GNHQ please make it clear that these forums are public!

How about people who have contributed to a thread started by someone else, and shared details which may be recognised by Facebook or Twitter users?
Can they ask for that thread to be deleted? I doubt it.

Whilst I appreciate that this is an open forum Elegran open for anyone and his granny to read I did not think that any of my posts or comments would be spread across FB (which I have chosen not to subscribe to as I hate it) . Therefore I am disappointed to learn that this may be the case. I have posted some personal information about my family over the years and taken advantage of excellent advice from Gransnet members, including yourself, but had no idea that this could be moved without my knowledge to FB. I am truly dissapointed and for me Gransnet will never feel the same again.

Maybe GNHQ are listening- they have only lifted 2 GN threads onto Twitter in last 3 days and they are the good friend one and mobile phone etiquette.
I still don't understand why they need to link any threads but guess they want to please advertisers by more traffic.
There are lots of Gransnet local accounts on Twitter and they are really good- they tweet things' articles etc that they think will be of interest. I can't see why the main GN account can't follow their lead. Perhaps they could look at one like Gransnet Dorset and make it more like that.
This thread has made me very aware of the problem and I will be even more wary of putting anything personal on here.

lauraGN you have answered the query about multiple user names but have avoided addressing the sense of betrayal that so many posters are expressing.
Yes the guidelines are clear but it's only recently, thanks to
grannyknot', that we've been alerted to the FB /twitter aspects.
You must see how many are withdrawing profile details to avoid possible identification and also how many are saying that they can't/won't post as they have until now.
Between this issue and the disregard of so many concerns about unwelcome changes to the site, there is a distinct feeling that we've been let down badly.

Yes, but we didn't know until recently about the feeds from GNHQ to other media outlets such as FB, Twitter etc. They do seem to choose some of the most controversial/personal threads!

When they started to post on the forum, did no-one read the words on the forum home page "Please be aware this is a public forum and your postings are open for all to see. Please note that Gransnet has non-exclusive copyright in all submissions to Gransnet, and reserves the right to edit and re-publish these in print form. " ?

It says quite clearly Your postings are open for all to see and that Gransnet reserves the right . . . . to republish them and every so often (about once a week, it seems!) someone on a thread posts a reminder to a poster who is revealing something very personal and likely to be recognised by someone who knows them.

I too was alarmed to learn that whole threads can be found on Facebook on the Gransnet page, and also with a simple Google search if the right words are used in the search. This is worrying when I and probably others didn't realise it would be so. I have asked for two threads I started to be removed, which in both cases they were, and I checked with Gransnet that after removal that they could not appear on Facebook, and I was assured that they could not, except to say that 'this thread has been deleted.' It has made me very aware that we grandparents cannot always offer one another support and friendship if we have a personal problem that we do not want made available to the entire world via the internet. Basically, it limits what we can discuss in future. Very sad, but at least you can get any very personal threads deleted it you are worried.

A good post FarNorth

I will never feel the same about Gransnet again and have stopped myself from starting 2 threads which I feel may have involved more personal information about myself.

When I get chance I am going to trawl back through some of my old posts and ask for them to be removed.

A previous poster commented that GN is not going the right way to keep the customers happy.
But GN doesn't see us as the customers; we are the worker drones who enable GN to make money from advertisers - who are their actual customers.

Probably there will always be innocent newcomers who don't realise what they are getting into and will give GN what they want - tantalising personal stories along with droll comments from the old dears.

devongirl I did the same thing ?last year.

notoveryet - sounds like a very bad experience.
There's no sensitivity on the internet.
I ought to change my username - it's too personal.

notoveryet, I so understand your point of view, both in terms of your thread being placed on social media and being sorry to leave GN. I too value the opportunity for input from fellow GNers.

I posted a thread recently which was very personal and became alarmed about this, and emailed GNHQ to ask that it not be shared, which they were happy to agree too. So perhaps you could use this approach in future?

I was caught by this. In my innocence I thought there would be sensitivity shown over what was placed on Facebook. Sometimes, to get help, identifying details are shared. End result is my situation is even worse and I can no longer ask fellow Gran's for help. This is my last post, I'm desperately sorry to have lost this.

Why not change your guidelines, Lara?

If it's okay for Mumsnet, why not us?

Hi Laura - I am very happy just to be 'Imperfect'. I don't know why I was invited to create a username on the local forum when I already had one and just assumed I needed a different one! Feel free to 'kill the (granny)cat' .

I think to be realistic a Forum like GN wouldn't be free or even exist if it was private and exclusive to users. There would be no money to be made which I guess is mainly from advertising. I don't use FB but before joining GN regularly looked at posts on here which are open to everyone, including the press, to read and use as they want. Pity really as I think GN is a lovely, supportive and (mainly) friendly and welcoming community, but you do need to be cautious.

utterly horrified...new to forums, never use facebook and yes did think this a great way to let off steam, give support to people in despair by sharing experiences etc, but not that this was a public forum. What a shame was going to post an appeal for a community idea and get your feedback/support, but no wish to have it pulled apart by the media, and will try to remember this warning ...thanks grannyknot

Whoops - Grannycat with a capital G - that's me!

I have ended up with 2 usernames - Imperfect27 and also grannycat - which I had completely forgotten about. The second one is my 'local' gransnet username - I was asked to create one when I joined early last year and was a bit bemused at the time, but then decided to be 'different' to differentiate the two domains (? right techy term?) in my own mind. Recently I posted on a thread on a Southwark gransnet forum - didn't even notice, but I automatically came up as 'grannycat' and I asked if the thread, which related too bereavement, could be copied across to this site GN said 'yes' ... so reposted under Imperfect. All very confusing to me, let alone anyone else!!

Said too much

I started a thread a few months ago, it was very personal to my particular circumstances, I'm sure now that I said to much. I had some lovely very supportive replies, but one kind gransnetter (can't remember who now) reminded me to be careful as what I had written could identify my family. I then asked Gransnet to delete the thread, which they did. I try to be more careful now.
I'm disappointed actually that what I thought was private to gransnetters (admittedly there are many of us) can be hijacked and made public without our consent.

"replying"

Does make you wonder!..that if someone has 2/3/4/5/ diff emails, diff names..then they may well start a Thread off...then of course to set fire to it...repling under one of their other names...(there fore adding fuel to the fire so to speak) to get a reaction etc etc .. bit sad if you ask me! But then people do strange things ....!

I really cannot think why! you would want to do this only to stir up trouble..I personally really couldn't be arsed bothered " how can you trust anyone"!