Stop giving default user names. Make new posters think of one.

PullTheBricksDown · 2025-09-14T11:38:19+00:00

It's enabling lots of bot like posting. I don't care if people can't think of anything. If they're a human being they can if they try. It looks as if you just want more and more sign ups even if that results in garbage posting like 'Women are appearance focused. Anyone else agree?'

goldtrap · 15/09/2025 17:50

EmpressaurusKitty · 15/09/2025 16:11

I’m almost certain that’s the poster with the odd threads who @HebeMumsnet‘s talking about.

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So I reported (under their previous names) as 'not a genuine poster' rather than a bot. Because I don't think it's very genuine to light the touch paper and then bugger off. However, I'm not really sure what the criteria for 'genuine poster' is anymore, because this one sticks.

Sure, it's probably just verging on 'annoying' in chat or aibu, but when they began asking leading and intrusive questions in Bereavement and Relationships, it took a turn. I call them the 'question plopper'. They plop a question and then bugger off. I think this is just as irritating as a bot, tbh. And more irritating that they can't even think of their own user name. It's like a two fingers up to the whole damn system!

EmpressaurusKitty · 15/09/2025 16:11

Shr3dding · 15/09/2025 16:06

@HebeMumsnet is this one a genuine poster?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5411037-whats-the-worst-ice-cream-flavour

I’m almost certain that’s the poster with the odd threads who @HebeMumsnet‘s talking about.

Shr3dding · 15/09/2025 16:06

@HebeMumsnet is this one a genuine poster?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5411037-whats-the-worst-ice-cream-flavour

MNHQ

HebeMumsnet · 15/09/2025 12:36

Afternoon, all. Thanks for bringing this up @PullTheBricksDown.

Suggested usernames are common across many forums and exist to help new members who might struggle to think of a name, making it easier to join the threads, so it's not something we want to stop people doing really. It also feels a bit less robotic than the user993283930 names that we had previously so while we understand that they aren't favorite, we don't think that outweighs the benefits of them for many people. Hopefully once they're posting and start to feel more at home here they might choose to namechange to something a bit more meaningful or original.

And that we don't think these are bots either. Apart from anything, there simply wouldn't be much in it for them. We are aware of one quite prolific poster who has a tone that might be construed that way and starts a lot of threads that might sound a bit unusual, but is not a bot as far as we can see. As always, do just hit the report button if you see anything that triggers your bot-dar and we'll always happily have a look. It's usually fairly obvious at our end when something is amiss. Hope that reassures you.

Original poster

PullTheBricksDown · 14/09/2025 22:37

OneAmberFinch · 14/09/2025 20:45

Using my lived experience as someone who is definitely an AI bot (the proof is in my username, what more proof do you need?) - I will point out to the human users that generating plausible "human" sounding usernames is well within the capabilities of a generative AI bot which is capable of writing entire posts ;)

Great! Why save it the trouble then? Let it do that bit as well and we can see what patterns it comes up with. In the meantime I'll change my name to SkyNet and see if I get botted, I mean spotted, as a kindred spirit 😀

OP posts:

OneAmberFinch · 14/09/2025 20:45

Using my lived experience as someone who is definitely an AI bot (the proof is in my username, what more proof do you need?) - I will point out to the human users that generating plausible "human" sounding usernames is well within the capabilities of a generative AI bot which is capable of writing entire posts ;)

JaneJeffer · 14/09/2025 20:39

I scroll past them

Original poster

PullTheBricksDown · 14/09/2025 19:14

Bambamhoohoo · 14/09/2025 18:19

This is such a silly post. I can’t believe anyone cares enough to even think it up, let alone request it

I'm devastated that you think this of me 😉🤪 Suppose it proves I'm not a bot. OR DOES IT? 🤡

OP posts:

ProfoundlyPeculiarAndWeird · 14/09/2025 18:30

The three words thing is quite useful, I think. Sooo many usernames are already taken that it is quite likely to take two or three goes to choose an available one, so it saves trouble to automate it.
The three-words format is also quite a good one for choosing a username yourself. A couple of times I have put locations into What3Words until it comes up with something moderately amusing that makes a reasonable name.

