GNHQ please make it clear that these forums are public!

correction - names of posters aren't mentioned.

I've just been having a quick look on Mumsnet and saw that one feature consists of a few quotes from the GN thread on vibrators.
Names of posters didn't seem identifiable though.

So the end of your 10.18 post states the problem which you could not see at the start of it, pollyperkins.

I also think we should be able to delete or edit things we have posted, as you can on FB!

Funny thing is my Facebook page is private to just a few close friends and family as opposed to Gransnet which anyone can read! That's why I find it difficult to see why so many people are upset about things being put on FB which they seem to think is evil. Having said that I am easily identified on FB with my real name and photos etc but I am (I hope) anonymous on GN - I wouldn't want friends and family reading some of the personal things I've put on GN so will be more careful about what I reveal about myself in future. The things GN put on FB are indeed amonymous BUT ther is a link to GN where the whole thread is reavealed together with any photos etc. That's the bit I think they should change. Ther is no need for it.

For anyone concerned about the privacy issue.
If you haven't already spotted it please check the new thread about GN private forum for those who don't want to be on FB.

Just found it again - memory like a sieve, Too busy reframing the post to avoid giving too much info to reread the bits that didn't need reframing.

I wouldn't have noticed, McEm. In truth, I don't remember mentioning a new dimension, so it may indeed have been someone else.

Sorry elegran l quoted your perceptive new dimension but attributed it to eloethan.

My post of 09:05:33 today should be withdrawn by now. I shall repost it here with alterations.

"I have been trying to find the GN membership stats, which we were told a couple of years ago. I can't find them, but I think that there were tens of thousands (80,000?) of members then.

Some posters reveal a lot about their present and past locations, their current political party membership and their past affiliations, and their occupations and interests, to say nothing of various bits of other personal and family stuff.

It is not just the limited number of active involved members who know all these details about frequent posters. All of those 80,000 already have access to that information and if they know someone in person or know of, say, a local party activist by repute, who features prominently on a much-followed topic they can identify him/her without difficulty, plus anyone who is NOT a member but has wandered onto the site because of an interest in some other topic can browse the forums and read all the posts.

GN putting things on FB and Twitter is a new dimension (and they have changed their policy on that) but GN has never been a closed site. That is why we are constantly reminded not to post info which could identify us. We can't have it both ways - if you "come out" and post private problems and opinions on a public site, you can't also stay behind a firewall. Even a section for members only would be open to the eyes of the tens of thousands of present and past members."

Thank you. That goes some way to addressing our concerns. A poster earlier today (l think eloethan ) said that this relatively new move to putting threads/comments on FB and twitter was 'A new dimension and a change in policy' which I think caught out many of us.
It's one thing to post one's thoughts on a site aimed at grans but another to find those thoughts on FB, a site most of us avoid!
Yes we've all been told it's an open site etc etc but this 'new dimension' was never flagged up, so many went on posting in blissful innocence.

GNHQ must now be very well aware after this upsurge of protest that the site will inevitably change and that this will be a more significant change then the tweaking of layout, font and colours.
As posters lose confidence in GN the whole site will be poorer.

Thinking about the 'more private' section is interesting.
Maybe GN extra and run almost like a dating website? Even a small subscription might be considered. Perhaps then we'd have fewer grumbles about those who join only to enter competitions but don't contribute to threads and it would also give some reassurance to those who have come to rely on GN friends.

I am pleased that you've now focussed on real concerns.

There must be dozens of we Gransnetters with European family connections so I don't know why you would be subjected to hate mail djen. At least I hope not.

Thanks for your reply but can you be a bit clearer as to what you ve altered ? As without knowing that people will not feel reassured that sounds a bit cryptic LauraGransnet
In what way has your approach to FB been altered and what about Twitter ?

Safe now then, Elegran. You don't remember everything about me. I don't thump people.

No need to make any effort to keep track of you, dj Those are the things that you post frequently on GN, and are pleased to have all of us on here know. You are a warrior, you don't hide your sword and spear in the trinket tray.

I haven't mentioned any of your family, and I have not put anything about you on Facebook. I have put very little of my own private life on here, so I have more common sense than you claim. Go and thump someone who deserves it.

Good heavens, Elegran, you do keep track of people, don't you? Thanks for putting everything so succinctly in the one place for anyone on facebook to see.

HQ have informed me that they have removed that link from facebook, so thank you, HQ. They have more common sense than you, Elegran.

When I first started on GN, there was no link to fcebook or twitter. I assumed that only grans and grandads would be interested in GN.

Now GN is using itself as clickbait to get numbers up.
I get a lot of stick for using links to skwawkbox, but he refuses to have advertising on his site, as he does not want to be used as clickbait.

I don't want any old facebook user to know all about my grandson, so you'll be pleased I won't be mentioning him any more on GN.
If I don't feel like I can mention my grandchildren for fear of being recognised and getting hatemail for having EU daughters in law, what's the point of being on Gransnet?

I refuse to go on games threads. I am interested in politics, which includes anything to do with Brexit and my European family.
I don't expect complete anonimity, but I don't expect to be able to be followed by anyone in the wide world on facebook who does not agree with my views.

I once asked for a post of mine to be removed because it related to a family member who might be a member of GN.
But at the time I didn't realise the general risk of things I write on forums being transplanted wholesale onto Facebook, DM etc.
Thinking of changing my username too - if that's possible.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

durhamjen your relatives or friends can look on this site at any of the posts but would they bother looking on Gransnet, likewise Gransnet Facebook would they bother to search out Gransnet on Facebook why would they be anymore interested by the Facebook site than this site.

I think what we do is not say anything we wouldn't want to go viral or that we wouldn't want to identify us. That's a good basic rule to stick to on the internet anyway.

Mumsnet has the option of changing one's username if one wants to discuss something too personal. I think Gransnet not having that is a sad lack.

I don't think it's a case of can't be arsed, bb. I think they made a business decision (like Mumsnet) to do things the way they do with regard to FB and Twitter. It's about increasing the size of Gransnet's reach.

So what do we do stay on here and talk about rice pudding and ignore anything with any umph in it .....
Warn every new person that arrives so again it will resort to mundane chat which is pleasant but bland
We have asked GNHQ for a private area for more personal problems have we had an answer ? I haven't seen one
I see no reason why fb Twitter and this general site could not be kept seperate with the option and a link to join the others if wanted Its laziness to use the same subjects on three different sites cant GN be arsed to moderate different sites
They think if they keep quiet long enough it will all go away and we ll forget ( after all we re old) and start posting more interesting subjects again

People like gossip. Gransnet is a business.