Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 17 18

Original poster

....of Trolls & Troll Hunters

426 replies

LittleMissStroppy · 17/08/2011 15:18

I've namechanged for this simply because I like my regular name and persona and would like to keep it on the off chance this goes tits up.

I was going to post this on the thread about Troll Hunters but it felt like it would be a detraction from the main issue of that particular thread.

I think to a large extent, if anyone is worried and brave enough to post about issues going on in their private lives, they open themselves up to a lot of speculation and examination - in addition to the good advices they may or may not recieve.

What worries me is that a lot of vulnerable people come on here, spill their hearts and sometimes are subjected to MNers negativity.

A while back, I used to post quite regularly and it was fine until I decided to ask for insights about some personal matters. Whilst majority of the responses were supportive and helpful, some were downright negative and hurtful. I was shocked that complete strangers, who had no idea what my life is / was like, assumed they had the temerity to make judgements and assumptions. Yes, I agree - words on a screen - but when it is someone's life and feelings, we owe it to each other to be circumspect and treat ourselves with dignity and respect.

Yes, some troubled individuals WILL take advantage and make up stories and I am certain not all of us are dumb to be taken in by them.

It's the few unfortunate ones that get subjected to all sorts of deriding treatment that make me sad about how we treat ourselves on here.

I remember being shocked and a bit frightened that someone knew so much about me based on posts I had made eons ago and kept bringing it up in newer threads to cast aspersions on everything I said (posted). It was frightening and it affected me so much in RL. The inability to make that person and his/her crew see that this was my life and that I wasnt lying about anything. It was frightening. Till today, I rarely post asking for insights or opinions. I stick to the safe topics and pick up helpful tips from threads I find interesting.

I dont / wouldnt want to be in that situation ever again.

My point? Trolls are disruptive, yes. Troll Hunters are worse. They have a grandoise opinion about themselves and their "position" on a board and thrive on their ability to disparage anyone who seems vulnerable, or are battling with "unbelievable circumstances" in their life. They have an over inflated opinion of themselves as "Masters of the board". I am glad MNHQ do their best to discourage them.

OP posts:

boudiccasSideKick · 17/08/2011 16:04

Why on earth a people getting so defensive about a poster being upset regarding nasty behaviour?

DrPolidori · 17/08/2011 16:04

you can have a cape, but no feathers. Sorry. (see how cliquey we can be?)

PinotsKittens · 17/08/2011 16:05

Fuck.

Original poster

LittleMissStroppy · 17/08/2011 16:05

I "suffered" at the hands of the "childish pisstake clique" too...they are quite incredible. It got me so worn out, run down that I sent a PM to the most virulent "madam" and told her this was my life, told her where I lived, worked, about my son etc and she finally believed me. She kindly offered to watch out for me in future threads and would make sure I was not bullied bothered again. I was just to grateful it was sorted. I did not see how incredulous it was to be begging for peace of mind from a bullying clique on a free internet forum.

Ahhhhh.....I know....I can always turn off the laptop, you say....but when you're going through tough times, it seems reasonable to seek support online.

OP posts:

DrPolidori · 17/08/2011 16:10

look. I only just "met " Pinot yesterday.

This week I am evil troll hunter apparently, she just fluffs kittens, as far as I can tell. If two people enjoying each others sense of humour (and a sense of the absurd even in dark moments) is a clique then I'm elvis.

Mostly I hang out on IPOAT and tatt.

PinotsKittens · 17/08/2011 16:11

She lies.

We're secretly lovers and that.

Especially the that.

SaulGood · 17/08/2011 16:11

I was called a troll once. I nc over something extremely sensitive. Somebody yelled troll. I completely understood it. As a normal, rational non-troll, I merely answered the person who had accused me and carried on. Because when you're not a troll, you, er, just continue in the state of not being a troll. It was a sensitive subject and I was asking for other people to share experiences. I expect people to approach that with caution and actually respect them for it.

Of course, yes, the argument against it is that a vulnerable person could be hurt by the accusation. But that's not about trolls and troll hunting, that's about whether a person is healthy enough emotionally to be relying on a forum for support.

I think the semantic distinction is that one thread is about trolls and troll hunters, the other about troll hunters and trolls. And the hierarchy matters in this clique-ridden place. Apparently.

It took me a long time to realise that 'clique' in MN speak is less a collective noun, more a screeched accusation when more than one person disagrees with you.

wannaBe · 17/08/2011 16:12

what have I missed?

Who was this troll and what did she do? pm me someone please.

I have no idea where the other troll hunter thread is, I came to this one first so ...

I think that in all honesty we are all responsible for ourselves on the internet. If someone comes on here in a vulnerable state and posts their inner most thoughts and feelings and details about their personal life and gets pulled apart for it, then tbh as harsh as it seems that is unfortunately the nature of the net where you decide to open yourself up not knowing who it actually is you are opening yourself up to.

In rl most people open up to someone they know and trust. You wouldn't walk into your local pub and get up on a bar stool and start talking about your life in the hope that someone would sympathise and offer good advice, it astounds me just how much people are prepared to do that on the internet.

