To remind people that what people post is not necessarily true

[HavantGuard]

There are some lovely, supportive people on MN. There are some needy, attention seeking and unpleasant people online. Please think about who you are talking to before you share personal stories, either on threads or by PM.

I am fully aware this could be called 'troll hunting'. It isn't about a specific thread. The kind of threads that this happens on are about subjects so sensitive that to even mention being careful on them would get me flamed, possibly with good reason.

I am not the boss of MN, thankfully, and do report threads to HQ if they look seriously off, but by then people have already been sucked in.

My feet are now safe from Lego. Trolling is definitely worse than troll hunting.

I'm the same as Chazs

I think MN is rather more susceptible to trolls because we're allowed to name change.

On most other sites, having no posting history would automatically raise red flags.

Having said that, some people make money from building up a 'nice' posting history on chat forums, and scamming people with sob stories.

Where are all these trolls and how on earth do you spot them? Which boards are they cropping up on 'daily'? Genuine Q.

I know very well think i am too much of a trusting soul in general tbh.

The idea of trolling fascinates me strangely. Unless they are truly vile or damaging i tend to think that no thread with support on it is a waste. There will always be someone drawing comfort form the good advice, even if the OP themselves have made the story up.

I would like to point out that everything I post is true.

But I know what you mean Havant.

Usually on aibu, occasionally chat and relationships too for the ones I've spotted.

dolly - the three boards i frequent the most! (plus pregnancy at the mo)

I need troll spotting lessons it seems.

Lego? What?

I think I spend a little too much time on here though so spot more because I'm on more. I have no life

There was a regular troll for a while who kept coming back and targeting the pregnancy forums. He was creepy.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/1972880-Both-are-shit-But-which-is-the-most-harmful-the-act-of-trolling-or-the-act-of-troll-hunting-In-regards-to-the-internetz-in-general?

Lego

Everything I post is true as well, my problem is that despite having a family and a loving husband, I haven't actually got anyone I can talk with in RL. I know I sometimes come across as a bit desperate, unfortunately until I press post an re read I don't realise

MN is amazing because it acts as a social site for (mostly) women that covers everything from current affairs to damp problems (of all kinds) without the usual crap you get for being openly female on a forum.

This is a very interesting issue, and it's helpful to have it raised.

I agree with pps that the way to post is hypothetically, if possible, and not mentioning any details that you would later regret, if it turned out to be a troll thread.

Also agree that a troll thread can still have value for other posters, who benefit from the discussion of an issue by the vast majority of genuine contributors.

What's TIW, sorry?

This is worrying ... I must be very dense as I dont suspect trolling (if that's what it's called).
Except once, I read it thinking this is a horrible situation, just the worst really, but people were responding so kindly and full of sympathy I got sucked in.

Some people on here deserve a good flaming. YABU.

If I posted half of the shit I have done or been through it wouldn't be believed, even a small amount of what be gone through I have been disbelieved.

I tend to believe OPs as I know just because something sounds unreal to the naice MC folk of MN doesn't make it unreal. I also know my own limitations and don't give more of myself then I can.

See, I don't think it's the content alone that makes a troll obvious. There's many threads with boring every day content that are obviously trolls. It's the style and the build up that highlights then to me, not the high drama unreal plot.

Very sensible advice OP. A number of threads that have disappeared lately have had some very in depth and personal posts on, posts that could be used against a MNer if they were to be published - and on at least one of these threads it became apparent that MNers had been in RL contact with the troll, via FB. Those posters could now have a world of hurt thrown at them.

I started a thread earlier reporting that I had dropped my French baguettes on the driveway. Again. I swear that shit is true. I do however hope that no one posting on the thread gave more emotionally than they could afford to

I am sure most people are as truthful as they can be (limited by their own perceptions).
I've caught out genuine online liars before. Bit :( for them, really, needing to do that.

''It's the style and the build up that highlights then to me'' and
''It's the way some of the op's react to the discussion that divides the op's having a tough time from the pure fantacists''

i can sort of see this actually, put like that. I've been thinking more in terms of subject matter making it trollish ... obvious stuff like poo ...

One of the signs is short posts from the troll, prompting long posts by the rest of us, and not answering questions.