fake threads/trolls

[ghostspirit]

just seen 2 threads removed. so must happen often, Are there really lots of fake threads/trolls.

is there such a thing as a harmless troll?

i was reading one of them threads to! never mind

[wannaBe]

"it also appears that the mnhq message of 'we are in awe of the support but don't give more support than you are able' also can be a trigger. MNHQ will then try to rectify it by saying 'we have no reason to believe the op isn't genuine' but sometimes it's too late.." But there are posters who are far too over invested, and relationships is a prime example of this. An ongoing thread/s invariably attract somewhat of a following, with posters "just checking in," posting threads calling to see where a poster has gone if they've gone quiet, etc. It's not a dynamic that is particularly healthy and certainly isn't one which encourages posters to move on with their lives rather than report back to their own band of followers. And the reality is that it's just not possible to know who is genuine and who isn't. Just because mn hq can't prove that someone is a troll doesn't mean that they are. Far more likely that for every thread that they can prove is a troll there are ten they can't which are still trolls.


"MNHQ have also warned many times that for every thread reported that turns out to be fake, there is another one reported that is genuine. So I think it's important to take a second before reporting someone because there is a 50/50 chance they are not unless they are the weirder ones some of you have referred to or if you know all the name changes etc although again that seems commonplace understandably if someone fears of being outed." no, you are absolutely wrong on that point. Mn hq have never warned about reporting threads because some of them are genuine. never. in fact mn hq's categorical response is always "if in doubt, then report."

[Brocklady]

People who insist on getting hugely over invested in threads, offering or giving money, food or other posters, handing out mobile phone numbers and demanding posters call or text, are part of the trolling problem.

I agree with 'if in doubt, report'. I would not like the very helpful name changing option to be withdrawn because of a minority who misuse it.

[TheFormidableMrsC]

Binders, what happened to your thread was very upsetting, particularly as I have been in your shoes and wanted to help. I am rubbish at spotting trolls, I tend to always assume people are honest which is a terrible flaw. My hideous divorce ran over three threads and was a story that you really would think was completely unbelievable. I am pretty sure some people must have read the going's on and thought . It was reported as a "trolling exercise" eventually but that was by my husband and OW when they somehow found out about them. I asked MNHQ to take them down while I checked my legal position. Once I had done that, they were reinstated and thus remain for all to see. I am really not bothered about being "outed".

I do get upset when I have found myself becoming embroiled in a thread, trying to offer help or support and then it transpires it was rubbish. I don't understand what prompts people to do it. I can't imagine wasting that much time on something. Very odd and very unkind towards those who have often shared heartbreaking personal stories in an effort to show some solidarity with the OP. Nasty. It really is.

[ghostspirit]

i have seen where people offer money/food etc i dont think that should be allowed. but then again if i was in that desperate situation one day maybe i would wish it was allowed. i just kind of think thats what ss are for and food banks. then saying that i have heard you can only use food banks 3 times a year. its hard because there probably are desperate people out there. that really do need the help. but then there are the trolls that mess it up for people that are genuine.

[wannaBe]

mrsc the difference with your threads though is that they ran over a year or more iirc and still are afaik. So while it was possible to see and recognise your name by the threads which occasionally appeared in active, they weren't a live reporting of the drama as it unfolded on the same kind of level iyswim. Also, you are a regular contributor to the boards in general.

Much different from a thread which pops up by a first time poster which then runs into parts two, three and four and beyond over the course of days and you start to think "wtf another one?" I have seen this happen with threads where we get to part five within a fortnight. Running a thread to 5000 posts over that time takes some doing. And those posters generally post only on their own threads and leave people waiting for the next instalment "I will report back when I get home, am in the car at the moment about to leave the solicitors/nursery/

[binders1]

Wannabe - Speaking from my own experience, referring to the MNHQ message regarding giving support, MHNQ admitted personally and I quote 'it appears our post had inadvertently caused the initial derailment for which we are sorry' - that's why I refer to the 'trigger'. This does not mean I don't think the message shouldn't be used, I think it's worded really well and is really important and necessary, it's just that there can sometimes be consequences. I completely take on board all your comments and I imagine determining fakes and not fakes, trolls and troll hunters is really difficult to Police. I also don't want to be reading and thinking I am helping someone on a fake thread, nor do I want to watch a troll hunter posting on a genuine thread.

As for the second paragraph, I am fairly new to MN but I have to stand by my comments. I have 100% seen it somewhere on a thread where MNHQ did say that for every thread reported as a fake and turns out to be fake, there is another thread reported fake that is genuine. I also shouldn't have used the words 'many times'. Unfortunately, I can't link you to it because I can't remember where I saw it, I also wouldn't know how to unfortunately. I don't doubt your comment that MNHQ says to always report a thread if in doubt - it was my only my personal opinion to take a second before reporting someone.

[Brocklady]

I think it's far more helpful to reassure posters experiencing financial difficulty that they will get through it and to direct them to organisations that could help than to send money or food.

Posters who insist on offering make it harder for genuine posters as the assumption is that they're posting for charity rather than emotional support or advice.

[TheFormidableMrsC]

Wannabe, yes you're right of course. I have to admit that I am now a bit more dubious about the ones that fill up very very quickly and you're at thread 6 before you know it. Can think of one poster whose thread count was huge over a very short period, however, she did turn out to be genuine. It's a difficult one.

Thankfully, generally, MN is a marvellous place with a lot of wonderful people prepared to help others. That has mainly been my experience thus far .

