To be sick of being accused of making stuff up on here?

[BrittaPerry]

This has been prompted by seeing it happen to someone else today.

It keeps happening that I will post something, either as 'me' or under a namechange, and people will accuse me of making things up, just because that thing has never happened to them. They have often gone on to say tha I must be a terrible person, because I must be covering up x, or if the story is true I must be an awful mother.

Can we please stop it? It is really hurtful and helps nobody.

[BrittaPerry]

I just noticed someone has posted the opposite of this.

I obviously have an unbelievable life.

[SuperB0F]

What sort of thing are you posting that sounds so unbelievable? I don't recall your threads, sorry.

[Whitecherry]

Your name does ring a bell.... Nit sure how that thread turned out, but your name has 'stayed with me'

[yousankmybattleship]

I don't believe you're really sick of it at all...!

[BrittaPerry]

Well, a lot of the time it is on sensitive issues, but people have doubted that there are a shortage of school places in my area, medical things that happened to me and even my posts on 'what is the biggest/longest/most ridiculous thing you have done' have been accused of being too ridculous

[Diana2000]

I've been accused of trolling when posting about a problem before. Apparently "too many boxes" were ticked

It's frustrating if people presume your situation cannot be real because what's happened to you is outside their own comfortably mundane experience but it does seem to be a pretty common reaction on forums to anything out of the ordinary

Personally, I think perhaps it's best to either take everything you read at face value or nothing at all.

[Portofino]

I would say that many are sceptical on tinterweb as there are SO many out to deceive. But I would find it very hard to believe that everyone suspects EVERYTHING you post as being made up. What on earth do you post?

[Strawhatpirate]

I just assume all ops are telling the truth until proved otherwise. I don't understand why trolls are coming here what is it that they're trying to achieve?

[ZiggyPlayedGuitar]

Yanbu. Troll hunting isn't allowed and it's easier to press the "report" button.

I haven't seen any of your threads but I do hate it when posters go all at stuff, there's just no need.

[EdMcDunnough]

It is horrible, Britta. I think you just have to be really circumspect about what you post.

I've had it happen once or twice. It can make you really upset, especially if you've namechanged and the people calling you a lying twunt or whatever are the people you usually laugh with, they know your usual name, they normally seem to 'like' you.

So you just have to not post things if you think it will go that way. It's the only chance of avoiding it sadly.

[BrittaPerry]

I didn't say everything...

[IdCalUaCuntBtUvNtGotTheDepth]

Personally, I am glad posters are skeptical of far fetched stories. People get taken in easily on the internet and we should all start out as being skeptical. If you are going to post random stuff on the internet with nothing to back you up you should assume some people won't believe you. And you should also realise it doesn't matter you don't know them. Words on a screen, words on a screen.

[PunkInDublic]

YANBU.

If someone doesn't believe, report, hide and move on. I hate troll hunting, it's awful to think someone who is needing help gets abuse and called out by someone who has never met them and has no idea what their life is like. I haven't seen the threads you mention but I know what you mean.

Calling someone a liar from behind a screen and an anonymous username on a forum aimed at helping parents is low. We all know the rules, don't give more than you can afford, emotionally or materially, we're all grown ups and can make up our own minds, if someone doesn't believe then they can make their own decisions from there.

I hope you got some support and advice that you found useful on your thread.

[BrittaPerry]

But if (silly example) someone posts 'help, my foot just fell off! What should I do?' What is the benefit to you to shout troll? No matter how ridiculous. Either give support 'how did it fall off? Is it definitely off, it might be worth checking as they don't usually fall off' would be a good way of supporting something that you don't think is ver likely without insulting the poster, or just quietly report.

[whatinthewhatnow]

yanbu, troll hunting is shit and banned on here anyway. report the trollhunters, I reckon mnhq would have something to say about it. the site is supposed to work on the principle that OPs are telling the truth.

[GoldShip]

YANBU! It's shit isn't it. I sometimes think that people may think I'm lying because seriously my life is like a bloody soap opera. And I've got a story for everything. Or a friend that's in a situation that someone is writing about!

When I started my new job I had the feeling people thought I was telling lies about the goings on in my life, but luckily when they met my friends and family they realised all of it was true and they were

See ^ there I go again.

Don't take them on OP. concentrate on the people who do believe you instead of the people that don't. And no-one should be troll hunting either. X

[lovebunny]

there are certain posters who are vindictive. mn must know about this and so is supporting them. clearly this is what people want - both the readers and the organisation.

[Portofino]

But then threads like this are asking "How do I post so I don't look like a troll?" I think you if you are genuine and post consistently this just doesn't come up. You have to ignore the disbelievers and accept that this is the internet and not your best friend's front room.

[Currywurst]

I agree with you. I posted about my job last week. I had many awful responses accusing me of lying and some posters acting like detectives to 'catch me out' I was really upset. It's my life. I am a teacher and I really do work very long hours indeed. I absolutely love my job and don't want to leave it. I am very experienced, not a bumbling beginner. I just don't want to have to work 12 hour days. It does REALLY work out as below minimum wage. But, I got no sympathy just really horrible,critical responses. Weird.

[PunkInDublic]

I don't think OP was asking how to post and not look like a troll Port, simply "Can we please stop it? It is really hurtful and helps nobody.".

If you don't believe or don't want to be involved, move on. If you're concerned other MNers are at risk of giving too much emotionally or materially, report your concerns to MNHQ, I don't know how they check but they often respond saying the thread will go poof due to reason x, y or z and no doubt the OP will get a private message handled in a more sensitive manner than a troll hunter.

No need for the lynch mob. Long term MNers know the rules of posting, avoid drip feeding, what subjects get everyone riled up etc. Someone new may not know this and may be subjected to abuse due to not knowing the unwritten rules of MN as opposed to trolling.