Don't believe what you read

[Ffsjustltb]

Just a reminder that people who post on MN may not be what they make out!
Sure, we all know this but it's still easy to forget on the posts.

I just read quite a mean reply to an op from a male and advanced searched them.
On another thread, they were discussing their husband and speaking as a woman.

You should report to MN. Sure it’s not in the spirit of the site

Wasn't sure what to even report it as.
I think there must be hundreds of posters that lie or change stories to get a response.

There are some deceptive posters on MN including, but not limited to, journalists. The kind of ‘asking for a friend’ type posts are sometimes just scoping out responses, so I agree that people should be cautious when they respond.

Just report as not a genuine poster and add an explanation note.

Good luck with that

I don't normally care, but because this reply seemed so unkind, I just got to wondering what else they'd said.

I've definitely noticed a lot more male posters and bots (imo).

There are always stories on here that don't add up, just don't invest too much

I started reading a thread which seemed genuine enough. Nothing crazy and then the op came on and wrote what seemed like a start of a new thread with totally different background details that would really out someone as a liar but, quick as a flash, the post was edited so it fit back into the thread.
I have now realised that any thread could be totally made up. Even those that seem quite ordinary.

I've reported a few recently

is site is vast.
People SHOULD fudge details of their real-life to avoid outing. People have been outed have had real life impacts.

If you've 3 kids IRL, on here you should have 2-4-6. If you're married irl, be engaged on here. Live in Milton Keynes irl, live in Stirling on here. Etc
It's one of the reasons you can name change so easily here.

You should definitely report unkind posts though.

Fair enough to change details, so not outing.
But answer as a male and a female?
I sometimes think ops are affected by the replies they get, and a bloke pretending to be a woman on a thread really annoyed me.

This. I name change all the time, but I do also always alter details of my life, work, family, location in any one post. I think it’s crazy not to. I do usually say so, though.

How do you know it's not a woman pretending to be a man?

How do you know the sex of anyone here? Unless they tell you, you don't.

I could tell you that I'm married and my wife is black and we have 3 kids.

You might think I'm a man.. but if you do, you've dismissed LGB marriage etc.

Report unkind, insults, patronising trolling etc.

But people changing facts about themselves to answer different threads etc. I'd recommend it tbh.

I don't think anyone minds changing identifying details. These are blatantly made up stories or the poster is intentionally deceptive.
People invest time and share their own experiences though I think some posts are made up to get people frothing.

Exactly.

A lot of threads are made up.
Mark them for trolling, move.on.
Don't invest so much and get emotional.

If you advance search anyone you'll likely find contradictions. If they're done for nefarious reasons, report them and move on, don't get invested.

AND NAME CHANGE OFTEN.

In one thread you might tell someone you're age.
In another, how many kids you've got.
In another, your favourite pub.
In another a village you like.
Etc.

All these little pieces get together and out you.

Yes, a lot of threads are invented. It baffles me that people get so invested. Assume anyone could be anyone, is a journalist looking for lazy copy, a novelist trialling a plot line, a bored fantasist trying on a life, a goader looking for trouble, someine trying to get people to talk about a fetish, someone with significant MH problems etc.

I think it was more the mean reply to an op. If the op takes note and is upset, it would just help to put it in perspective if they remembered that some posters do genuinely talk an absolute load of bollocks just for attention.

I get it OP... but..

Think of it this way.

The OP that got the unpleasant reply.. could well be a load of bollocks.. could well be the same poster that replied with the unpleasant reply.. could be me.. could be you.. 🤣🤣🤪

I find it really weird the effort people invest in other people's lives on here even though people have a go at me a lot on here for saying it for a start we only hear one side so when posters dramatically take the op side how do they know what really happened

Let alone the truth of the story anyway

Then there is 'oh you don't think the same so you must be a man'

Haha. I know.
I'll forget about it and go to bed.

It’s the internet. Can you really be surprised by that?

There are lots of them unfortunately. Mumsnet won’t ban men posing as women when you report them, even if you include details/proof.