why do some people troll and how does mnhq weed them out ?

[mrsfuzzy]

a huge thread has been deleted today due to consensus at mnhq the poster had been previously banned, how does mn work out these things when a lot of us lovely peeps get pulled in ? why on earth do trolls do what they do and what do they get out of it, sorry being a bit naive i guess.

[chocolateworshipper]

You could certainly use IP addresses to identify a previously banned poster. I felt quite chuffed that I spotted the JW one was a troll, but I'm afraid there have been far too many that I didn't spot

[littleprincesssara]

Oh, I commented on that thread that it sounded like a Lifetime movie.

I gave advice in case it was real but it did sound fake!

[LaundryFairy]

I can't seem to find the thread about an emergency wedding dress alteration - was that deleted too? It even made it to classics!

[PinkissimoAndPearls]

I totally agree lilac.

I think it's only a matter of time before the NCing facility is restricted for new or repeatedly warned/ deleted posters - it's already restricted for people who are deleted/warned for disablist posts, according to MNHQ.

I think the ease of NCing makes it much easier for people to troll.

At the end of the day though there will always be trolls - it's our responsibility, as MNHQ say, to not give away more than we can afford, and to remember that anyone on here could be...well, anyone!

[manicinsomniac]

People troll because it's entertaining to the in some way. So, for example they are bored so the start something they know will be controversial, long and give them a good read. Or they are entertained by seeing people upset, hurt and angry so will start a thread that plays on emotions. Or they want to be interacted with so will start a thread with a crisis or something n it that draws people in. I see no issue with first or third examples. I don't really care whether something I read on mn is true or not (in fact I tend to assume it isn't) as I'm just amusing myself. So, equally, I wouldn't hesitate to post something that wasn't true if I thought it would entertain me

As for mnhq knowing - I don't imagine they do most of the time. Only if the story is too unbelievable, inconsistent or comes from the IP address of someone who's been caught before.

[PersianCatLady]

Sometimes though even when the threads are started by a troll other people have in good faith given advice which would also be helpful to other people in similar situations, to me it seems sad that the advice is then deleted just because the thread was started by a troll.

[Sparklingbrook]

I think if a thread is started by a troll it should definitely be deleted. To do anything else would only aid the trolls. If they knew the thread would stand with the bunfight/discussion still raging they would love that.

[scarednoob]

I know a guy who trolled MN a few times, and thought it was absolutely hilarious when he got caught and banned and did it again.

His wife had left him, he was an alcoholic and had to sign a court order saying he wouldn't drink or take drugs with less than 48 hours to go before his fortnightly visits with his son.

So yeah, trolling MN was about the only good thing in his life. I think there will be a fair few as tragic as him tbh.

[ArmySal]

I didn't see the thread towards the end, Boogers, so I didn't see myself, just the deletion message.

From the wedding thread, Laundry :

Message from MNHQ: Hi all,

The OP is so thrilled with the wonderful support from this truly lovely thread, but has reluctantly requested for it be removed for privacy reasons.

We're sorry to disappoint!

[PersianCatLady]

If they knew the thread would stand with the bunfight/discussion still raging they would love that.
Good point.

[LaundryFairy]

Thank you so much, ArmySal! If that one hadn't been for real I would have lost faith in Mumsnet!

[bevelino]

Some seemingly genuine threads can be hijacked by trolls and weirdos. This often happens to threads involving teenage girls and underwear.

[TortoiseVTurtle]

I know of a solicitor who trolls on here and keeps getting banned.

[CaptainCrunch]

I used to post on Digital Spy Forums a lot, haven't done so for ages and "trolling on Mumsnet" was cited as a hobby by many.

[UnderseaPineapple]

I just hide threads that I think are troll threads. Sometimes I post something like "I don't believe you" or "liar" before hiding them. Maybe I'm as bad as the trolly poster for doing that, though.

[SurfBored73]

Isn't there another developing problem: people being accused of being a troll when all they are doing is offering a genuine opinion that someone happens to disagree with? Not with OPs it seems, more with replies. It's just playground name-calling in some instances.

I'm half expecting to be called a troll for writing that.

[PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon]

I usually take all thread in AIBU as a pinch of salt after the Oliver's Army one.

Speaking of name changes, I have recently changed my name because I came close (I think) to outing myself on a thread I started. I worry sometimes that people would think I'm a troll. It hasn't happened yet as far as I'm aware
I think the best thing to do is offer advice if you want but don't offer up things that have happened to you in RL as its this bit that trolls get a kick out of I think

[KatherineMumsnet]

TSSNDCOP indeed, we'd rather not divulge our ways so as not to give the trolls any extra ways around. This is, as posters have already said, the internet - and while we are by no means perfect, we have lots of different methods and are always looking at ways to improve.

As you all know, we utterly rely on your reports - they help us so much, so please continue to send. You can always contact us at [email protected], too, if you ever have concerns or questions.

[user1468774130]

I'd like to blame the economy!
If it wasn't for the generous benefits system in this country, (which btw ends up attracting the mass immigration, which has just resulted in the Brexit vote), then people would have to go to work, and then they wouldn't have time to sit at home being bored and passing the time by winding other people up!!

[MyMurphy]

Pretty sure that the bra thread is a troll, but MN have said not!

[MyMurphy]

Nooooo, please don't tell me that the wedding dress thread wasn't real? It was definitely moved to classics but I can't find it now!!!!

[WannaBe]

IMO most of aibu and relationships is occupied by trolls. And the reality is that there's no way of knowing that someone who HQ think isn't a troll really isn't. It's more likely that posts which are left to stand are from trolls than those which are deleted turn out not to be.

I do think however that some of the most outrageous posts are so obvious that I wonder why people actually post on them. That thread yesterday was so blatantly a troll to the extent that the OP clearly wanted people to think it was a troll. The thing is that when it's such a sensitive subject people are reticent to be suspicious because they think they might have caused harm to someone who really is grieving a lost child.

The only other thing I would say is that the new reporting system might well lead to posters posting on threads where they previously didn't. I did post on the one yesterday but then reported it. I posted to see whether it would be deleted, which it was. Now that there is no communication from HQ when a thread is reported there is no way of knowing whether it is deleted for being a troll other than if you post on it for the deletion message.