Trolling of the Bereavement board

I report if I have a vague thought that a poster might be a troll. You have to trust MNHQ to work out if a poster is a troll or not. I much rather over report than miss a troll.

I am really careful but I have been caught out. . It pisses me right off. If I am nit sure I just report and don't post.

Hiya Mrs D.

I think that, at one time, I would believe anybody and everybodies story - IYKWIM. Over time I have felt a bit silly for taking everybody at face value but have continued to do it. At the moment both my parents are so very poorly that I have become a bit 'shrugging shoulders' about MN posters who I suspect are not what they seem. Somehow my sadness and worry are over riding MN trolls. Now I have written down how I feel it sounds 'barking mad!!!' LOL. Ah well.

That's awful. There was a poster on there who shared their experience too, how horrible for them. Why anyone would make up something like that is beyond my comprehension.

It was obvious to me that that thread was a troll.

I tend to just ignore these threads though.

Zombie didn't read the thread in question.

However, she is deeply saddened at the number of posters on this thread who had doubts but didn't report in case it was genuine.

Please, please, PLEASE, PLEASE report. Only MNHQ will know that you have done so and they will never think badly of you if you got it wrong and will be eternally gratefuly to you if you were right.

There's no shame in saying to MNHQ that it could be a troll though- they don't hold it against you!

A memorial site?! FFS, that's disgusting. I just can't understand why anyone would do it.

I really hope that the trolling on the bereavement board doesn't put off genuine posters in need of support.

Well I suspected it was a troll thread but I still posted because I'd rather give support to 10 people who are trolls but I've given the benefit of the doubt than not supporting one person whose story sounds suspicious but is actually genuine, particularly when it's the death of a child involved.

I don't think there's anything MNHQ can do but I agree not having them appear in active convonetc might help. At the end of the day trolling is all over the place, I think it's very wise to take most things from a slightly detached standing point.

A well known specialist forum now requires details of your child's death before it will let you join.

Gosh, that seems very harsh MrsDeVere

For the people who don't want to report in case the OP is genuine, could you perhaps phrase your report in a way that alludes to it but doesn't actually say it? I've reported a couple in sensitive topics by saying something along the lines of 'I'm concerned about this OP, the post is very distressing and I want to make sure that it's been flagged with you and support offered if necessary'. That way you're not actually calling troll but you are flagging with with MNHQ that you have concerns. I've been right in most cases but one I was wrong and I just got an email saying thanks and that they'd keep an eye on things.

I did think that was a troll and I am glad it was. I don't understand what people get out of it. So awful for the lovely posters that shared their bereavements in support of the op.

I too couldn't get that thread out of my mind. Dd2 fell off the bed twice as a baby and I kept thinking how lucky we had been that she just had a bad bump.
Ds is 20 mths and every time he climbed up on the sofa this morning I felt nervous. Can't believe somebody would make up such a horrible story.

I had mentioned it to dsis and she said straight away why on earth would you post the same day as dc passing away, I just thought perhaps the op had no rl support.

Had no idea it had happened before, why on earth would anybody do that on a bereavement board, that's just cruel.

I posted on that thread. Never crossed my mind that someone would make that up.

Jesus, WTF is WRONG with these people?

I must be the most gullible idiot on earth, I went to bed last night and couldn't sleep thinking about that poor (fictional) family. I fucking hovered around my DS as he tottered around learning to walk today, anxious he would fall over and bang his head hard... I should have stopped and thought, 'hang on...posting on the same day?'. But then I've read lots of threads by regular posters who have been bereaved, where they have posted very soon afterwards, so even then I wouldn't have been sure.

I don't understand how someone gets their kicks from this kind of thing. I also don't really see how it can be prevented on Bereavement without shutting genuine posters out and denying them valuable support.

I didn't comment on that thread because it felt wrong, only because of being burnt previously. Sadly I now wait a few days which is sad considering a few words would help a truly bereavred person.

I reported that thread. It was a first time poster. Individuals like that, inadequate though they undoubtedly are, absolutely sicken me. I do think hq should prioritise doing something about the trolls on the bereavement boards.

"You're right" was to dee.

You're probably right.

What happens if MNHQ investigate, the poster turns out to be genuine, will the reporter be informed?

oh ffs. i read that yesterday night and was terribly shocked as I have a baby the same age. I felt close to tears and found it hard to sleep.

I am glad it wasn't true but how horrid to make it up.

I shed tears over that thread. Today is a painful anniversary for me and reading that this morning really didn't help.

And that, I think is what the trolls are relying on. The fact that people will not report just in case

Good grief, I am so glad that thread was not real. Yes, the scenario just did not sound believable.
And for once my trolldar worked - it often doesn't...

I did not report because I did not want to be seen reporting somebody who may just really be in distress and in need of support. I know MNHQ don't mind and investigate before they do anything, but I could just not bring myself to do it.
Daft.