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 Their argument was that they had changed T&Cs and my complaint was therefore no longer valid.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

Ladystealth... If you mean the person in AIBU I am not sure if anyone reported it but they haven't posted since so I wonder if they realised they were rumbled?

Doesn't the Guardian do a spoof forum? The Daily Mail could so easily take whatever they want from here and re-jig it to make a 'on mummiesnet' kind of thing. I think them using the name Mumsnet, and the threads, just makes this place look like it's some kind of tie in to the Daily Mail.

I think I am being super paranoid but there just seem to be so many threads started by people saying 'I'm new here' or 'I haven't posted much but...' and then starting some kind of really controversial subject ... I can't stop myself thinking there's been a lot of weird posting.

Am sure it's just paranoia but is anyone else having these thoughts too?

there was a very odd post in sn, bumped up a long dead thread, to make a scathing attack, one and only post by said poster......very odd

Yes, beanie, I have noticed exactly what you describe. I can't decide if I'm being paranoid or what ...

My dh is a journo and I told him about this whole debacle after catching up last night (we have been on holiday for a fortnight).

He said "its in the public domain, so why is everyone up in arms?"

I said "but the journalist is a mumsnetter herself, rather a well-liked one, who is party to some very personal and revealing information"

and he said

"Oh that's not on"

and sounded pretty disgusted.

yeah - there's that too. I said before I feel a bit sory for leah whatshername because she's kind of burned her bridges with Mumsnet. At least if she continues to post and lets people know it's her then there will be a lot of people who would think twice about revealing stuff to her.

It annoys me that she is rather a well liked mumsnetter - I don't know if I liked her or not and am miffed now that it might be someone who I really respected but won't ever see posting again, if that makes sense?

Is there a lot of sympathy for the journo/ex or-possibly-still-current Mumsnetter?

how odd ...

I kind of feel sympathetic but also think she burned her own bridge by choosing to do this so maybe she's not deserving of sympathy?

I dunno.

As Iunderstand it (coming VERY late to this as we've been away) the journo is someone who flounced from MN about two years ago and hasn't posted since, so she's unlikely to be someone we all share copfidences with. (I could be wrong though - not in touch with her off-board so maybe she has namechanged and continued to post, but from what I've read on here by people who know her that seems unlikely).

bibbity - yes, LH was partial to some revealing information about posters, as is any Tom, Dick or Harry with a computer.

Policywonk - I didn't know that. Maybe that's why I can't work out who it is as that's just about when I arrived on Mumsnet.

Problem is that even if she is not actively posting now she can still

a. take whatever she wants (as can anyone)

b. Change her name and lead conversations a certain way to get what she is looking for (As can anybody)

no pw apparently she namechanged and is still about

PW - MNHQ said that she had re-registered under a different name after the flouncing and has been posting regularly since.

I am not sure if her more recent posting name has been revealed (?) - have been away myself - but I guess if anyone was to do so now their post would be deleted.

Ah right, I see. Thanks.

Is she really still here? I wish I knew her new posting name

She was lovely to me.

so the person who has caused all this trouble and made money out of other peoples posts, is still posting and getting support??
that is soooooo immoral

lol Nancy.

I know Stripey, it's taken me about five days just to read the threads. (As far as your anonymity is concerned, I'm afraid to say you were instantly recognisable, to me at least - how's the family?)

Glad to hear it. Style first and then a few confirmatory bits of substance.

Holiday was very nice but extremely busy - a bit like moving to Piccadilly Circus for two weeks. Nice to be home.

stripey, congratulations on new tiny. don't suppose pics are available?

Bibbetybobbetyhat - off topic, but may I ask if you are a Bowie fan by any chance?

Indeed Molly. Was just listening to Hunky Dory the other day and somehow bbh called out to me as a potential new name. Do you like it? I toyed with the idea of satin&tat but decided that sounds a bit cheap and tarty (to quote my mother).

I think I may stick with it ...