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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think that MN need to come up with a way to stop fake posters?

175 replies

bbcessex · 08/03/2016 15:54

It really is getting boring. Dull, dull, dull.

I'm not clever enough to work out a formula myself, but would removing the name-change function stop trolls being able to hide so much ? I appreciate this may have a negative effective on those who wish to remain anonymous, but maybe the upside would be worth it?

Another option - would having a flag that said "first time poster" help on an OP? or the number of posts an OP has made?

Too many times recently I read an OP and watch many posters fall into the abyss of answering honestly to a thread that has all the marks of a hairy keyboard sad twat.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 08/03/2016 17:41

YY maybe a 'Deleted Threads' section where the deleted troll and GF locked threads could go, complete with a list of all the OP's previous NNs. That would be great.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 08/03/2016 17:45

Yup. And prove once and for all that there are only 23 people on the whole of MN.

MymbleMother · 08/03/2016 17:45

I think it would be pretty full at the moment, sparkling. It feels like every single thread is bollocks, pretty much

StillDrSethHazlittMD · 08/03/2016 17:47

I'm sure there are forums out there where you can sign up and read but can't post for a certain number of days. I wonder if that would put a lot of trolls off - they'd do the joining process but not be able to do anything for a week. Would they bother coming back after that week?

YesEinsteinsMumDid · 08/03/2016 17:48

I have issues with the list of names. Simply because some of the longer game plan trolls have used mn for personal stuff that can be very identifying and that are not actually part of their trolling. I can think of some well known now gone posters who would be horrified if that aspects were made more public. I can see where the different incarnations of the various trolls can be useful BUT i can also see where it could be damaging.

Also there have been a few cases where people have been blocked as being a troll but after being investigated by mn this has been found not to be the case. Including those names on the list would be stuck in the memories of people and could be damaging.

BUT if the modus operandum is visible the names is not so important as styles can be more identifying than names in some cases. Especially now where names are changed by the addition of a number if a name is taken when someone registers. It was easier to identify poster by name in olden days when it was actually acceptible to ask someone to change their name so confusions didn't happen, and people had unique names and used groups of similarly themed names.

Original poster
bbcessex · 08/03/2016 17:48

I like the idea of a deleted threads section sparkling, but I also think it would be too full.

I wonder what MN's take on the impact of trolls is? Good for business, bad for business, par for the course?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 08/03/2016 17:49

If troll threads are allowed to stand (even in their own section), it would make it worth their while to continue trolling and opening new MN accounts.

The biggest kick in the teeth to a troll is for everyone to ignore them.

They thrive on attention.

YesEinsteinsMumDid · 08/03/2016 17:49

StillDrSethHazlittMD yes they would. There are long term game plan trolls who will post to build a back story for months and years. It might reduce the numbers a bit but I doubt it would have much effect on the determined.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 08/03/2016 17:50

I don't think you get to choose when your long game trolling and your genuine stuff crosses over.

You're either a trolly lying cunt, or you're not. You can't swing both ways.

And I reckon most trolls are in the long game section.

Come the day, I bet a lot more "well known and respected MNers" are trolls than we'd ever dream.

bigbuttons · 08/03/2016 17:53

I prefer forums where by the posters name it says when they joined and how many threads they have started.
MN is very vague and it is very easy to troll and then do a runner here, more so than on other forums.

YesEinsteinsMumDid · 08/03/2016 17:55

It is not as black and white as that ThenLater seriously it isn't. Some are clearly obvious but there are others, who had 1 blip after years and years of posting. In some cases it is clear it is a falling apart due to rl circumstances rather than an intent to set out to troll. I do accept that those cases are rarer but potentially it could put mn into difficult territory should personal details be tracked down and things happen in rl as a result. And there are people sick enough out there to do that.

Sparklingbrook · 08/03/2016 17:56

Trolls are excellent for business. People love a bunfight, lots of clicks for the advertisers.

IPityThePontipines · 08/03/2016 17:57

The absolute best thing to do is not to feed them, don't engage at all and just report to MNHQ.

What if MNHQ do nothing, as they increasingly seem to do, unless the poster is a PBP?

