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Mumsnet deletion policy (with particular reference to Madeleine McCann threads)

70 replies

JustineMumsnet · 22/05/2007 22:11

Hi all,

We know that very many of you have been distressed by some of the discussions that have taken place on Mumsnet over the last couple of weeks with regard to Madeleine McCann's parents.

We at Mumsnet HQ agree wholeheartedly that criticism of the McCann's, particularly with their daughter still missing, is emphatically not in keeping with the Mumsnet philosophy - namely to offer support to parents in order to make their lives easier. So it?s been mighty difficult for us to sit back and watch some of these conversations unfold, just as it's been difficult for many of you.

On balance, though, we do believe in people's right to their opinions, and though we've found some of the threads to be ungenerous and unpalatable to say the least, we don't tend to delete on those grounds. Partly that's because we've never felt comfortable being the taste police and partly because in our experience you can't really shut down debate - it will just spring up elsewhere. What's more, as a rule we believe that Mumsnet is rather good at self-policing - the power of a reasonable and voluminous response and all that. We do in this instance, however, recognize and fully understand that many of you have had enough of being policemen.

We do promise to continue to investigate thoroughly any posts that you report for troll-like behaviour - be it multiple name-changing or deliberate flaming. And we will, of course, continue to delete any personal attacks.

And apologies for starting yet another discussion on this topic but we thought it might be useful to explain where we were coming from and to admit to you that we are finding many of the calls to be tough ones.

Like all of you, though, we are fully aware that any local difficulty we are having here completely pales in to insignificance compared to the anguish of the McCanns.

Best MN Towers

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Tutter · 22/05/2007 22:15
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expatinscotland · 22/05/2007 22:17

Thank you, MN Towers!

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MamaMaiasaura · 22/05/2007 22:18

Thanks mumsnet

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SenseiAitch · 22/05/2007 22:19

good post.

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Spidermama · 22/05/2007 22:19

Good to know your views and policy. Thanks.

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clutteredup · 22/05/2007 22:20

fair comments all round

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Hulababy · 22/05/2007 22:21

Good post.

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VeniVidiVickiQV · 22/05/2007 22:21

Thank you MNHQ.

I was rather enjoying being a MN Police Officer last night, and arresting threads......

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MrsSpoon · 22/05/2007 22:21

Thank you MN Towers!

I apologise for starting the latest news thread, I naively thought all the nasty comments had been made in the previous thread and that this one would be about the news, but it is only worse than the previous thread.

I just hope it will be good news (on a separate thread) we will be posting soon.

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CODalmighty · 22/05/2007 22:22

oh god SO well written

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Enid · 22/05/2007 22:38

Yes well written

but...not actually saying anything new

thanks for trying though.

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Spidermama · 22/05/2007 22:43

EEE. NID!

< Jabs with elbow. >

I for one am grateful to hear an 'official' line on this and haven't hear one before.

< Smarmy smile at Justine. > [

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VeniVidiVickiQV · 22/05/2007 22:47

Enid you are high maintenance

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Enid · 22/05/2007 22:49

Well they shoudl have deleted some of those threads [curmudgeonly grimace]

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Spidermama · 22/05/2007 22:50

Sometimes it's more effective to let people dig their own graves though.

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Enid · 22/05/2007 22:51

[not convinced]

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expatinscotland · 22/05/2007 22:52

Don't listen to that Enid person. She's vile .

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VeniVidiVickiQV · 22/05/2007 22:55

Actually Expat, I think she's a vile bully.

And she should get a life......

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Enid · 22/05/2007 22:56

[watery smile]

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Budababe · 22/05/2007 22:58

Thanks Justine.

It is horrible. Esp the posters who seem to have just appeared from nowhere to post on this.

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VeniVidiVickiQV · 22/05/2007 23:00

Awwww Enid. Are you really fragile about it?

I didnt think they had got under your skin so....

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littlelapinWearsBoden · 22/05/2007 23:00

(whispers) are we allowed to post on this one? should I let go of the nork?

Justine, as a matter of interest, are you allowed to tell us how many people have joined over the past 2 weeks? Not names, just a number, and a comparison against the normal figures for a 2 week period

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littlelapinWearsBoden · 22/05/2007 23:01

Oops, there should have been a "please" in there somewhere

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JustineMumsnet · 22/05/2007 23:11

Here's our new member stats... not sure it's too enlightening though as there's been a bit of Mumsnet in the press this month and also in March...

Jan-07 2600
Feb-07 2592
Mar-07 2677
Apr-07 1473
May-07 1743 (thus far)

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Twinklemegan · 22/05/2007 23:13

OMG - I knew MN was getting big but I didn't know it was so huuuge. And yet it still feels like a community, as I feel like I know so many of the regulars on here.

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