It was a bright evening on 16th July 2009 when Martin Lewis (of MoneySavingExpert) battled through his Repetitive Strain Injury (!) to lay down a new policy for the contributors to the MoneySavingExpert forum. Little could Martin predict at the time (perhaps) the subsequent fall out that his forum team’s new guidelines could cause. So what’s new on the MoneySavingExpert forum?
Martin Lewis’ new MoneySavingExpert forum guidelines were designed to clear up a few issues that have been dragging on for some time – some people have been turning a little aggressive (persistently on particular members), newbies getting stamped on and worst of all, people criticising The Messiah (Martin Lewis himself).
Obviously new measures and a clamp down quickly followed. Most of the new forum guidelines are said to be for the greater good of the MoneySavingExpert forum. Indeed, the initial feedback seemed promising. The tone was set by the first few pages of comments (from Martin’s most avid followers on the MoneySavingExpert forum, rallying around and providing full support for the changes).
But @michael and @pete commented on @Sam Clemens’ Martin Lewis – A Reader Rants guest post on Insiders View to show a different side to the story.
On 20th July, Pete posted: “Lewis is a jerk,he bans users of his site if they dont agree with everything he says, well he gets his henchmen to do it because he hasn’t the balls to do it,then if things go wrong he blames everyone bar himself.His favourite saying is “this is a private site and i can do and say anything i want” Him and his cronies talk about users in private and then ban them if they dont obey his every command. The banned user has no say in the matter,no email,no private message, nothing, the sooner he is gone the better.”
Passionate stuff. We’re not sure if Pete’s comment came as a result of his treatment after the new guidelines (which proposed a fairer yellow, red and black card banning system), but he’s clearly disgruntled by the way Martin Lewis and his team have treated him on the MoneySavingExpert forum. They claim that posts have mysteriously gone missing. Posts, we’re told, that were not completely complimentary to Martin and his “advice” but put across in a sensible and fair way. If this is the case, it’s a serious issue. But is that what’s really happening? Or is Martin Lewis hold a poisoned chalice in providing the MoneySavingExpert forum in the first place?
So here’s a space for some non-filtered, no rules, genuine and honest feedback from the MoneySavingExpert forum members (and you’ll be sure to get the MoneySavingExpert employees posting rave reviews too!). How do you guys feel you’re treated on the forum? Have you posted anything contradictary to Martin’s views? Do you feel there’s a little bit of censorship going on? Or is it all above board? Are the guidelines genuinely for the better? Has anything actually changed?
No judgements or opinions from Ernest or George to start with on this one – the floor’s open…
Update:
We’ve got the moderators in a panic. We can see traffic coming in from the abuse forums and via MSE Private Messages hitting our servers. They’re actively deleting posts right now….
Update:
Welcome members from the bootsaholics forum – we would love to join in the conversation but our request for membership has been denied. We want to hear from you so conact us now.
Capital One
Credit Made Clearer
lovemoney
Relationship with Your Money
CashQuestions
Personal Finance Problem Solver
Life Cover
Insurance Made Easy
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Some of the nasty comments above clearly show why people are leaving MSE.
I personally think that MSE is a victim of its own success. It has grown organically and the rather easy going ad hoc rules which were once acceptable aren’t any longer. This ad hoc governance has resulted in accusations of favoritism and an increase in spammers and AEs. The recent rule changes look like things will be tightened up.
I also think that now Martin is a media sleb, his site has become increasingly important to his image. It won’t do anymore to have controversy. The site is like his business card.
As for him stating that as it’s his site he can do as he likes: I agree up to a point as it is his own personal site but it’s incredibly arrogant of him to say that he can be a total git whenever he wants and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. The price of fame luvvie?
Lewis is so far up his own arse
@ Danger Mouse
I think some people are leaving mse because of your last point,and its not just martins arrogant attitude either,most of the “hangers on” who work for him are the problem as well.Sometimes i think Martin does’nt know half of whats going on behind his back,thats not to say he care’s though,i think fame has gone to the old duckies head,users are now just “pound signs in his eyes”
@ Ernest
Thanks for your response. I apologise for confusing a blog and a forum. You might guess from the time that has passed since my last post that I have better things to do with my days than care what the difference is.
I wasn’t entering into a personal battle, just merely stating that your original point was supposed to be one of live and let live, ie no moderation. Yet what you are doing here is taking your personal opinion about Martin Lewis too far. I see no other constructive discussion on this “blog”- it is nothing but slander against both Martin Lewis and several others, as Quasar said.
I have read George’s stuff about Martin Lewis being gay too, and I have to agree his statements are not directly homophobic. However, I think that any discussions about someone’s sexual preference shows poor levels of integrity. George seems to know his stuff and must have known what his post would incite amongst the others. I am downright disgusted about the comments regarding “puffs” and “queers”. Maybe Martin Lewis has got the right idea after all, even if it does need fine tuning. A little bit of censorship would go a long way on here. Bit anyway, I refuse to be part of your traffic any longer. I do not wish to be tarred with the same judgements and insults that have been aimed at poor Quasar (who I have never come across before by the way). At least on MSE there is something to be gained from reading the posts. There is no value to this lot of b******t. It is just blatant abuse disguised as free speech. Even a democracy needs standards.
@Becky
What a load of bollocks,whats wrong with puffs and queers,are you homophobic?would you be disgusted at someone writing hetrosexual,and a stud?No of course not.It sounds like you are saying puffs and queers have got to be hidden and nobody should say those words.I would never think that saying someone could be a queer or a puff as abusive because it is’nt.
@ Jill
Just to clarify Jill, I am not saying there is anything wrong with gay people, just the terminology used to refer to them as inferior. I do believe the definition for queer is strange or wierd, isn’t it? I was also referring to the use of someone’s sexuality as “news”, or more precisely gossip.
