To bring up the subject of troll hunting *again*, and look for input please from MNHQ?

[WhereTheFuckIsMyFuckingCoat]

I've read so many threads in the past couple of weeks that have been absolutely drowned out by troll hunting. Someone mentioned that they thought troll hunters were ruining Mumsnet and I couldn't help but agree.

I've been here for years, and this comes up fairly regularly, and every single time mnhq come back with the same response - troll hunting is NOT allowed. Report, and move on. It's not hard to understand, and what's even more fucking irritating at times, as it's often (not always) the same old names doing it over and over, like they think they're above the rules.

@MNHQ, are there actually any sanctions for people who continually do this? I know posts get deleted but it doesn't seem to be any deterrent, and even sometimes ends up in the whole thread being zapped, even in cases where HQ have stated that the OP is legit but the troll hunters with their smart assed, 'I'm so clever with my trolldar' comments have made it unsustainable. How is this fair?

I've been on the receiving end of mild troll hunting, and it's really fucking hurtful, particularly when the reason I've posted is because I'm upset to start with, and looking for advice or support.

So why do people seem to think that the rules don't apply to them? Arrogance? A need to be 'right' or not (god forbid), 'gullible'? Should there be a 'three strikes and you're out' type approach? I honestly don't know myself, but I just think it's horrible to see OP's with what could easily be a real, fucking horrible life situation, be shredded, when it's so easy to report and scroll by.

And before people come along to defend their right to troll hunt to 'save' vulnerable posters from giving too much of themselves - aren't we all adults, who can choose how much of our lives we wish to divulge without the need for knights in shining forum armour coming to our aid? (That's ignoring the fact that MNHQ's job, which they carry out regularly, is to remind us of exactly that).

I've been accused of being a troll before, and of being paid on some of the political posts.
It's really annoying and completely derails the thread. A lot of the troll hunters do seem to think that if someone disagrees with them, especially politically, or something is outside their experience that the poster is a troll.
I wouldn't say troll hunters are 'ruining' MN but by knowingly breaking the rules because they think they know better, they're helping shut down debate and derailing threads and discussion.
And not everyone's instincts are right. I remember reporting one glaringly obvious troll but MN came back to say they were a long time MNer and they believed it genuine. Got that one completely wrong.
The report button is there for a reason.

The only problem with reporting is that with some posters (for example the AlmondAmy one) nothing gets done. Because HQ are very good at picking up on posts which are outright abusive, but they're not on here seeing what's going on 24/7 and might not know the whole background IYSWIM.

The AlmondAmy poster might do an innocuous seeming post about having a useless DH - but if you know the background she has admitted in the past that she's starved her children's pets to death just so she could blame it on her DH to make her kids hate him, she's deliberately alienated her own children from him but punishes him when they won't go to him (although she engineered the situation in the first place), encourages the children to see him as the enemy and 'grass' on him and is trying to sabotage his relationship with his children from his first marriage and cut him off from his friends and family. She also has a weird munchausens thing with one of her children who she insists has ASD despite being told repeatedly by multiple professionals that she doesn't.

That poster seems to use MN as a way to validate and encourage their abusing their family. But it really doesn't get picked up on by HQ because they just look at individual posts instead of the background. But when I spot her I do say.

Tapandgo: On the fake cake one, the OP eventually owned up, but actually a few astute posters had spotted elements of her story that didn't add up, including the speed at which she was suddenly able to make a much better replacement cake, and the fact that the photos of two cakes (one supposedly in her house, the other in the cake-maker's) had the same background.

That particular troll also posted a fake post about her childminder pretending to have taken her child to Chester Zoo and charging her for the ticket, which got people really outraged.

Troll hunter hunters are far more tedious than troll hunters. And they always make me - why would you want a troll to stand? Why would you want someone to get sucked in by one? It always seems a little 'off' to me. Getting annoyed that someone doesn't find trolling acceptable? Baffles me.

If MNHQ were a little quicker off the mark in deleting trolls, even if all they did was 'hold' a thread for a while then people wouldn't troll hunt. But until that happens people will continue.

Although the best troll hunters are the ones who don't take it to the boards, just have suspicions elsewhere that, as far as I can tell, are always validated. I am very impressed with their skills!

'Elsewhere' as in where?

Can I just ask - in the case of funny trolls (like Sharon and the wasp) why do they a) get reported when it's clearly a joke and b) get deleted when they're doing no harm?

OvertheHammer The first few threads might be funny. But after they've tested the water, IYSWIM, the threads they start could potentially be more harmful. Best not to encourage them I think.

wherethefuckismyfuckingcoat

Not everyone checks their PMs. It is also something that has to be said on the board when it goes on. It only takes one person and it is resolved and also explains the deleted post when the poster returns. I stand by what I said about it being necessary in this kind of circumstances in the sort of manner explained.

A recent one, which drew hundreds of posts, was by a woman who said she had ordered a birthday cake that turned out to be really crap, and the maker was asking her to pay £65 for it. There was even a photo of the crap cake. The thread went on for hundreds of posts, with the story developing as it went (eg angry emails from the cake maker, OP making her own cake) until eventually the OP owned up.

FFS why though, just why?

Haven't people got anything better to do with their lives than make up shit about cakes? It's just pathetic really when you think about it. Troll threads say more about the sad fucks who write them than anything else. What a way to spend your time.