Bambamhoohoo · 14/09/2025 18:19

This is such a silly post. I can’t believe anyone cares enough to even think it up, let alone request it

ThisCanFuckOffToo · 14/09/2025 18:18

They’re clearly AI Bots MN have installed to make the forum appear busier than it is to increase their advertising revenue.

I just ignore them.

Shr3dding · 14/09/2025 18:07

goldtrap · 14/09/2025 17:14

I used to report those threads (they've been going for a while) but MN only removed one when it strayed into bereavement. Otherwise, they seemed quite happy to leave them up, so I stopped bothering. They generate traffic, so I guess it's a win for them.

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I'm sure a while ago they were asking for posters to report them, i wonder why they want to portray an image even more banal than Facebook for so many threads

goldtrap · 14/09/2025 17:14

Shr3dding · 14/09/2025 13:49

I agree, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed the number of threads started by those names posters which have a title like What is you favourite biscuit? The OP posts Rich Tea and then is never seen again

Is it some kind of AI learning thing where the botscars trying to increase their language?

It makes the site look like it's for people with limited mental capacity

I used to report those threads (they've been going for a while) but MN only removed one when it strayed into bereavement. Otherwise, they seemed quite happy to leave them up, so I stopped bothering. They generate traffic, so I guess it's a win for them.

Ddakji · 14/09/2025 17:09

I’m getting fed up of doing advanced searches.

I wish MN would just do some kind of “3 strikes and you’re out” on posters who start threads and never return to them, especially these “discuss” ones.

Original poster

PullTheBricksDown · 14/09/2025 17:03

Quite a few more today. It lowers my opinion of the site that the people managing it clearly don't mind it being full of rubbish.

OP posts:

ThreePears · 14/09/2025 14:36

I tend to steer clear of the ThreeRandomWords username threads as well. Don't trust them, especially since the OP rarely returns to the thread - that's a dead giveaway.

Shr3dding · 14/09/2025 14:29

Heres an example

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5408185-what-time-do-you-put-the-bins-out-for-bin-day?reply=147053374

No way is this a genuine poster

CloddHoppers · 14/09/2025 14:06

I didn’t even know this was happening although the AI posts are everywhere. I’ll have to start paying more attention to usernames.

Tunacheesequesadilla · 14/09/2025 13:51

I get irrationally infuriated by the stupid AIBU questions, posed by some of these users.

AIBU to think that all fat people are secretly doing it on purpose? We all know how to lose weight so it must be true that they're all stuffing themselves full of cake and Chinese food every evening. Interested to here others thoughts.

AIBU to think all single mothers tricked men into impregnating them? Single mothers would like is to believe that they got the raw end of the deal and we're victims of useless men, but I think they knew what they were doing. Discuss.

Clearly designed to cause outrage. And so many people fall for them.

Shr3dding · 14/09/2025 13:49

I agree, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed the number of threads started by those names posters which have a title like What is you favourite biscuit? The OP posts Rich Tea and then is never seen again

Is it some kind of AI learning thing where the botscars trying to increase their language?

It makes the site look like it's for people with limited mental capacity

Original poster

PullTheBricksDown · 14/09/2025 13:45

HeddaGarbled · 14/09/2025 13:00

Oh are these real users? I’d assumed they were some sort of AI generated posts and have been reporting them as ‘not genuine’.

Frankly it's hard to tell. But I'd imagine the 'here's a user name for you' option makes it easier for bots to sign up.

OP posts:

NoraLuka · 14/09/2025 13:34

I’ve noticed they also often have thread titles With Capital Letters At The Start Of Every Word and I know not to click on them!

seagullstolemypie · 14/09/2025 13:31

GeniuneWorkOfFart · 14/09/2025 12:41

I agree. If you can't even come up with a user name then frankly I'm not interested in anything you have to say. Harsh, I know, but I just skim over most of the GiddyTealDove and YourFriendlySeal posters, they all blend into one giant amorphous unimaginative goady mass to me.

I thought they were using 'what3words' location mapping to generate a random user name?

HeddaGarbled · 14/09/2025 13:00

Oh are these real users? I’d assumed they were some sort of AI generated posts and have been reporting them as ‘not genuine’.

Sesma · 14/09/2025 12:57

I just make up a word, I do that on all things where I don't use my name, it's a lot easier. Often if you want a username that is a proper one it's already taken. I can't be arsed with it all