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 Their argument was that they had changed T&Cs and my complaint was therefore no longer valid.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!

yep, I've noticed the bumping too ....

I didn't realise it was her! I loved her on MN! She hasn't been on here for ages has she, or has she name changed? Gosh, surprised. Wish her well of course, but still a bit about the whole thing.

as usual I don't know who you are talking about and which thread

It's quite easy, Fab. Just look in AIBU at some of the threads further down the list, they've all been bumped back into active from weeks back by one poster posting two or three words - find one two or three word post in AIBU and it's probably the suspicious character. No idea who it is doing it but it is strange posting behaviour.

am i alone in not being able to find them

one thread bumped was a particularly unpleasant troll re-emerging.

Hi all

Signing off for the night but if you want to report a suspicious poster/ possible troll thread, please do and we'll look into it.

Thanks and have a great weekend all.

Hi Justa I can't see anyone branding MNHQ as evil plotters or even incompetent though...

I killed the thread!

oh dear must have missed those

Carriemumsnet,

When you contact that DM, you must say that you reserve your position, so that you do not end up acquiescing and therefore losing your entitlement to an injunction should you need to ask for one.

Be careful what you say to them or you may make it much harder for your lawyer to help you.

ROFL at the MNers hitting back on the DM pages - I am wondering who needs to take a bow for the latest comment '..next they will be banning ALL pork products from these shores' Classic.

liking my dh's spoonerism when he read the ham story - Here, Lardy!

Can I just say that the previous post has the name I like the most.

Chuckle.

ladies, have to commend those who have posted comments on the latest DM article - hilarious!

"have to commend those who have posted comments on the latest DM article"

indeed, one wonders whether the fightback has the makings of, erm, a newspaper story in a rival newspaper..........not that a rival would want to mock the DM of course...

I really can not believe what I am reading below. For gods sake will you people get a grip, why on earth are you talking about injunctions ??? MNHQ have already said that they do not have the funds to take on a legal battle with the DM.

It is sad that all the Mumsnet members who posted thier very funny posts on the DM website, only highlighted the column and gave lip service to the Daily Mail. The reality is if you want to eliminate this column, then you should ignore it. Not highlight by posting supposed witty messages,

For what it is worth I have talked to a lawyer friend who expert on this, and he says that Mumsnet really would have a tough time to prove copyright issue on this. I am sure that the Mumsnet legal team will come back with a similar response at some stage.
Until then why give lip-service to the DM by posting witty(silly coments) that draw attention to the article.

"By lingle Sat 22-Aug-09 19:46:19 Add a message | Report post | Contact poster

Carriemumsnet,

When you contact that DM, you must say that you reserve your position, so that you do not end up acquiescing and therefore losing your entitlement to an injunction should you need to ask for one.

Be careful what you say to them or you may make it much harder for your lawyer to help you"

it's not just about copyright though Priyag, there are lots of people who are feeling very uneasy about their words being used in the Daily Mail. Or in any newspaper.

I think that's fair enough. I personally would hate to have anything I say here put into a paper like the Daily Mail and would be a bit unsure about them appearing in any other paper too.

The legal argument, if there is one, is between the DM and Mumsnet - should they chooses to persue it. What many people are expressing here is a general unease about the DM being involved with mumsnet, the willingness of MNHQ to allow this to happen and the feelings they have about theri words being reproduced in the DM.

It's hard to ignore the Daily Mail when you are worried that something you may post could be printed in it.

I am guessing the only thing people who are worried can do is think twice before posting - certainly I have been and I have read other posters who have said the same.

well my issue is that theyre not really showing themselves to be politically unbiased or ethical by courting publicity however they can get it. still considering whehter to keep on posting here if they are so happy to ditch their ethos in favour of jumping into bed with whoever will have them. i think the daily garbage stands for just about everything that i alwas thought that most of mumsnet were against but having a regular column there will only help daily garbage readers think that mumsnet represents the opinions voiced by the dm

I actually seem to have gone from thinking the legal issue is the most important thing to thinking about the personal impact it might have on individuals and their posting style

I am confused I think as I clearly said another time that it being the Daily Mail wasn't much of an issue for me but now, when I think about how my words could be used for some horrible Daily Scum anti women/immigrants/teenagers agenda, it just makes me feel annoyed.

So I think both issues infuriate me to be honest.

did we find out if that person was a troll? I noticed them about and did notice they were posting like a regular but I'd never heard of them...

priyag, that's interesting about the advice from your lawyer friend. If it's true that MN can do nothing about it(for a regular column rather than just the odd quote) then it surely makes mumsnet's own copyright statement utterly meaningless.

Agree that this is not so much about copyright as about association with the DM. I for one feel deeply ashamed to be a mumsnetter after last week's lunchbox banality fest.