There was a massive troll thread recently, which people were getting very upset about because a child was involved. Loads of reports to MNHQ, nothing done.

It is getting worse.

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 08/03/2016 17:57

Well, I'm afraid my sympathy lies with the common or garden MNers who get taken in, and in all the troll reveals I've witnessed over the years, it tends to be them who suffer rather than the fuckers who get their kicks this way in the first place.

FairNotFair · 08/03/2016 18:00

"Number of threads started" isn't necessarily an indication of a poster's motivation. I've been on here 3 or 4 years, mostly under this nn, although I am alarmingly unmemorable.

I've commented on hundreds of threads over the last 3 years or so, but have only ever started a handful of threads as I lack originality. On that basis, if I decided to start a thread, I could look a bit fuzzy of finger...?

Sparklingbrook · 08/03/2016 18:01

You have to either be exceedingly brave or a troll to start a thread on MN these days.

BunnyTyler · 08/03/2016 18:03

As previous posters have said its feeding the trolls that encourage them.

On a course I did a couple of years back there were some army guys on it (older, generally nice guys), they were telling me it's quite common to troll MN and some have accounts they have had for ages.
They think it's funny when all the 'middle aged, middle class harpies' get offended.

If you think it's a troll, don't play into their hands - treat them like naughty children, ignore them and they'll get bored.

It's words on a screen.

quencher · 08/03/2016 18:08

Trolls are excellent for business. People love a bunfight, lots of clicks for the advertisers.

Do we think Mn hq creates some of these stories when the site is a bit quiet? Am only asking not pointing fingers.

Followyourart · 08/03/2016 18:08

I'm not sure but I love reading the forums on here, however I'm seriously thinking about forgetting about this site as I think after reading a thread yesterday about someone's child being touched inapropriately by the mother in law (?) I think.... Made me realise that this place is likely to be teeming with peadophiles to be quite frank. And that is serious, and something MN needs to look at in my opinion. There have been several threads lately , particularly about "age gaps" and mentions of very young children. It's not right! Just saying.

MymbleMother · 08/03/2016 18:10

I think, also, that with the growth of MN, newer posters might not "recognise" some characteristics which alert others. For one example, I am very sceptical of threads which are updated with sort of "live action" posts (usually a high drama situation, minimal engagement with actual posters from OP, just brief alarming posts etc).

I just tend to report and ignore but it's so tempting sometimes to post "really?!" If the thread stands for ages and people are offering to drive to these posters, saying they won't be able to sleep until they know poster is safe etc etc.

There was a recent hooha where people met up with someone in RL who apparently turned out to be trolling, then any doubts raised had been dismissed as they had met in RL - I expect my DC to behave more responsibly than this Hmm

Remember CVQ anyone? I sometimes wonder if some of the recent trolls are actually the same person...

Sparklingbrook · 08/03/2016 18:12

Well Penisbeaker always springs to mind quencher. The least funny or true thread ever read, but it went on for pages, went on FB, viral then in the Daily Mail etc. Not saying MN made that up but it must have increased traffic on the site considerably.

Original poster
bbcessex · 08/03/2016 18:15

FairnotFair - I see your point; I spotted the flaw in my cunning plan after I'd thought about it a bit... many posters 'post', but on a few start a thread.

OP posts:
NickiFury · 08/03/2016 18:17

I can usually spot a troll and it's not even about them being far fetched, some of them post rather ordinary stuff. There's just a certain tone to them. They don't generally respond in detail to questions being asked, they don't resound to posters individually, after an initial detailed OP, they don't say that much more, just pop back and post briefly every now and then to keep the thread churning along. Genuine posters also display outrage at negative responses to them and might get into spats with individual posters, trolls tend not to. Those aren't hard and fast rules by the way, but I have never thought "troll" and been wrong.

Sparklingbrook · 08/03/2016 18:18

Re Trolls it's not always what they say it's the way that they say it IMO.

Original poster
bbcessex · 08/03/2016 18:19

Mymblemother.. oh yes - that one was particularly Hmm wasn't it.

OP posts:
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