

Your feelings obviously run high and your name suggest you hold yourself in high importance on these boards. I don't think I need to state my pov anymore. You either accept what has happened or not.

is there some kind of catfight going on about who understands freelance journalism best and who's knows most about leah

eh? well stop with the elder statesman act, then, fc. i've told you why i'd prefer to know your name, because i want to know who i'm talking to. i don't search people's names (although i find it highly ironic that this is your concern).

and bollocks to the so-called trial of LH, she should have told MNHQ because she's an mner or because she's got manners, but apart from that her actions have raised some interesting points. i am sure she would get a completely fair hearing.

lol stripey

you know, to be honest, I think everyone gets a wake up call on mumsnet at some point

I can remember when mine was - I was pursued by someone in real life, quite viciously, and I suddenly realised how open I had left myself by my posts on here. Anyone who even slightly knew me could figure out who I was.

So contentious, very personal issues, I name change (not very often because I'm crap at it ). And in any other way, I use this as fun (that's how it started for me anyway). And every now and then I remind myself that real life exists. I didn't delete my whole past but had to make a decision whether to namechange totally and start again but decided not to.

I think the one good thing that comes out from here will be that people do think about what they write because you know what, on an open (non private) website, we really should all be doing that anyway because you never know who is reading!

Aitch, the debate has been had before, definitely in the last 3 years, but can't remember where or when (there was a lot of debate about this around the mouldies time too)

oh no i said catfight

was a mumsnetter years ago.

Did the creators of the new site ask permission from MNHQ before setting it up and inviting mumsnetters to join?

As I've said, I've stated my pov and the truth to you all. You can choose to take it or leave it. I suspect you will choose the latter.

But it appears that only a minority of mumsnetters are bothered about this. The rest of mumsnet is ticking along nicely.

I don't think I've seen this in the xxxx's of posts, excuse me if it has been, could we make namechanging a bit less of a pita.

yeah, you've mentioned my name before, i don't know why it gets on your nerves so much. i'll change it if you like. what would you suggest?

you are plumb wrong about the manner in which these things tend to get commissioned, tbh. i have to believe you, in the absence of LH and given that you are acting as her mouthpiece, but the situation you describe is highly unusual, as has been noted by other journalists and writers on here, including someone who actually works for the Mail.

and my feelings don't run particularly high on this, we'd largely moved the discussion on last night. you're the one who can't stop in your defence of LH, when it's unnecessary at this stage, and a bit embarrassing given that she's a grown women with her own typing fingers.

"By FruitCrumble on Wed 19-Aug-09 08:02:48
was a mumsnetter years ago.

Did the creators of the new site ask permission from MNHQ before setting it up and inviting mumsnetters to join? "

lolol. no. but i rather think you know that already.