Are there trolls targeting new threads?

[MMMarmite]

I keep noticing threads where the first response is utterly dickish and provocative. It hurts the OP and often distracts the thread as the following posters then rebut that comment. It feels deliberate, to me. Anyone else seen this pattern?

It's been like this for well over 12 months now. I always notice the first reply is always nasty or uncalled for. I've mostly noticed people disagreeing with the first comment but sometimes it's used as a springboard for more people to be equally awful.

There's been a constant 'postmaster' deleted threads today .

Absolutely. I commented on it the other week.

This whole place has been really odd for the last couple of weeks. So many bizarre threads and then stupid/rude replies on other threads.

I think the option to see unresponded threads is acting as troll catnip.

Something strange going on, last night was wild..... It's kind of sad to think that someone who is obviously holding a grudge is sitting with many tabs opened trying to post their bile as quickly as possible and trawling very old threads and bumping them. That takes a lot of work, planning and anger.

Is that the person supposedly trolling to show how easy it is and asking MN to put in more Nightwatch mods or something? Weird reasoning if you ask me.