I think that new members should be prevented from posting on the forums for 7 days

madamez yes it is imo

F off you etc etc just makes you look aggressive, as if you've got PMT or something, the alternative might just give some food for thought and at least makes it clear what the issue is.

Eff off should be strictly reserved for DH's, MIL's and Ed Psychs who work for the LEA?

Chip? on my shoulder? really? LOL

I have seen established mumsnetters post horrible comments so I don't think newbies can be blamed for all the unpleasantness.

I just keep away from anything I know will upset/anger me, simple as

Peachy: is"oFFS YOU STUPID TWUNT" actually worse than "I do not agree with your parenting methods and think you may be doing your child serious harm...." for example.

This isn't bingo you know!

i am new here, just discovered mn last thursday, if i hadnt been able to post for 7 days i wouldnt have bothered coming back.im sure most of us newbies arent out to cause trouble

No, bad idea for reasons already stated.

Can I just repeat my post from a previous thread so (since everyone bloody ignored me the first time and I'm pretty sure it wasn't that bad)

"As mentioned by others, there does seem to be an influx of new posters, spouting argumentative and nasty things.

IMO there are two possibilites here.

1 - They are trolls in which case continuing to berate them and allowing yourselves to be angered enough to post vitriol in reply is playing their game. Stop, they will get bored and go elsewhere.

2 - They are sad people, with no empathy or understanding, who like to shout loudly enough for everyone to hear. Don't waste your time on them, it only allows them to shout some more."

I thank you. You can all carry on and ignore me again now

yes it happens - shame

i avoid certain threads...seen too many cross faces..people being cheeky..things u would not say in RL

imo, Internet offer anonnimity, and some posters really use that and throw it about

the only thing i dont like about mums net, is that if someone doesnt like or agree with your opinion, that they immediatly make you out to be a bad mother.

this doesnt happen all the time, but i have seen people being refered to in that way.

I'd say most trolls aren't newbies at all from past experience on other websites!

no. there are people like me who have never lurked and just have to post straight away! i found out about mumsnet from a magazine and posted within the first 10 minutes. i got info about my baby's operation, not medical exactly, but experiences of others who'd been through something similar.
how about the length of time someone's been registered being displayed by their name. i've namechanged a few times so not sure how this would work but it could show up those who are just here to cause trouble on a particular subject.

madamex why should anyone say someone's opinion is boring or stupid?

What on earth is wrong with I do not agree with you?

More accurate, less vitriolic

I think that newbies should be allowed to post but I wonder if their posts could be flagged with maybe a star or something for a few weeks?

I was called a probably harmless name (thick) on a thread recently but she chose just the thing to hurt me (having been put in SN class at school despite being actually rather academic) and if I ahd realised she was a newbie basing her views on little more than bigotry, I wold have handled it better I think.

wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe - is the point on MN not open acess to post/read/surf

dont agree with restrictions.imo the headbangers usually become evident quickly, we all get to know who they are ..what they are likely to post etc

i can think of a few prolific posters who are frankly bampots i see em on a thread i run other direction

i posted on MN whe i first joined shortly after birth when starting to BF, so a waiting in lieu would have not calmed my new mum nerves

No, bad idea. FFS people need to get over the fact that not everyone agrees with them. It won't kill you to have someone say your opinion is stupid or boring. Freedom of speech, remember, DOES include the right to be offensive, because it has to.

i get everyones point, it was just an idea. plus, if that happened, i prob wouldnt be invited on anyones!

maybe we should ignore people that write things purposely to get peoples backs up, if they dont get a reaction they they wont do it

Just because you are new to posting or not someone others remember doesn't make you a newbie

I personally had been around for a while and felt strongly so added my views

I'd say more often than not, it's the older members that are rude and want to stir up trouble

And why is having a different view trolling or stirring up trouble or is free thought and speech now banned too

Please don't do this, or have 'invite only' sections. Surely that is against the whole point of mumsnet. I know its sometimes annoying to see a thread that is the same question we've seen a million times but can't you just ignore it if you feel like that. Artichoke is right, lots of people come here in desperation and don't have knowledge/enegry to 'search' for an answer and it just seems crazy to stop them posting just because a few people are joining for more dubious reasons. And 'invite only sections'.... surely if you're that picky about who chats on your threads you shouldn't be using a public online forum. I've been a member of mumsnet for about 2 years but am not a regular poster, all this talk about newbies seems a bit of a shame really. I love mumsnet as it is, the trolls are an inevitable part of free speech/open forums although I appreciate that sometimes they can be very hurtful/provoke nasty debate. oh dear, far too many ////// - obviously indecisive today [hmmm]

wannabe I can see your point but see many more reasons for it not to work. Urgency (for whatever reason) is the first one that springs to mind.

i thought it said when you looked at the profile