I once got drawn into a thread (in fact several threads as it ran and ran) in relationships which was total shite from start to finish and only discovered by a group of sleuthing MN women, otherwise she would have got away with it. I won't get back the hours I wasted ... but it's made me a helluva lot more wary about where I post.

Believe me, when you have watch a troll tear through the boards spouting vile and hideous things targeting the most vulnerable boards and posters you see trolls as most then just annoying. When all the threads in most active are full of it and there is few other threads there although now the boards have attracted more overseas posters this is harder for trolls to achieve , when this happens multiple times, when the posts are allowed to stand for too long; it gets to a point when you view the trolls as totally destructive.

I am not fond of the aggressive troll hunting, calling troll for a difference of opinion, or the troll hunter hunting. But the trolls have done lasting damage on a number of the boards and those who have been affected will always view things slightly different to those who haven't. But the trolls are very very destructive and sometimes you have to say something.

*posters, you see trolls as more than just annoying.

So can I just get it straight Einstein, are you specifically stating to MNHQ that you completely refute their rule and refuse absolutely to adhere to it, because you believe that your way and belief is better? How does that work exactly?

seriously? Seriously?!
Just occasionally you have to apply common sense over blind following of the rules.
It is called Compassion.

But as this is rapidly becoming a baiting activity, have a good day.

Totally agree with you einstein

It really is, isn't it?

OP, your defence of trolls is looking quite suspect now. Oh but I'm not calling you a troll. Not at all. Just suspect.

OP, get over yourself. Of course, MN HQ cannot condone or encourage "troll hunting", not on a forum where you are accused of being a troll for having a different opinion than the majority of posters that day (or worst, being accused of being A MAN!

It doesn't mean you can expect people to keep quiet when someone is obviously goading and upsetting others. Others take it too far, their post get deleted, life goes on. You know, real life, not the fake cartoon-like- exaggerated-so far away from the truth- that is this forum.

Are you thinking of posters challenging bots / posters paid by political organisations? Because there has been a rise in paid bots

Tbh, the posts which continually bang on about paid posters/bots etc on political threads particularly irritate me.

If a poster has a strong political opinion there are countless accusations of shill, paid poster etc - often with the passive/aggressive crossing out or face.

MN always seems to let these stand though for some reason.

I've not called troll or been on the receiving end of being called one. But I wouldn't post a lot of real life experiences on MN as I totally would be accused. Far fetched sounding stuff DOES happen. The main thing that stops me posting now is anything of interest being poached by the Daily Mail etc and being outed on there . my posts will never be about anything that is seriously upsetting or difficult that might happen in my life. Which is sad because there are so many wise and caring people on MN that can and do make a difference.

I thought a Troll was someone who made bad remarks on OP.

Troll hunter hunters derail the thread more than troll hunters imo plus give validation to the troll whilst their at it.

faith check out the OP on this thread, how the conversation evolves, their subsequent posts

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/politics/2970825-Brexit-consequences?pg=1&order=

Does this poster look like someone who is interested in having a political discussion with others on a parents forum? Or someone with a job to do?

The phenomenon of paid posters does exist. And no, I can't be bothered to report. I don't care that much for starts. But it's a shame because MN can be a great place for robust, sophisticated discussion. Threads like the linked one mean that the interesting posts are fewer and far between.

To be honest, I'd rather one person gets upset for being falsely accused of trolling, than dozens of people get sucked in by one.

But I do just report it, and hope for the best.

I agree with OP, and there is never a reason to trollhunt on thread (although of course people should report trolling)

The other side.of this is that mumsnet has (and has had) issues with dealing with reports quickly. If threads were deleted within a minute of being reported (or if MN posted on thread) there would be much less troll hunting. It could even be done automatically eg X reports from y people in z amount of.time suspends a thread.

I think people would be less likely to call troll if people were less inclined to spill all their intimate secrets on threads where the OP is blatantly sitting with his undersized dick in his hand.

If I see a pervert, yes I'll report to MNHQ, but if they are still there two hours later then what?

Troll hunter hunters are far more tedious than troll hunters. And they always make me- why would youwanta troll to stand? Why would you want someone to get sucked in by one? It always seems a little 'off' to me. Getting annoyed that someone doesn't find trolling acceptable? Baffles me.
Nobody wants a troll post to stand. No one is annoyed that someone finds trolling unacceptable.
I am annoyed that multiple posters think it's fine to call troll when there isn't evidence other than the story is unusual or they disagree politically. Being disbelieved, especially on a sensitive post, puts people off seeking help.
The really nasty troll threads where it's night and MN might not get to it immediately? Sure. But the vast majority can be dealt with by reporting.
And as I posted above, people often call troll wrong.

And as I posted above, people often call troll wrong.

...and sometimes MNHQ call it wrong too with hilarious results

I agree 100% that you shouldn't troll hunt but for me the worst thing about MN is the number of nasty posters. There are some incredibly unpleasant people about who seem to enjoy being mean. Some posters evenseem proud of their 'honesty' .

I often disagree with posters and with YABU them but I do it without being a shite.

I report trolls, troll hunters ( unless they are really funny) and 'nasty' posters. I report a lot 😂. MNHQ have probably got my reports set to go straight to junk ....