Dodgy question = involving kids in a way an unsavoury person might find titillating (sexual). Eg kids and underwear, PPP, toilet breaks in school, masturbation, gynae exams, sexual activity (eg teens).
Unsavoury people = anyone from convicted CSOs to non-criminal pervs... they do trawl parenting sites for “content” unfortunately.
The OP of a “dodgy looking question” may be genuine or a troll (if we think “troll” we report - I know).
If they seem genuine and you want to advise... please do it without giving details about your child! So, “Tell the teacher your child needs toilet breaks,” not “Let me tell you (and the world) about the time my DD peed herself!”
If OP is genuine – they do not need that detail.
If OP is a troll – they want that detail, that is what they troll for. They can’t post “Talk about your child in a titillating (to me) way!” But they post a careful “parenting question” and people share that content.
They might also "trawl" – find a “promising” thread and wait. This was the case for one CSO I knew of, who had saved hundreds (possibly thousands) of individual comments through trawling (in addition to trolling).
So when it comes to dodgy-looking threads, it does not matter if OP is a troll or genuine - the same need for caution applies. Because anyone can copy and paste your comment. Even if the thread is pulled – your comment might already be saved to some unsavoury person’s computer.
So, my respectful suggestions (please feel free to add to this):
1. Genuine Ops (with a dodgy-looking question): please stress that you want just advice - not details on the bodies /bodily functions of kids. If people give that detail (which is easy to do since most of us see nothing sexual about children) please remind.
2. Respondents to dodgy-looking questions – please advise without giving detail about your child’s body – even if you are 100% sure OP is genuine. So “I found X cream/gel great, cleared my baby’s rash fast,” not “Omg that’s nothing, let me describe my baby’s bottom!”
3. Troll hunters (and anyone) – would you consider reporting individual “oversharing” comments which look concerning? Eg – the nappy rash one might have 100 perfectly ok comments and just onewhich makes you just uneasy. I think we should be able to report that comment and moderators then delete or leave it. [Note – this not to punish the commenter – just to protect them and their child.]
4. Trolls / trawlers – if you are on parenting sites looking for this content, please seek support to address this.
I do have some sympathy for troll hunters, I think they're trying to warn other posters. But if others start attacking them for “attacking the OP” and a moderator wades in, it would make the troll’s day. “Yay, I get to watch women attack each other over me!"
But if OP is genuine, they could feel mortified – who wouldn't, in this context? They might also feel anxious about seeking help next time. I got troll hunted myself once but was too dim to realise it
but most people have been here for a while, and would realise (I think).
-- if you cannot RTFT please do still comment if you want to.
-- if anything I've said is confusing, please feel free to explain it better if you can. Particularly any UK or long tem posters, as your words will carry more weight (and I will not be offended at all!)
-- please avoid saying anything titillating! And also, while many of us have criteria in mind by which we assess genuine or troll? Do not mention here :-)