Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Fucking Cunting Trolls

281 replies

MsHooliesCardigan · 03/09/2017 18:42

In the past week, I have posted on threads about someone's 15 year old niece taking their own life and today somebody wanting to give their 4 year old son up for adoption. They both turned out to be trolls. I love Mumsnet, I really do and I have seen many situations where those in genuine need of support have been massively helped. I have PMed a Mumsnetter at 4am asking her to call me if she wanted to talk after she had been assaulted by her DP. She did and we subsequently met up.
I have had a huge amount of support myself from Mumsnet but I am getting really weary of it now.
I work in mental health and it's something I feel really passionate about which is why I was drawn to the threads I've mentioned.
I know that there isn't much anyone can do about it and I think MNHQ do their best as both these threads were taken down pretty quickly.
Just needed to rant Angry

OP posts:
Winosaurus · 03/09/2017 18:43

Was the adoption one fake? Angry
I've actually been sat here this evening feeling sick for the poor woman!

coddiwomple · 03/09/2017 18:44

There's no way to know if a thread is genuine or not, and they are all to be taken with a (massive) pinch of salt.

Just think that your comments were helpful to someone. Maybe not the troll OP, but someone who is not posting but surfing the net to find some help. You are not wasting your time, you are just helping others.

Pengggwn · 03/09/2017 18:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sophiealice95 · 03/09/2017 18:45

MsHoolie I understand your pov and I want to second it by saying thatthe policy of not being able to point out a poster is a troll is really damaging the boards. I know some ppl troll hunt but honestly some ppl really take the p here and they need outing to stop us wasting our time on their twaddle.

DixieNormas · 03/09/2017 18:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JemmyBloocher · 03/09/2017 18:47

Post like that feel really emotionally abusive when they turn out to be trolls. It's not unreasonable to be mad as all hell. As probably obvious from my last posts on the latter thread, I treat all that emotive shit with a raised eyebrow and a tendency to say 'get to f@ck', which I shouldn't as I know people genuinely need help. It's just so bad that trolls come to a place like this and abuse people's trust.

CockacidalManiac · 03/09/2017 18:48

I think the only thing to do is to take all threads with a pinch of salt.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 03/09/2017 18:48

I think PMing a person on an anonymous website asking them to call you, and presumably giving them your number, comes under what we'd tell our kids never to do however well intentioned.

SuzukiLi · 03/09/2017 18:50

Just because it's previously banned poster doesn't mean it's a troll. I know a few people on here who are PBP but not trolls.

CockacidalManiac · 03/09/2017 18:50

MN always warn not to become too emotionally invested. It's good advice.

Gorgosparta · 03/09/2017 18:50

I was one of the ones that reported the niece suicide one. I dont know what it was about it, it just came across as false.

Tbh threads regarding children dying always make me wonder. The majority i have seen and reported have been trolls. I would rather mn took a look and let me know before i post.

If you find yourself getting emotionally involved in a thread, ask mn to check it out first. They have always been kind and let me know either way. Even though they can't say something is 100% genuine, it do3s make me feel better before posting.

PurpleDaisies · 03/09/2017 18:51

I think PMing a person on an anonymous website asking them to call you, and presumably giving them your number, comes under what we'd tell our kids never to do however well intentioned.

I totally agree. Op you need to think carefully about safety online. You have no guarantee that anyone is who they say they are.

AmysTiara · 03/09/2017 18:51

There's more troll threads than true ones these days.

It's troll heaven here as no-one is allowed to question anything on the thread.

MyBrilliantDisguise · 03/09/2017 18:53

I'm really glad the adoption one was a troll. I just hope the poster isn't a parent - such a disgusting thing to do.

Crowdo · 03/09/2017 18:54

I'm another that doesn't believe a PBP is necessarily a troll.

I've known it happen where someone is banned for spurious reasons.

Original poster
MsHooliesCardigan · 03/09/2017 18:54

Dame I get what you're saying but this was a thread that had been running for about 5 months with everyone trying to point out to the OP that she and her DD were being abused.
My thing is creative writing and I'm pretty sure that I could create a near perfect troll thread and lure in a lot of people but I just wouldn't do it because it would make me feel like shit having loads of people offering me sympathy and advice for something that was completely made up.

OP posts:
Badweekjustgotworse · 03/09/2017 18:55

It's really selfish, end off. However if open troll hunting was allowed people with genuine issues will be put off posting for support if they've see a slew of Hmm and Confused and 'new here OP?' sarcasm

WinnieTheMe · 03/09/2017 18:57

Oh no! I was really worried about the adoption one. Her experience sounded so much like mine. It really resonated.

JigglyTuff · 03/09/2017 18:58

MsHoolies - I'm really sorry you've been taken in. It's horrible when it happens. I think all you can do is steer clear of any majorly dramatic/heartbreaking ones. You need to look after yourself

LuLuuuuuuu · 03/09/2017 19:00

What a CUNT then on the adoption one .

Opening up to somebody who is a lying Troll ? Aggggh .

Original poster
MsHooliesCardigan · 03/09/2017 19:01

Bad I agree and I've seen lots of troll hunting on threads where the OP was proved to be genuine.
Like I said, I think MNHQ do a pretty good job on the whole. I think the adoption one really got to me because I have worked with women who feel exactly like this in my job.
I worked with one woman with twins who had an incredibly close bond with one of them but felt nothing for the other so I know it can happen.
I probably need to take a break from here for a while.

OP posts:
Emmageddon · 03/09/2017 19:02

Is this what drives people to post rubbish? Are they frustrated creative writers? Or simply bored attention-seekers?

The emotional vampires are the worst - drawing people in, tugging at their heartstrings, and for what? Does it make them happy to fool people?

In the good old days, trolls just set out to con people out of money and gifts. Kaycee Nicole was one of the first to be identified as having Münchausen by Internet - or at least the person behind the persona was. She set the bar high, I guess.

apostropheuse · 03/09/2017 19:03

Mumsnet appears to be full of trolls at the moment. Some of the posts are absurd, but you're not allowed to express any doubt about their validity. It angers me and I feel sorry for posters who are naïve and waste their time trying to help these attention-seeking prats. Mind you, it's pretty obvious that some of the trolls are just teenagers trying to wind people up - and succeeding.

Mumsnet doesn't censor language in the way that other sites do, but at the same time they censor people's opinions. It's baffling.

PollyFlint · 03/09/2017 19:04

A troll is someone who deliberately posts something nasty, outrageous or insulting just to upset people. Of course, sometimes there are people on MN who do that - but I think a lot of the fake posts are actually more like people who are addicted to drama/attention and make up stories - a bit like Munchausen's Syndrome in a way.

There is one particular poster I used to see on here who I'm pretty sure had created a very long and complicated back story for her multiple posts and was lying about every single word of it. I think she was probably very young, and also not very well.

Not that this makes it any less annoying, of course.

I'm often quite surprised at how naive a lot of people are when responding to threads that are very, very obvious fakes. With some it's impossible to tell but with others its glaringly obvious.

ticketytock1 · 03/09/2017 19:05

I invested heavily in the thread about the 15 year old niece... I was gobsmacked when I discovered it was a troll. How fucking sick does someone need to be to post that? Clearly zero idea of how it feels when a loved one takes their own life! Unbelievable!!!