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Original poster

the lack of overnight responses to reports is making a mockery of this site and allowing trolls to run rife

36 replies

wannaBe · 02/11/2015 08:59

at least two blatantly obvious troll threads over night. Yes in this instance it seems pretty obvious that they're trolls (in fact I'm not uncertain that they're not the same poster) But they are from people whose attitudes towards children appear to be so vile as to stir up a lot of harsh and deserved responses, as well as a lot of cries of troll, which are apparently not allowed on mn... Hmm

but if mn were quicker to respond to reports these posters wouldn't still be there and people wouldn't feel the need to A, take the piss, B, call troll, and your site wouldn't look like a playground for trolls after the hours of darkness.

OP posts:
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Maryz · 03/11/2015 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 03/11/2015 16:34

@Maryz

DrMarten, I've suggested that before - an autocount of reports, where if more than X number of reports are received about a post and/or thread it is autohidden until a mnhq-er comes on duty.

I've never got a reply as to whether it is technically possible.

I think it would help with pbp's who know when to return and how to wreak maximum havoc in the time their posts are left to stand, and it would also encourage people to report obvious trolls. At the moment loads of people don't report because it's obvious that others already have. If we knew there was a cumulative affect, and the individual reports were counted up in such a way that reaching a crucial level of report would cause threads to disappear, then lots more people would report.

The issue with this Maryz, is that it could easily be abused. People could mass report things they don't like to get them removed. Just because lots of people don't like a point of view, doesn't mean it should be auto hidden. Or someone could be in distress and folks want us to see it and the system would auto hide it.

We do have alerts set-up on this principle that MNHQ and the NightWatch can view. We are considering recruiting more NightWatchers. Again this is something that we will be discussing and we'll start a thread about soon.

MNHQ
RebeccaMumsnet · 03/11/2015 16:30

Hi all,

As I mentioned in my previous post, this is something we are constantly looking at. We make most decisions based on the facts. Has the number of reports overnight risen? Have we banned more trolls than normal? Did they join at night?

We do have systems in place that alerts us and the NightWatch when X amount of reports are received for a specific post/thread/poster. The NightWatch are volunteers and do have limited powers of hiding things. They have no access to data protected information so they are restricted on what they can do during the night.

Please do keep reporting and we will have a look.

There have been several cases lately where someone looks like an "obvious" troll from the outside when they really aren't and also cases of people who seem totally legit who actually aren't. It is not always as clear cut as it may seem. These judgement calls take time and consideration, we do look at everything on a case-by-case basis and we do have other systems in place to help us spot PBP from coming back but this is not always possible.

Not all sites pay their community managers, we are one of the companies who do. It is a pretty difficult job at times and we deal with a huge variety of issues as best as we can but we do know we aren't perfect and we are constantly looking for ways to improve and make the community the best we can. We genuinely appreciate your feedback and we will discuss all of this further when we next meet.

Thank you all for caring enough to post and report, we'll keep you posted.

Skullyton · 03/11/2015 08:00

It really is incomprehensible how an organisation as big as mnhq, with the traffic, post numbers and recent hacker issues, don't employ night moderators. It's bullshit.

WorraLiberty · 02/11/2015 22:35

This is what the nightwatch are for and we are currently looking into how we can work with what we have and perhaps expand it a little further.

I seem to remember when nightwatch was introduced, many people suggested HQ actually employ people to work nights, instead of relying on the nightwatch volunteers.

Surely it wouldn't break the MNHQ bank Confused

SouthWestmom · 02/11/2015 22:31

I really want to post 'you credulous fools this is bullshit' to all the helpful letter drafters and posters for updates

SouthWestmom · 02/11/2015 22:30

It's the stupid made up 'hilarious' stories I can't stand.

