To Be Pissed Off By Troll Hunters?

[DioneTheDiabolist]

They feed trolls and disrupt the flow of threads.

Troll Hunting breaches the Talk Guidelines, if you believe that someone is a troll, use the Report button and ignore the thread. It really is that simple, but repeatedly I see people accusing posters of being trolls.

So why do they do it?. Does it make the hunter feel superior, that they have been so insightful and feel the rest of us, mere mortals need their wisdom or do they live such sheltered lives that they cannot imagine anything outside the realms of their own personal experience?

I have recently seen it happen on threads regarding child abuse and suicide. I understand that these are sensitive, triggering topics, but they are real problems for some people who come here seeking support.

So AIBU to be pissed off by Troll Hunters and wish they would stop it? After all, if it really is a Troll thread, all the hunters do is push it back up the Active board and give it more traffic, thereby feeding it.

And if people report and it doesn't get deleted right away, and others come on talking about their own naked children to the OP believing them to be genuine, we just sit back and let that happen. Ok, great, thanks for the clarification.

@ComposHat

Thanks for clearing that up Helen although my point still stands that blaming people who wrote 'troll' or 'reported' for the activity on the thread isn't cool in my book.

We're not blaming anyone. We're just reminding folk that trollhunting is against our site rules.

We appreciate that, in this specific example, some may think that a shame. But, as we said earlier, we could point to many examples, over the past decade or so, where genuine posters, in great distress, have been called trolls in error.

And, on balance, we think our philosophy is the right one.

@dontmeanto

And if people report and it doesn't get deleted right away, and others come on talking about their own naked children to the OP believing them to be genuine, we just sit back and let that happen. Ok, great, thanks for the clarification.

Well, we would argue that everyone should perhaps think twice about talking about their own naked children on a freely accessible, Google-indexed discussion forum, no?

And presumably we can remind people of that fact on such a thread?
Genuine question, not trying to be smart

Oh my God, really?? So, all the people who did because they believed they were giving advice to the OP are now being criticised for doing so in a parenting forum, but you're ok with NOT offending the paedophile by calling him a troll.

Not that it makes any difference to you I'm sure, bur can you please point me the way to deactivate my account please?

It would be great if everyone could resist the temptation to react to troll threads, but look how wound up people get by the Daily Mail, Katie Hopkins etc.! It's never going to happen, as some people get something cathartic from troll hunting, I think?

There is a difference between trolls and hoaxers. The FWR topics suffer most from your run-of-the-mill troll, whose overt intention is to provoke, offend and upset and I think in those cases, I've seen the trolls dealt with very well by the FWR posters who are seasoned in dealing with the hairy-handed types. Either one poster tells everyone that they have reported the thread, no-one else comments and it gets deleted or, an actually quite useful and interesting discussion evolves off the back of the OP, ignoring the actual troll and anything they subsequently post, but creating a conversation about whatever provocative point they've raised. The troll doesn't get the reaction they wanted in either event.

Hoaxer and attention-seeking threads though, are a more complicated beast. I get really angry when I see a hoax thread about sensitive topics and other genuine posters spilling their guts to try and help the OP. Horrible, pathetic emotional vampires.

I think in these cases it is worth taking the lead from how the FWR board manage matters, i.e. one poster mentioning on-thread that they doubt the validity of the OP and have reported, so any other doubters can see that MNHW will be along in due course. I don't see anything to be gained in a bunch of other posters then piling onto the thread, as you are feeding into the vampire's hands.

But as above, I don't think you will ever stop certain people from gathering their pitchforks once they smell blood, so to speak. And of course, if you just watch threads without commenting, you don't get to see the Deleted message. I do think a lot of the 'pile-ons' would stop if HQ published the deleted message in a way that you'd see it in your Watch lists, by the way, is that possible, Helen?

Then there are the silly, fantastical threads, which ultimately although annoying, are not harming anyone and a lot of people seem happy to indulge the OP. I suppose that's what the Hide button's for.

I have messaged people directly who I worry are getting sucked in and revealing too much.

MrsBert

yes, I have got a bit of catharsis from it.

And I love the ones where we ignore the troll and have silly banter. That works well

But Jamie many people dont spot their red dot for a dayor ttwo.

Helen is it possibke to indicate on a post that it has been reported x times?

oh the drama

whatever you post on here you have to remember that it can be read by anyone does anyone really need reminding of this. if you choose to talk about your children, intimate relationships, your finances you are responsible for the information that you choose to give over no one is forcing you to

of course its going to be targeted by people you would rather not be giving advice or information too it is naive to not believe it will be mnhq can only do so much and one thing they can not do is control the information you choose to give away

Cheers for the reminder, yes there are naive people who were giving advice to the OP, and there were those of us who found that very painful to watch whilst waiting for the vile thread to be deleted.

Link to deactivation, anyone? Please?

go up to My Mumsnet drop down box ^

then to my account

There are a lot of naive posters on MN.

Up to them if they want to tell all and sundry their business.

But they are the ones feeding the trolls, not the troll hunters.

usual

I get what you are saying, but if they are naive, then surely they don't know they are feeding, and that's where the warning comes in.

of course both are why indulge

they want attention the stupid bantering that is supposedly taking the piss out of the trolls the hilarity is still giving them attention

let one person or a few who post at the same time inform others that they are reporting troll do so and leave it be

best thing report and ignore but some just love the drama

Freudian

See I don't agree with the bit about stupid bantering. It takes wind out of angry sails. It takes the focus off them, especially if they are completely excluded from it. They always end up buggering off when they see no-one is frothing at them

@FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin

And presumably we can remind people of that fact on such a thread? Genuine question, not trying to be smart

Yes, that's definitely worth doing. Always.

And might well serve as a potential-troll warning to others, without breaking our guidelines

I think taking the piss is the best way to deal with trolls.

what is the point if people are moaning about trolls but still posting on their threads

the posts warning others will get lost, some may just read the op not realise and think the banter is part of the thread moving on but still give advice/information having not seen the troll warning

there are hundreds of threads on here

Freudian

People should read the thread, then.

Right so

Report
Rmind people if necessary to be aware eerythibg theyre posting is on a public site and is available for everyone - nice and less nice people to read
Stop bumping

Does that sound like a plan

We could call it the 3Rs

Report
Remind
Resist (posting again)

@FrancesDeLaTourCoughngIntoABin

Right so

Report
Rmind people if necessary to be aware eerythibg theyre posting is on a public site and is available for everyone - nice and less nice people to read
Stop bumping

Does that sound like a plan

That's exactly it.

but people don't

i do not always read a thread through can take ages

really why add to an obvious troll thread the still come on again and again its what happens in public forums

the best way is a post along the lines of I AM REPORTING THIS THREAD I BELIEVE OP IS A TROLL is the best then to leave it unless you have nothing better to do with your time

Rmind people if necessary to be aware eerythibg theyre posting is on a public site and is available for everyone - nice and less nice people to read

how can you do that without bumping