PS. I am speaking as a “queer” myself, thank you very much, so roll on the gay bashing.
testing testing
I think its disgraceful that MSE has stopped you joining the site.All from bootsaholics forum contact Earnest and George,they want to hear from you.
http://www.insiders-view.co.uk/contact-us
lol i see MSE Andrea has to have her name in red now because she has been banning people and has been found out as she is’nt allowed to in green
Another user not allowed to speak.does anyone really think Martin would barge in and sellotape your mouth if you started a thread praising him?Not a fucking chance,he’s a joke,and an ignorant one at that,no wonder he’s known in tv circles as a prick.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1874227
P.S. glad other think so too
http://www.mingeford365.co.uk/forum/showpost.php?s=9278ac66e55fbcecb5e9a3712a40683a&p=160004&postcount=17
Posted by Isabelle | March 4th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Martin Lewis runs his forums like a dictatorship – say something the sometimes thick as a plank, moderators have done is unfair and ask for things to be sorted and you will be ‘denied posting rights’ – wow, that would ruin your life, wouldn’t it?
Have you ever heard anything so fucking stupid in your life?Martin(knows fuck all)Lewis coming second to a real seasoned pro in some poll to be “the next Chancellor”.WTF’s all that about?Lewis: Put all your money in icelandic banks oh fans of me and my penis he says,imagine eh?I’d rather have the local vagrant in charge then that loser lewis.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=24159493&postcount=1
Martin Lewis has banned me today because i did’nt agree with every one of his thoughts and ideas.I disagreed with him last week,no swearing,no abuse,just disagreed.This is what happens if you have a strong opinion thats different from Martin lewis,No yellow cards,no red cards,no warnings,just banned because i did’nt agree with him,i invite Martin to get in touch and deny this banning or give a reason other than the one i have put here.No,he won’t because he has’nt got the bottle,and also explain “his” new rules here as it seems he’s already forgotten them
Forgot to put link in.As you can see Martin Lewis posted this to me last week,this is why he’s banned me.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=23488047&postcount=340
What’s up, is there anybody else here?
If there are any real people here looking to network, leave me a post.
Oh, and yes I’m a real person LOL.
See ya,
i think people are gettinhg fed up of mse because of the affairs that certain posters are having with each other, amistupid and gs1967 for example. it’s disgusting as they are both married with kids.
ffffffffff
Anybody seen that video martins done with the news of the shite newspaper.I noticed that EVERY comment that was NOT in favour of the video has been removed my the man therfore giving an unbalanced view of the video involved,what a cunt
Lewis must have had a parking ticket so he’s told everyone not to pay parking ticket fines,what does this man get off on?
Guys if you don’t like the MSE site … DON@T GO ON IT>
@ Quasar…. u keep doing what u are doing…. I have known u on the site for a while now and I have had my share of trolls but i have never had any problems with you… on the contrary…. i have enjoyed our conversations.
To the rest….. if YOU don’t like MSE…. don’t go on it.
Spikey …. The One & Only
did someone delete my post?
My experience of mse forums is only shortlived. I recently joined, I’ve posted some advice to other users where I’ve thought it might help save them money, and today it tells me I’ve been banned, with no reason given, and for good. I know for a fact that I haven’t insulted anyone, or criticized Martin (I don’t really care for the bloke, but I’m not posting on threads that involve him), or broken any of the rules….
I suspect that one of the prolific posters on the site (he sells beds, his name is Tim Deegan, he’s a bit of a bully and he uses the mse forum to advertise his own company covertly), has objected to my praising a rival company of his, and I think he’s best buddies with someone from mse and that’s what’s got me banned!
So mse forum to me seems a complete waste of time, if they ban users without warning or even giving them a reason.
TESCO VOUCHER CON
Just used £750 worth of Tesco Reward Prices towards a P&O Cruise and it cost £100 more than if I’d booked online as there was an automatic 5% online discount (and most travel agents can offer around 10%)
Just wanted to warn others. Spoke to both Tesco and P&O about this. Neither company could care less!!
Sue Cook complain to trading standards thousands of people have followed mse archna advice for using tesco vouchers thinking it would make them a profit like she says it will but her sums do not add up in real life
Yup, as I thought, I’ve had a look on mse and the posts in which I recommended a) the mattress we’ve just bought and love or b) the excellent price we got it for online, have ALL been deleted….
The posts about vacuums and earphones and other bits and bobs are still on there.
It makes me think Tim Deegan must be Martin’s cousin or something? His price for the mattress is more than the company we used, so I guess he’d be annoyed I was spreading the news about a better deal.
But surely that’s the point of a MONEY SAVING website?!
Not this one…..
@ Jenny. You seem to be pretty sure of your facts there regarding affairs on MSE, are you having one?
Absolutebounder 2nd post.
A completely typical MSE riposte. The only difference between MSE and here is that other ferventfantastic lifeless individuals will click on a button saying you are a terrific chap. Note your assumption that you are speaking for all..” Apart friom demonstrating to all what an idiot you are .Your point is?”
Your comment instantly made me think that you’re an idiot. You clearly find it difficult to get out of fantasticferventtosser mode.
I work for a true impartial service that recommends companies whether we make a commission or not . It all about the money with martin but eventually a rival newspaper or tv channel will dig some dirt on him .Possible some of the stories on here and he won’t get all the free advertising genuine services that truly try to help people struggle for.
Verified
http://moneysavingexpertforumshit.blogspot.com
Anyone noticed just how many times his mug appears on the site. Personally I think he’s one of the internets biggest narcissists.
Heard he got married as well, shame for his bride and he’ll never love her as much as he loves himself
@Alex,
Very funny. He has also been writing blog posts about his ring!
http://bit.ly/martins_ring
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