We know it's fake! Leave it alone!

That one didn't even come across as suspicious to me. Do MN check every single thread or only if someone reports it?

There is one up now, lots of posting history but seriously can not be right!

My opinion is that I’d rather MN be a little deletion-happy than let troll threads stand — whatever their content.

The problem, as I see it, is that trolling (both obvious and not) damages the credibility of the site as a whole.

It means that people who do genuinely consider turning to MN for advice or solidarity, whether that’s about infertility, relationship issues or a parking problem, might end up not bothering.

I think, given that the internet generally is pretty minimally regulated, sites and their users have to be more proactive in terms of weeding out fake and potentially hurtful/damaging/misleading bullshit.

@Mad1988 are you fucking serious?! Ageist or what! You have no clue why 'older' MNetters might be here, and to insinuate that older MNetters 'don't get it' is so insulting. We're the ones who've been using the internet for a lot longer than you whippersnappers. I think you'll find we know exactly what it's about and why we're here.

I am not talking of course about the water troll, dying babies and similar

So where does it start/stop? Where do you draw the line? Let the trolls start with their cheeky fuckery about parking or their neighbours, and then next it's dubious stories about teenage girls' breasts and periods and then the full whammy of dying babies.

I’m suspicious of most threads. The shit in classics that everyone is apparently ‘howling’ while reading.... 🤔

You just have to take it for what it is, 80% bullshit and exaggeration I reckon. Sometimes I watch Netflix, sometimes I go on mumsnet. 🤷🏻‍♀️

If they leave up the “fun” troll threads, it just gives those trolls an in to say “I’ve been here ages, you all recognise my username, look at my long posting history about my colleague issues, batshit family and CF neighbours, I’m genuine, me” and potentially gain credulity for more sinister trolling in the future where they might start emotion trolling or begging. There are a couple of old usernames who started that way and then used their notoriety / popularity to gain traction for support of their later tales of woe.

I think it depends on the age of the MNetter.
Younger ones are here for entertainment first, advice second. We know the majority of the content isn't true and this is the case for all SM platform. On reddit it is called karma farming. So what? MN needs to move on with time and the old guard might take offence, because they don't get it . I just love a good old CF story. It is like the comic strips in newspaper. The purpose is amusement.

I am not talking of course about the water troll, dying babies and similar.

What if the troll is lying about a dead child, or is a scammer wanting money? Or has a dead wife and wants money and sexting from MNers?
You still think those who see through them are worse?
Strange morality you have.

This. Exactly this.

@YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet what harm was the Elephant thread doing? Yes it was stupid but it was silly stupid, not a begging thread or making light of child abuse or something.

Unless it really went off the rails later on, I couldn’t see it was doing any more harm than a parking thread, most of which are also totally made up.

We're not all equally able to tell when a thread is fake. I'm incapable!

For fuck’s sake.

Those of you who bleat, ‘I know it’s a troll but I neeeeed an update!’ Are you actually stupid? If you’re deriving entertainment and enrichment to your life from some bored halfwit posting a fictional parking thread on MN, why not try books.

There is no good troll thread. Have a think about why someone is posting a fake thread.

Do they want money? Post a reasonably convincing begging thread and MNers will be falling over themselves to send money to demonstrate their MC largesse. Anyone suggesting caution is accused of troll hunting and deleted.

Are they or their spouse/immediate relative suddenly diagnosed with a severely life-limiting illness, complete with regular updates from hospital? Someone wants attention.

People who post claiming to have shat/pissed themselves while asking for stories from other posters to make them feel better. Perv. Likewise graphic descriptions of periods.

Posters claiming to be an OW or step parent posting something designed to incite furious responses. Deliberate froth-baiting.

CF stories - this is literally the most blatant troll magnet. People can post any old bollocks if it includes neighbours, parking, childcare or trespass and the thickos lap it all up while begging for updates.

Glad it's not just me. I've noticed a lot more of deleted threads that I've commented on or watched in interest only to get the "we've taken it down to look behind the scenes...." but the threads never reappear after all this "looking behind the scenes". What do they actually do?!
I've even started doubting whether it's me as it's happening so often?! Any remotely interesting thread doesn't last two minutes. And I've been here since 2008 so I'm not naive to poo trolls etc.
Is MN just trigger- happy with pulling threads atm?
Tbf, even this thread will probably disappear into oblivion and I discover that, yet again, I've wasted my time investing in something I thought worthwhile.

SOme like the maternity leave threads that were on a day or so ago actually had some useful information in them (Pregnant Then Screwed as a charity for example) that when deleted you do lose if someone searches

This^^

If some posters weren't so gullible and naive, there wouldn't be any need for trollhunting!

I'd also add determined.

I was on a thread the other day where nearly half the posts on the first page were warning it wasn't genuine and not to share stories.

Guess what the other half were...

If some posters weren't so gullible and naive, there wouldn't be any need for trollhunting!

Only to the trolls.

I think delete too. It's definitely true that the place has become so much more "take a break".

The troll hunters are far more annoying than the trolls.

That would be fine for the non serious or dangerous ones if some posters didn't then start to claim them know the Op is genuine. There was one this week. Talking to Op in Dms giving support, claiming they knew it was genuine and shame on everyone else for upsetting the poor pregnant woman. Even after MNhq posted to say they were deleting the thread as op was a persistent troll, because they hadn't seen the Mnhq post, still defending.

I assume the same posters are the ones giving money on begging threads claiming 'I would rather be scammed than see someone go without', ignoring the fact that them giving money attracts more people to do it.

Trolls love firing up a defender.

There was some good Information and links on the thread regarding mat leave, though.

It's like seeing a dress across a room, you can't see the seams that join fact and exaggeration. Sometimes though, the hem is completely unfinished and hanging down.
I just read the thread about the likelihood of our Prime Minister supporting Putin.
That has just influenced my view.

Absolutely @PAFMO - and we all know what happened after the infamous PB thread.

That's the problem. These supposedly light-hearted threads just encourage more and more trolls, so we have the situation we're in now, where MN is troll city.