In reality we don't know who anyone is, and just as much as someone posting about their dead child/abusive relationship/premature baby might be a troll making it up, equally people seeming to offer genuine help and support might also not be who they claim to be.

Reporting threads achieves nothing. Most of the most prolific troll had been reported for weeks before they actually were outed publically, and it's only once they are outed publically that people will sit up and take notice.

Just shouting "troll" on a thread isn't necessarily the best way of voicing one's suspicions, however I think that if it's fairly obvious that someone is drama-seeking (and tbh the signs are usually fairly obvious, posting in the think it's fair enough to heat of the drama, not responding to questions etc), then I think it's fair enough that those suspicions be voiced publically before too many people get drawn in. And if people don't like it, then they're free to continue to offer support, it's a free country...

I think tbh it's a very dangerous ground to walk to suggest that mn could be someone's only source of support. Because A I think it's not altogether a good idea to see a website as your only source of support, b I think that it's extremely unlikely that people out there have absolutely no-one in the world apart from their computer, and C, there are thousands of websites like mn out there, if you don't get support from one, it's easy enough to google another one.

Honeydragon · 17/08/2011 16:14

It's not always a clique thing, sometimes a thread gets silly when an op is deliberately being abusive and attention seeking.

op: I think all people with ginger hair and freckles should live in Spain innit.

poster 1:

poster 2: I saw a gerbil in a hat last week

Poster 1: Was it wearing shoes too?

Op: Stop being cliquey, and mean to me I want a serious dicussion on the wrongness of people not like me.

Poster 3: ducks in brogues are much cooler than gerbils in hats

Poster 2: Are they fuck!

This is normally and organic and sporadic reaction to a poster who is a nobber, the protaginists generally don't know each other, the thread turns out hilarious and the op takes the hint and leaves. It's a positive example of self moderation / policing.

The downside of self moderating is a handful of people elect themselves thread police and think they have the right to cry troll / or liar. Ignore them, for every thread they crow about getting right they get another 10 wrong

bibbitybobbityhat · 17/08/2011 16:14

SaulGood- I have no idea who you are, I guess you have name changed recently or a reg namechanger but anyway, it doesn't matter, just saying that I don't "know" you before anyone accuses me of being in a troll hunting clique just because I happen to agree with every word you say (and have been saying in my far less eloquent way all over the board for the past day or two ).

PinotsKittens · 17/08/2011 16:15

I always agree with Saul. Dammit, she is so smart and that.

Honeydragon - point perfectly made. Nice one.

boudiccasSideKick · 17/08/2011 16:16

Of course it's reasonable to seek support. Don't let the b grind you down LittleMiss. Sorry would write more but at work and about to leave. Recon half of them are pissheads an all! hehehe...

Honeydragon · 17/08/2011 16:18

For that nice comment Pinot you shall have a lovely yellow feather

TandB · 17/08/2011 16:19

I don't know about troll hunting, but I am getting a bit bored with the incessant cries of 'clique' as soon as two or more posters dare to exchange banter on a thread.

I once got accused of having acolytes on a contentious thread that descended into daftness I had been on MN for about a week and had never even come across the posters in question.

Of course it didn't help my protestations to that effect when a couple of them immediately insisted that yes, they were in fact my acolytes.

[steely eyed glare]

You know who you are......

PinotsKittens · 17/08/2011 16:19

I always hated that bird.

Honeydragon · 17/08/2011 16:20

boudiccasSideKick pmsl

It's true, none of us have dc's or families we are all really mad cat ladies at home necking Gin.

PinotsKittens · 17/08/2011 16:20

UmamiSanguini · 17/08/2011 16:21

I'm worried about the concept of Pinot fluffing kittens. I think I should call the RSPCA.

DrPolidori · 17/08/2011 16:21

Pinot.....

deariedearieme · 17/08/2011 16:21

She kindly offered to watch out for me in future threads and would make sure I was not bullied bothered again.

i think you need to grow a thicker skin luvvy

if you think another poster has the "authority" to tell others when and what to post, i think you are sadly deluded

Honeydragon · 17/08/2011 16:21

but you are the messiah (and you've been a very naughty Pannda>

Original poster

LittleMissStroppy · 17/08/2011 16:23

dearie, but it worked. I was never hassled again :)

OP posts:

PinotsKittens · 17/08/2011 16:24

Umami

You're sullying my fluffy kittycats!

UmamiSanguini · 17/08/2011 16:25

It was DrPoli wot did it. She's pure filth.

SaulGood · 17/08/2011 16:26

I am smart and that. Particularly, that. Very that I am.

Meeeeeee, a namechanger? Honest m'lud. I've never even logged onto MN before today. Shurrup Pinot (one of only 2 people who actually knows who I usually am and only because she's smart and also that don't you know?).

I am in no cliques. I'm in the habit of responding to what people post as opposed to what their moniker is. Unless you're called FluffyWuffyMummykinsToWoolieJoolieMoolie in which case I judge you. And so does God.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 17 18