Troll hunting

dp I think a lot do it purely because.. they can. Because the internet is like a huge stage where you can act out whatever senario you want, be that the perfect life with the perfect husband and children, or one where you need support and people want to be there for you. Or it could even be a platform to run a plot for your latest novel.

I can't remember which thread it was (it wasn't dm's one) but I recall people sharing very personal experiences in order to help the OP. Later shown that OP was a troll and it really really upset some already vulnerable posters. That sort of thing makes me mad.

Some MNetters have had the most terrible experiences in their lives and it takes a lot for them to share. I can't imagine what it is like to do that and then find out that you are offering advice to someone just out on a wind up. I recall reading a post after this had happened and the poster sounded destroyed.

yes, yes, of course you did...

mollyroger..

let me sort this barry manilow thing out...

i sent 2shoes a BM cd i got free in the Daily Mail.....

i have never trolled about being into indie/rock/punk.....i really am..

really wannabe...? maybe you're right.

i just don't understand why someone would make up something so awful unless they were mentally ill..

oh well.....

(DP, ironically singing loudly to Copacabana is a guilty pleasure of mine...!>>)

just seeing Lola's name makes me want to burst into song. Gah!

see dp I don't.

I think she had been here before, many times, and I think she is here still.

I think a lot of the most prolific damaging trolls are the same person.

wannabe;

i was talking about the twins dying thread....i think that poster needed help...

sure they're are trolls who just like causing trouble....i don't think she was in that league...

it's not just taking the piss, it is using the site for fun and distraction and enjoyment and creativity. The humour has always been one of the most outstanding things about MN IMO, as oppsed to other parenting sites.

Discalimer: have never changed name for inflammatory purposes.
I have, however, pulled off a piss-take thread which entertained many people and offended no-one.

I don't think trolls are worse than they ever used to be.
I also think people have to take some responsibility for their own online 'protection' both practically and emotionally.

this is a public site. Which anyone can read or post on. It is lovely, and helpful, and supportive and community-minded, but ultimately, public.

see I think the whole "someone who needs to troll is in a bad place and needs help/sympathy/support anyway" somehow gives credence and validation to what they do.

And I think that some of the most damaging trolls have been too premeditated and well thought out, knowing exactly what to post and when and how in order to get exactly the response they want.

I think the more we excuse trolling as people with mental illness needing help, the more people will troll here because although they know people don't like it, they also know they will still get sympathy for their "mental illness" even if not for the trollery.

I suppose it depends what is more important though mollyroger, being able to take the piss, or protecting the welfare of other, potentially vulnerable, posters.

MollieO

that whole situation was very sad...it was fairly obvious (to me anyway) it wasn't real....

however, i take the view that if you make something like that up, you're not in a good place mentally, she was desparate for attention and sympathy....she needed help imo..

if all the attention she received helped her in someway....maybe that's a good thing..?

I agree reality. I also think that there are probably regular, well-known posters who are trolls - perhaps they have different accounts on which to troll etc, but there are certainly trolls who know which buttons to push to get the reaction they want and imo that can only happen ifyou have experience of the site...

The one thing that made me very is the fact that if you create an account and then delete it, the info of the account i.e. the IP address etc is deleted with it. So it would be quite easy to be a reg poster on one account, start a separate account for trolling purposes, "befriend" the troll in your regular name, then delete the troll account when required thus deleting the link between your troll and your regular account.

cause name changing can be harmless fun! For jokey threads, or all changing to rebel names, or whatever I miss that on here. Not all name changers are out to make trouble.
An example would be the nativity thread a couple of years ago, where everyone was changing their names to nativity play characters like ''smallshepherddressedassuperman'' and ''pushyparent'' and ''narrator''. was v funny and would not have been possible without namechanging.

Was dm a proven troll? Or "generally agreed" to be a troll?
Probably shouldn't even ask.

I think that limiting namechanging would cut down on some of the trolls.

I can see why posters may need to namechange for sensitive purposes but tbh I cannot see why there is a need for unlimited namechanges. Other sites manage without.

ah yes, it was . bit i didn't realise the poster had been particularly prolific.

well if i'm not real then neither is my 9wo, so I shouldn't have as little sleep as i do! No guilt about leaving a virtual baby to cry all night

On balance I find the trolls more offensive than the troll hunters. Far from being keen to shout troll, I think a lot of us keep our suspicions to ourselves as we know how much some of your hate troll hunting. I kept off dm's threads as I thought they were suspicious from very early on. I admire the person who brought it to everyone's attention, actually, and yet still she was very unpopular in some quarters.

The one about the twins being born very early and dying. Absolutely awful.