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The MNHQ Moderation Team: Thread 2

12 replies

BarrackerBarmer · 19/04/2018 00:26

Follow on thread regarding the data breach situation:
___

Dear MNHQ

I'm very grateful for the commitment to free speech you've publicly taken, and for Justine's courage this week.

A former disgruntled employee of MN is writing on Twitter about the 'transphobia' of MN staff, and calling you TERFs. She is showing a great deal of bias and intolerance towards women with feminist views, this may well be her honest opinion, which is no big deal I suppose, since she is no longer an employee.

At least, it isn't an issue until she calls a shout out to her
'friends who still work at MN' to report and take down posts by 'transphobic scum', by which she appears to be referring to any poster objecting to being called TERF by her friend.

Regardless of the personal views of the MNHQ staff, who should be as free to hold their own views as I am mine, I am disturbed that there may be a small contingent of employees who are invested in unfair moderation and will not be applying fair-handed principles, at least if the claims of this ex-employee are credible.

Can you please give posters some reassurance that the difficult job of fair-handed moderation isn't being abused by the 'friends' of ex-employees who are 'reporting it all' and taking down posts because any gender criticism means the poster is 'transphobic scum'?

Thank you.

The MNHQ Moderation Team: Thread 2
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MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 11:09

Hi all,
We've spoken to the Information Commissioner this morning and reported the breach. We'll be reporting it to the police shortly (the Information Commissioner advised that this was a discretionary call in this case).

We'll be back with some more detailed answers to your questions about data, procedure and safeguarding shortly. Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

MNHQ

YetAnotherHelenMumsnet · 19/04/2018 11:56

Hi all,
Lowly mod here, just to say that we have deleted references to Emma Healey's university and current employer. Being public information, they don't exactly break the guidelines, we do see that, but let's try to keep ourselves absolutely as clean as a new whistle. Hope that's okay.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 12:41

We've just received this from Emma Healey for publication here:

"I am so sorry - I do still really admire Mumsnet as a women’s organisation and a community despite what has happened. I wish you the best of luck with continuing your campaigns around Better Postnatal Care and maternity wards - change needs to happen in this area and Mumsnet are the best positioned to lead the charge.

I was just mistakenly trying to do what I thought was the right thing as someone with very strong feelings on LGBTQ+ rights - and in doing so, I did something very misguided and frankly awful.

I have definitely learnt my lesson: not only about not tweeting in anger, but about the language I use, being careful what I say, the power of social media, and thinking about all the potential outcomes of my actions (not just the outcomes I intend). As such, I am taking some time away from social media and will return with a hopefully more mature attitude.

I’d like to also apologise to any users who have felt hurt, attacked, or vulnerable due to my actions. I recognise that we do not agree on this issue, but I know the impact that my actions may have had on them and their mental health.

Once again I’d like to apologise."

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 14:15

@Bumblefuddle

What is her relationship with hq that you are protecting her to the extent you are Justine?

I don't think we are protecting her Bumble. We've reported this to the ICO and the police. But I personally don't believe for a minute she meant to "out" anyone. She obviously meant to use the screen shots she took - perhaps she already had sent them around her friends - but I believe she meant to use them to highlight what she viewed as anti-trans sentiment, rather than to target individuals.

Clearly this breach plus her derogatory posts on Twitter are upsetting and disappointing for us at HQ and quite frankly feel like a betrayal from someone who we believe we gave a good opportunity to and treated well; but she is a young woman who has made some serious mistakes which she's no doubt regretting immensely and for which she's apologised. I'm sad about it (and of course a bit cross) but see no reason not to state that I don't believe she's quite the calculated villain that people are suggesting.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 14:29

@Waspnest

See, I've always understood 'mistake' to mean that you genuinely didn't mean to do something when what EH did was absolutely deliberate. She was sat in MNHQ offices (presumably) being nice and friendly to her co-workers whilst secretly planning to sabotage the site once she had left.

She deliberately took screen grabs and deliberately posted those on Twitter with the intention of damaging Mumsnet. I agree with that. I don't believe she clocked that they had IP addresses at the bottom and meant to deliberately post those.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 14:30

@Invalid

I like how you're not saying she's not someone's daughter/niece/etc in MNHQ. Nice non-answer to the 'What is her relationship with hq that you are protecting her to the extent you are Justine?' question Grin

Just for the record, I still think you're a fucking legend, Justine, and I'll be a loyal mumsnetter until my last breath.

None other than an employee! No relation, friend of a friend, third cousin once removed. Nada. Niente. Nothing. Cross my heart and hope to die!

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 14:33

@MrsUnderwood

I just hand a warning pop up on my phone when trying to navigate off this thread and back to the main feminsm chat page.

It said “This website may be attempting to impersonate www.mumsnet.com to try to steal your personal data.”

Shock

Erm that's a worry - thanks for pointing out. A screen grab (dare I say it) would be useful.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 14:35

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

She deliberately took screen grabs and deliberately posted those on Twitter with the intention of damaging Mumsnet. I agree with that. I don't believe she clocked that they had IP addresses at the bottom and meant to deliberately post those

Again. What makes you so certain she did not screen shot user details. You sound like you saying she has publicly posted every screenshot she took - that seems like a very risky assumption unless you have concrete evidence.

I can't be 100% certain - hence contacting the posters affected and the police - I'm just stating what I believe.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 19/04/2018 14:50

@Bumblefuddle

She never should have been able to screenshot.

Phones in bags. Not used at desk. Access on breaks. Personal phone calls step outside. Use in kitchen.

Facility to screenshot disabled.

No access to hotmail or gmail etc or Facebook or twitter unless for work purposes and that monitored.

Keyloggers so you can go through now and SEE what she took and be able to be certain what she screenshotted

Disable USB ports so people can’t connect phones or thumb drives to take data

I charge for this advice normally you’re getting it for free 😜

I agree this would be best practice if we were holding what's classed as Personally Sensitive Information (such as financial info or medical records). But that's not the type of info we are collecting on registration etc.

MNHQ

AngieMumsnet · 19/04/2018 16:39

MrsUnderwood
Yes that is a worry, has it just happened once?
Please let me know what device/browser you are using, I will try and see if I get the same issue - and if you do see it again a screenshot would be really helpful.
Thanks

MNHQ

KateMumsnet · 19/04/2018 18:02

Hello everyone - just to let you know that there's an update over here.

MNHQ

LouMumsnet · 19/04/2018 21:13

Evening everyone. Just a heads up that Justine has started a Site Stuff thread here - please do have a read.

Watch this thread for updates

Tap "Watch" to get all the latest updates

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