Trolls & Membership

MaryZ - my OP name 'ChippingIn' is highlighted and 'ChippinginSmellyCheeseFreak' is too - how about for you? I presume Smelly Cheese Freak doesn't show as the OP or else we would be able to see thread namechangers/sockpuppets.

MaryZ - let's see :)

If you have number of posts next to your name or something else that denotes how long you've been here (sparkly twirly stars anyone? C4GBBF) there will be constant bunfights over it and people posting absolute bullshit and 'games' like post a smilie to bump up their postcount.

How about MNHQ have to either approve your name change each time, or approve you to name change? Would stop some silly, fun mid thread name changing but would also make it harder for trolls and sock puppeteers.

Sockpuppeteers should be outed on the thread and laughed at for all to see?

How about moderation until a poster had posted 10 times or something?

Some very good points, RHP. Great post.

I wouldn't pay, and I don't think namechanging should be banned (apart from possibly within same thread). Namechanging can be invaluable, especially for regular posters who need support re. personal issues.

The whole issue is very simple IMO:

1. Face facts that whenever you 'speak' to someone on a forum, all may not be what it seems. I have never met the majority of posters IRL, so as far as I am concerned anyone could be anyone IYSWIM - even MN 'royalty' (for want of a better word) could be making things up as far as I would know (and I've been posting for a good few years).

1. Don't shout troll. On most threads, even if OP is a troll, the good advice can be invaluable to others. I feel a lot more upset at the thought of someone in trouble and pain being ridiculed and called a troll, than at the thought of a troll fooling people. Innocent until proven guilty.

1. Understand that many people only 'find' MN because they have a problem or issue they need help and support for. I certainly did. These people are not automatically trolls just because its their first post.

1. If in ANY doubt, don't get excessively engaged with posters who are essentially complete 'strangers' - don't send money, don't arrange to meet to help with a problem. If there is a real reason to help, meet as part of a co-ordinated MN group.

"it really bothers me that the focus on here has switched from giving support to weeding out the finer details of people's stories" - couldn't agree more, FFFF.

Verryyyy interestinggg.

I'm not explaining myself well at all :o

Oh god I wasn't defending it, I was just thinking out loud as to why MN would allow it? At the end of the day it's a business and they get traffic when topics are either particularly funny/witty (hence my question) or inflammatory.

Otherwise, why would they not kick the sockpuppets arse??

Do these n/cers liven up the threads? Is that why they're looked over?

I don't think it would stop people either. So they pay a fee. So what's a fiver to most? And I remember when you had to pay a tenner to CAT. I've deliberately namechanged back to a name I was using last week in a thread some may have thought 'troll' to. I can assure you that's not the case, sometimes people do need to post as events happen. For me it was a way to reach out, I still haven't told anyone in real life the things I was talking about on here. I'm a very longstanding, fairly prolific member and I'm sure MN would and should confirm that to anyone with concerns. The trouble starts when the sockpuppetry accusations come about. How many people saw that one coming with M? (won't name but I'm sure you all know who I mean). So I get why people maybe feel jumpy. But it really bothers me that the focus on here has switched from giving support to weeding out the finer details of people's stories. I changed all sorts of unimportant things, my dc's ages for example, in a bid to stay anonymous. I'm sure if anyone had noticed they would have exclaimed 'aha! An inconsistency! TROLL'.

It is Pinot, don't know why MN want to protect her/him.

I wouldn't pay.

Maybe people should only be able to nc if they are being regularly abused/stalked by trolls.

I'm thinking of the Feminism topic here where certain prolific posters have had problems with stalkers.

Bloody hell that's rubbish. I don't like that at all - seems really underhand and duplicitous. And naive eejits like me will fall for it every time I bet.

" and I have had a least 4 names that I know of."

sorry that should be
" and they have had at least 4 names"

Yes Pinot I have reported them, but MN just asked me what I knew about the poster, then I never heard anything again. They have namechanged in at least two threads and I have had a least 4 names that I know of.