[wannaBe]

no-one ever offers me money. .

[PurpleDaisies]

I've got 50p going spare if you want it wannaBe.

[LilacSpunkMonkey]

What I don't get is do the trolls now realise how pathetic they are? I mean, slow hand clap for anyone who trolls a parenting website.

Well done you. You're truly up there with Julian Assange and Wikileaks. The CIA, MI5 and North Korea must be quaking in their boots because of your proven skills at trolling.

Way to stick it to the man!

Seriously though, grow up trolls.

[magimedi]

wannaBe - PM me all your bank details, date of birth, mother's maiden name & your pin number & I'll send you half-a--crown!

Generous, me!

[binders1]

WannaBe - your post is educational, as it shows me the thoughts people have and how things can be interpreted by different people i.e. the momentum you refer to, the 'next instalment' (I think I did those things) - probably didn't want people to think I didn't appreciate the support and I understand the differences between MrsC's thread and (thank you for your messages MrsC) my own.

All I can say is, I would have given anything NOT to have started a thread and be where I am today. It was meant to be a NON STORY, not my life crashing around me. But.. I can't be negative about the threads, they got me through it, honestly they did and that's what it's about isn't it.

Anyway, I will bow out gracefully now as this is not about me and will stop over-thinking trolls and fakes etc and leave it all to rest.

[ghostspirit]

lilac i think maybe trolls like to be pathetic. and slow hand clap would be like a reward.

maybe a bit like when asbos became fashionable to teenagers

[wannaBe]

binders the reason why mn hq state that for every thread deleted for being a fake there are countless others which are genuine is because they don't want posters to be discouraged from giving advice/support. Mn hq don't want the reputation as a site where people come to write their fictional novels, or to gain emotional sympathy from people who have been through tragic circumstances and turn out to be fakes. The assessment that for every fake thread there are genuine ones has nothing to do with whether people should feel free to report.

Mn hq don't want people calling troll on the actual threads, although when information is e.g. inconsistent this can be difficult to prevent, but they absolutely do want to receive reports, because then they can look into things further. And sometimes they don't find anything and the poster could still be a troll.

Some of the most prolific trolls on mn were deemed to be "no reason to believe they're not who they say they are," in the beginning when posters reported their suspicions, and towards the end they ended up being banned after losing fake babies or going through fake rapes etc etc.

I personally moderated on a site where a troll was unmasked who has faked at least three deaths through her multiple persona's. Even after she was publically banned and outed people still believe she was genuine. The damage these trolls do sometimes is untold. no-one should ever be deterred from reporting. Mn hq aren't going to name and shame if you get a report wrong, nothing will happen to the poster if mn hq can't find reason to believe they're a troll, so there is no reason not to report.

[PurpleDaisies]

Some trolls are like kids who act out to get attention and they don't care whether it is positive or negative. Often the opening gambit is obviously as inflammatory as possible to generate reactions.

There are others who seem to get off on the sympathy they get from a fake heart wrenching situation. They must be very sad people in real life to feel they have to do that to get attention.

[binders1]

WannaBe - I understand. Gosh, those threads you refer to sound horrific. I just haven't read enough threads to know what's out there.

[MultishirkingAgain]

There's a reason why MN asks people not to troll-hunt, and I never really appreciated it before - it's really bloody horrible when the entire sanctimonious weight of the MN-police comes crashing down on your head, when you meant well but have made an honest mistake in not explaining yourself properly

I didn't see your thread Iwasworried but I did see the thread in Relationships that was openly, smugly & sanctimoniously troll-hunting binders - it was pretty undignified and very cliquey. I understand online "friendship groups" (for want of a better term). That thread was clique-turned-bully - rather unedifying, IMO

[Runningoutofnamesagain]

Thanks purpledaisies I think I was just in denial about ptsd and my mind was trying to mask over it all by doing something else rather than deal with the actual issue I that makes sense

I just want people to know that I did read all responses and thought long and hard, saw the GP the same day and have been addressing the real issues

[LilacSpunkMonkey]

Just popping back to say that there's currently a poster on a few threads who has been banned again and again recently and keeps coming back.

So be careful out there, people.

[PurpleDaisies]

How would we recognise this poster lilac?

[LilacSpunkMonkey]

Agressive posting style, veiled digs at other posters (in the guise of intellectual put-downs), threatening to have people deleted/suspended/banned. She's admitted to having lots of logins and every time she's banned she comes back the following week, starts off quietly then ramps up into sheer nastiness.

Recently she's advocated throwing bleach at cats and called children with disabilities some horrible names.

But now she'said on a new name and she's getting close to kicking off. People are recognising her though so hopefully she'll be shut down quite quickly.

[PurpleDaisies]

I'll be on the lookout! Thanks lilac.

[ghostspirit]

lilac thats strange its like she wants people to know what shes up to.

[53rdAndBird]

I suspect that for every thread that's 100% bullshit, there are three or four more where the situation really happened but the poster is exaggerating parts of it or leaving significant things out. Not su much fiction as "based on a true story!", IYKWIM?

Also suspect there are threads out there where people are describing things that really happened, but presenting it as happening in real time when actually it happened years ago. I have wondered at times what kind of response I'd have got on here if I'd posted about my horrific relationship years ago, and wished I had a ton of supportive MNers to help me see my way through it so I could make better choices. I would never post a thread in Relationships as if it was all happening now (I wouldn't relive that in a billion years!), but I wonder if other people have.