Original poster
wannaBe · 02/11/2015 21:34

the one in step parenting is still there. first time poster, very inflamatory stuff said about the step children, talk of how the dp should take "his mammy's tit out of his mouth," [hmm[ and generally vile about children. it looks like a jeremy kyle show in the making..... and yet it is still there. There is not a chance in hell it's real, and a number of posters have pretty much called the op a troll on it yet it, and the troll calls, are still there. Hmm

OP posts:
Jaxsbum · 02/11/2015 21:25

It reminds me of when disable hate threads were left up, so that people could be educated, thank god thats stopped.
Trolls should be zapped, if people then feel they want to discuss the issue brought surely they can start their own thread,
A load of made up twaddle helps no one unless its afiction book

00100001 · 02/11/2015 21:20

I report - get to have a little chat with MNHQ about my weekends via email

Maryz · 02/11/2015 21:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wombatinabathhat · 02/11/2015 20:10

I see so many threads now and just think posters are really gullible to believe the obvious twaddle Sad
I don't even bother to report them.

Maryz · 02/11/2015 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Maryz · 02/11/2015 20:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alfredoshoes · 02/11/2015 19:40

Ah is that what happened to the thread about the mirror and the other thread a bout the pregnant lady with a DH who had shared custody of his children?

Sparklingbrook · 02/11/2015 19:39

Would posting just this on a suspect thread be considered troll hunting?

the lack of overnight responses to reports is making a mockery of this site and allowing trolls to run rife
00100001 · 02/11/2015 19:34

Do you think they need to take a vow a la Song of Fire and Ice

Night gathers, and now my watch begins.
It shall not end until morning (or thereabouts)
I shall take no gin, hold no grudges, feed no trolls.
I shall wear no crowns and win no glory.
I shall live and snooze at my computer.
I am the mumsnetter in the darkness.
I am the watcher on the Sofa.
I am the Cup of Tea that burns against the chill
the light that brings the dawn,
the Mouse Clicker that does not wake the sleepers,
the shield that guards the realms of MN.
I pledge my life and honour to the Night's Watch,
for this night and all the nights to come.

Iwanttobeadog · 02/11/2015 19:32

It's a bot contradictory that mn is supposedly a self moderating site, yet we're not allowed to point out openly obviously trolly posts

I get the issues with overt, zealous troll hunting but how can we self moderate if we can't say 'this is obviously bollocks' without it being against the rules of the site?

Skullyton · 02/11/2015 19:27

for all they claim its not, its well know that reporting outside of 9.30am-5.30pm mon-fri is going to get you almost no response at all.

FruVikingessOla · 02/11/2015 19:10

Oh, and, binary, I always totally forget about The Night Watch anyway Blush Grin

FruVikingessOla · 02/11/2015 19:02

I agree with PPs that posting in The Night Watch topic www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_night_watch makes it all too obvious to see - plus it could be deemed as openly troll hunting, which people disapprove of on threads (i.e. "why don't you just Report?").

The Night Watch appear to be 'toothless', if that's the correct expression?

I like AuntieStella's idea of a 'Report To Nightwatch' button. Although, of course, not everyone is in the UK - so that could be difficult for MNers on the other side of the world ..... let alone UK MNers.

Although her idea of a 'switching' scenario for after-hours might work - but there is usually one MNHQer on duty over-night, I believe?

TheDrsDocMartens · 02/11/2015 18:37

Could you have an overnight '5 individual reports and thread gets locked until someone moderates it' or similar.

00100001 · 02/11/2015 18:33

I never even knew Nightwatch existed until this thread!

AuntieStella · 02/11/2015 17:11

Would it be technically possible to add a 'report to nightwatch' button to the report page? With an explanation that it should be used for all reports between (set hours) and that all such reports will also be copied to MNHQ for review.

Then you can switch it on to nightwatch or just have it going directly to MNHQ depending on who is actually there to deal with reports.

Or if that would make it look too much like 'here are the hours when it's easier to troll', could the report function just copy over to nightwatch when MNHQ staff hit the gin go home? That would be silent as far as posters are concerned. Though I suppose that might mean opening up an antipodean offshoot so you can have a proper rota of who will be awake and working.

00100001 · 02/11/2015 17:02

A lot of forums have members as zappers, but in don't know if its a huge problem in MN. Most members are quick to spot and report.

Out of however many posts put up yesterday, how many were trolls/zapped? Probably a small minority.

Maybe now its term time it will calm down