To NOT believe some of the threads posted on Mumsnet?

Sometimes it does seem as though OP responses on this threads, when they are almost immediately called out, are simply to get more and more extreme reactions, often with alot of faux naivety.

As for AI, nothing would surprise me as it gets more and more sophisticated - I guess that's just the norm for the Internet in general.

Ever since I watched the Cambridge Analytica debacle unfold, I've suspected that bar an EMP, humanity is doomed in virtual terms. Not to say that the technology us necessarily the problem in itself, more the way it's used as a tool by bad actors.

What a time to be alive eh? 😁

Agree that a portion of threads are pure fiction with a sizeable minority containing a kernel of truth with massive (often entertaining) embellishments.

But the ensuing posts/conversations often take on a life of their own and can be quite interesting.

Sorry cross posted @MistressoftheDarkSide I agree with you.

But with AIBU you get posters who genuinely believe they are being reasonable when everyone disagrees with them.

Ah thanks @DreamW3aver ! That explains it. The posters with those sorts of usernames do seem to be starting some strange threads lately as @MistressoftheDarkSide has pointed out.

Oh, I didn't know that. I know that name generators exist, but didn't realise it was also a MN feature for some reason. I am wondering if there's some sort of back door low level "attack" going on, although it's possibly just mischief makers with too much time on their hands.

Either way it's a shame because it makes the site less friendly feeling for "genuine" posters, and can attract the attention of the press. I worry that it just makes MN look like batshit central when actually there's scope for real support and advice, and I think plenty of us do engage on that basis in good faith. First world problems I suppose.

I think some posts are started by journalists hoping to provoke some print-worthy responses.

This was explaining in a previous thread by someone from mnhq, apparently now they suggest user names to new joiners in that format to save anyone having to make up their own if they can't think of one

Sadly mundane, not suspicious

It's the Reddit usage. Reddit is massive and it's useful phrasing so it appears elsewhere.

Just coming on to say yes, this - several goody/fantastical threads over the last week have followed this format with those sorts of user names. The colour teal seems to be a favourite 😁

That's a Reddit thing.

I agree @Gem359 there have been some harmless and at times very funny fake threads that got deleted. Usually just when I am enjoying them. I noticed a recent trend in usernames. A describing word, a colour and then an animals name. It has interested me because I wonder if it’s one very imaginative person? Or are lots of other posters following the same format? Or is some kind of bot generating the names? I probably spend too much time on here😂.

It's the Internet op what do you expect?
People have to embellish and add and take away details to keep their anonymity.

Sometimes I've posted about stuff that's been very painful to me but in a humorous way to draw in the funny posters who will cheer me up and to get there I've got to take a lot of flack about being made up etc.

Does it matter.

Get a life!!

We had cakes burning once on Alfred king and we had panics... This isn't real it's not real.
We had Brian offering a yoni massage and people schreeking... It's not real it's not real.
We had a lots of stuff like that and the it's not real brigade Jack booting in like puritans to stamp. Out. The fun.

Well tbh how could it be unreasonable not to believe everything on the internet, it's not a question that needs to be asked 😂

On reflection, you have a point about relevant topics being better. But people do get useful advice in AIBU in the midst of some that may be plain wrong on subjects such as legal or medical or whatever. It might help if the mumsnet team encouraged people to post in the section for the specialist topic and keep AIBU for more general tea and sympathy and general life experience type of advice.

You are never going to get useful advice in AIBU. Far better to post in the topic most relevant to the problem if you want proper advice.

People do post for personal attention, for validation, for reassurance. They want to connect and people to focus on them personally rather than the actual topic; for example, a post asking how to lose weight or manage money when there are dozens of threads already with hundreds of suggestions as to how to do it. Posting can be very much a personal need and quest which is why I take it seriously.

AIBU is a useful source for those everyday personal needs and social dilemmas - and wider issues too while being the 'go to' or the last resort for people who feel in need of advice or consolation. I don't agree with some of the comments here, treating it as entertainment or just a laugh and trivialising it as all made up; if people want entertainment why not post that in Chat - or somewhere else, say, in News if it's a tabloid-like sensation or headline that they just want to emote or signal Isn't it awful? about?

And "gotton".
Are they ALL American or Irish?

Be prepared for MNHQ to take this thread down. 'Not in the spirit', or something.
Is free speech not allowed on here then?
You weren't joking when you said you haven't been here long were you? 😂

Like this one 😂