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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

to wonder why bored twats want to troll a site like Mumsnet, of all things.

161 replies

GetOrf · 20/01/2013 19:07

'Let's go and wind up some mums'

Aside from the deliberate and nasty trolling of the feminist board, what possesses people to come over here on the wind up?

Is it really that thrilling to get a load of potentially outraged responses from a load of strangers?

Wankers.

OP posts:
baremadness · 21/01/2013 10:50

Manic the most disturbing bit is that, from the contents of some of theor posts, i suspect that at least some of yesterdays little lovelies were in their 20s and 30s. Teens I can kind of understand...

Original poster
GetOrf · 21/01/2013 10:52

One of our little friends posted a comment on this thread (deleted) which was just hideous - full of hatred for women/mothers. Horrible.

OP posts:
amillionyears · 21/01/2013 10:55

Had an idea.
Not sure whether it is a brainwave or rubbish!
Havent totally thought it all through.
How about, if you let certain posters only call troll. Those, like AF, who say they are very good at troll spotting. They wouldnt even have to say the word troll, they could have a special sentence to say[not sure the point of that exactly, like I say, I havent thought this all through currently]

If everyone knew this, that say, 40? regular and good troll spotting posters were allowed by MNHQ to say troll or whatever, would a scheme like that work?

MNHQ
MotherSuperiorHelenMumsnet · 21/01/2013 11:00

@amillionyears

Yes but... Not meaning to be awkward, but when "troll" is called, it is normally right I would say 90% of the time. You obviously know the real figures on this.

so

  1. It stops giving lots of oxygen to a troll, which is what they want.
2.It stops posters wasting their time, energy, and in some cases, saying things they may not otherwise have revealed.
  1. I appreciate your point one, but I think the advantages of just one person calling troll outweigh the disadvantages. And if the poster was genuine, sometimes others can see it and carrying on posting. And after time, everyone would know the rules including genuine posters, and hopefully shouldnt get too upset.

Obviously this is your call.
But tbh, having troll after troll on your site, can get a bit upset for the thousands of genuine posters on your site too.

It actually happens a lot, amillionyears - the calling troll when it isn't or might not be. It's even happened to a couple of us at MNHQ.

And as we have always said, and continue to believe is right, we would always rather err on the side of giving folks the benefit of the doubt, and risk being made to look a bit foolish once in a while, than pounce on someone who may turn out to be genuinely in need of help.

And (if it is actually a troll) NOTHING give lots of oxygen to a troll better than shouting "troll" all over their thread. They'd be rubbing their hooves in glee at all the hoohah they're causing.

AnyFucker · 21/01/2013 11:03

No, no, no, AMY. I think it's a very bad idea to appoint official "troll hunters". For a start it would make you very unpopular (oh, here she comes again, who does she think she is etc) and there is still the chance of getting it wrong.

Only HQ with their extra info about whatever they have extra info about (they won't tell us see..?) can know for sure. Leave it to them. I understand that is a bit hypocritical of me as I have been banned for troll hunting before, but when I think about it rationally (not in the red mist of spotting yet another wind up merchant) it makes perfect sense Smile

MNHQ
MotherSuperiorHelenMumsnet · 21/01/2013 11:05

@AnyFucker

No, no, no, AMY. I think it's a very bad idea to appoint official "troll hunters". For a start it would make you very unpopular (oh, here she comes again, who does she think she is etc) and there is still the chance of getting it wrong.

Only HQ with their extra info about whatever they have extra info about (they won't tell us see..?) can know for sure. Leave it to them. I understand that is a bit hypocritical of me as I have been banned for troll hunting before, but when I think about it rationally (not in the red mist of spotting yet another wind up merchant) it makes perfect sense Smile

Thank you, AnyF.

And yes, we agree.

manicbmc · 21/01/2013 11:06

Just report if you suspect a troll and let those in the know deal with it.

The trolls are such sad individuals.

amillionyears · 21/01/2013 11:06

Oh well [shrugs]
Perhaps it is a rubbish idea then!

RandallPinkFloyd · 21/01/2013 11:06

Ooh, AF that must have even painful to say! Grin

Helen's right though, when you're at your most vulnerable being called a troll is about as demoralising as it gets.

AnyFucker · 21/01/2013 11:08

Randall, just a very small twinge, honest Smile

MelodyBaker · 21/01/2013 11:32

I think troll have nothing better too do. Come here and upset people.
If we follow the guidelines and dont troll hunt maybe they will go away. No reaction may be the best idea

amillionyears · 21/01/2013 12:26

I wonder if they tell any girlfriends, that they are trolls.

amillionyears · 21/01/2013 12:27

For some reason, I assume most of them are males.
Mind you, works the other way round as well.
Perhaps I should have just said partners.

Ihavenobrain · 10/04/2015 12:58

Sorry but what actually is trolling?
When people make things up? How do you know? ??

Ihavenobrain · 10/04/2015 12:59

Sorry but what actually is trolling?
When people make things up? How do you know? ??

Bair · 10/04/2015 13:54

.

CrispyFern · 10/04/2015 14:04

I thought scottishmummy was back then for a minute :(

usualsuspect333 · 10/04/2015 14:05

I miss Getorf

maras2 · 10/04/2015 14:09

As bair so cleverly puts it ' 2 YEAR OLD ZOMBIE THREAD '

Sparklingbrook · 10/04/2015 14:10

Yay another Zombie thread. Grin

popalot · 10/04/2015 14:14

Life's weirdos. It won't just be mumsnet. It'll be all sorts of forums. And real life too, incapable of having relationships without controlling people. I imagine they cause trouble wherever they go in life.

popalot · 10/04/2015 14:19

hahaha, sucked in by another zombie thread. Even with pictures of zombies. How clever.

Ihavenobrain · 10/04/2015 20:24

Totally confused and left out Hmm
Oh well

Sparklingbrook · 10/04/2015 20:26

You bumped the thread from 2 years ago Ihave. What were you searching for?

Ihavenobrain · 10/04/2015 20:32

Oh yeh!!
I didn't notice. Can't remember now what I was searching.