The changing face of Gransnet?

I think the membership has increased, there was a thread the other week ( can’t remember the title of the thread) that featured so many names I had never seen before.
Hopefully, they will stay even after this year, and start posting more.
I have noticed that tempers generally are more frayed (unsurprisingly) about quite minor matters.
Just lately have noticed a preference ( again unsurprisingly) for lighter and jokier threads and games, with posters mainly giving complaining threads the heave-ho.?

I joined before lockdown and I have noticed people are getting more grumpy, me included on some days. There are a lot of threads about covid and the effects it has on all of us and this is a good thing as we need to let off steam sometimes.
Some posters try very hard to cheer us up and I am grateful to them. A good giggle gets rid of the grumpiness.

I have been away for most of lockdown for various reasons, came back a few weeks ago, and on the whole it seems less bitchy than before.

I think that depends where you look, Sara1954, there’s still plenty of it about!

I think we’ve less to talk about (as in real life), so the same old things keep coming round for discussion. And yes, tempers are getting frayed. And COVID has taken over from Brexit as the main topic of conversation. I’m not sure which is worse!

One way the site has changed is that the moderators are far less tolerant of any differences of opinion which they deem to be ‘not in the spirit of the site’, although it is unclear how this ethereal spirit might be defined.
It seems as though as soon as someone takes offence, whether reasonably or not, posts and even whole threads are deleted.
Members have been suspended and even had their membership terminated while the rest of us have no idea whether the reasons behind these punitive measures are valid or not.
It would be nice if we could be given some credit for resilience and the ability to debate matters in a robust way.

I am a newby too. Never really joined in online discussions before. Really only joined because I was so proud to become a gran for the first time in early Dec. never thought it would happen. Not met her yet, have to make do with the little video's they send me.

I agree that GN has changed quite a bit since I joined many moons ago. It's a more fearful place than it used to be in some ways; the "guidelines" seem to be more fluid than they used to be and it seems to easier to fall foul of them now, without knowing how you've transgressed until you see your post, or thread, has been deleted. For example, it used to be a regular thing to see a thread asking where so and so was, because their absence had been noticed and people were wondering if they were ok. That's not allowed anymore. Apparently.
It also seems to be less welcoming to men now than it used to be. Recent male posters have been given very short shrift and, rightly enough, vanish never to be seen again.

I absolutely agree, janeainsworth. I occasionally pop over to mumsnet and a lot more freedom in language, ideas and opinions is allowed there - quite rightly. Not sure why we, as older - and hopefully - wiser folks are “nannied” as we seem to be, currently.

Cross post Janeainsworth! Good to know it's not just me that sees a difference.

I’m fairly new, still finding my feet in some ways. It’s been a godsend as I can’t go out and about and chat to people right now. It’s got a real community feel ?

Good posts JaneA and Chewy.

Er lots and lots of complaints on MN about the guidelines.

Congratulations on your DGD Skallagrig, hope you’re able to have a cuddle soon ?

Good posts ja, chewbacca and lisagran.

It is as though we have entered snowflake world. There was a light touch in the early days which is missing now. People seem to report as a reflex and HQ seem to just accept it and deleted!!

I sometimes wonder if older, long standing posters are a bit redundant.

I think it is sad that OPs feel the need to label their threads 'lighthearted'.

It wasn't like that in the 'good old days'.

I totally agree with janeainsworth and Chewbacca. I also agree that there are many more new names but they do not post regularly.

When a prize has been won, it is so nice to recognise a name that posts regularly instead of those who only play games or attempt to win prizes.

I am on my final warning so all I feel I can do is discuss the weather. Health I think is verboten as is mentioning old posters.

I too agree with, Chewy and Kitty. There is definitely a different style of moderation, with a lack of consistency, depending on who is on duty, which I feel doesn't always look at both sides of the story.

Sometimes I'm flummoxed at why some posts stand and others are deleted.

I wonder if the expected ethos of GN is one of calm, ordered conviviality, as opposed to the robust, lively discussions on MN? On MN there are many more contributors to a thread resulting in many different opinions and viewpoints. All are accommodated there and it's not often that posts are deleted just for disagreeing with someone. But on GN, if more than one poster happens to disagree with another poster about something they've said, accusations of "bullying" and "ganging up" start flying around; without thinking that it's just several posters who happen to think alike.

Re: Transgressions- genuine question here!
* How many written warnings do you get?
* How long do they last?
* Any right of appeal?
* Can you still read the posts, if not contribute?
* Can you still PM someone or vice versa?
*When do you get a permanent ban?

As a newbie, it is hard to follow all these comings and goings (and seeming disappearances).
It's like signing up for a club when you don't know the rules and regs, and rather worrisome .
Thanks.

One thing HQ no longer possesses is a sense of humour.

ixion

Re: Transgressions- genuine question here!
* How many written warnings do you get?
* How long do they last?
* Any right of appeal?
* Can you still read the posts, if not contribute?
* Can you still PM someone or vice versa?
*When do you get a permanent ban?

As a newbie, it is hard to follow all these comings and goings (and seeming disappearances).
It's like signing up for a club when you don't know the rules and regs, and rather worrisome .
Thanks.

Be very interested to see if GNHQ respond to your questions with information, ixion. These things are currently a mystery!

Not allowed to mention any thing a member has posted previously , I didn’t know this was a rule and I wonder why you can search a posters name if you then can’t refer to what they have said in the past, I had a wrist slap for that one. Soon after a message from GN on another thread mentioned this .
Why should we have calm and order on GN? The world isn’t a calm place and robust debate is sometimes needed, but more diverse threads would be more interesting.
I often think that if the site wasn’t broadcast all over the Internet there would be more honest ‘problem’threads.

ixion one rule that they are very keen on is not allowing a thread to be about another thread IYSWIM.
So posters on your thread (this one) referring to other threads will get your whole thread deleted. That’s if they haven’t already decided it’s not in the spirit of the site.
I can’t answer all your questions, but I understand there’s no right of appeal, once justice has been meted out.
Fun, isn’t it?

ixion, answers to your questions:

How many written warnings do you get? It varies, depending on the transgression
How long do they last? It varies, depending on what you did and who's on duty at GNHQ
Any right of appeal? That would be a no.
Can you still read the posts, if not contribute? Yes, anyone can read posts.
Can you still PM someone or vice versa? Not if you've been suspended or banned apparently.
When do you get a permanent ban? When they feel that you've been very naughty indeed.

Hth

Sometimes, janeainsworth it's frustrating that you can't just link back to an earlier thread.
I do get sick of saying the same thing again quite often.