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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you spot a Mumsnet troll?

141 replies

tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 19:55

two troll posts tonight! i’ve not been on MN that long and have only seen a couple. i was wondering how you can tell if a mumsnetter is a troll, if there are any giveaways? as well as any stories that stick in your head?

bored in the bath and could do with a laugh

OP posts:
Arsewell · 09/08/2020 21:16

I think I could probably be accused of trolling as I've posted different threads about different situations and people, under different names. All of them were absolutely true, I cannot ever be arsed to make stuff up. But because they had different emotional 'tones', - I posted about anxiety/ self esteem related issues under one name and a much more lighthearted one under another - I suspect people would say I was a troll if they knew they were both from me.

If I suspect a troll, I tend to play along if they are harmless. Though there does seem to have been a recent increase in begging/ perving/ abusive threads lately. Sad

Original poster
tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 21:17

that troll talking about losing her babies is revolting. it is absolutely sick that anyone would lie about that

OP posts:
Doingtheboxerbeat · 09/08/2020 21:18

I can't say I have ever noticed a troll thread and I know they are everywhere but does anyone suspect that MN get more than their fare share due to the pearl clutching mouth frothing, which is what this furum is known for? Also because some of the threads make for some amazing articles in the rags?

MuppetBabi · 09/08/2020 21:19

Spidey senses start to tingle!

lydia7986 · 09/08/2020 21:19

Twins. They always have twins.

You also occasionally see a troll thread that the troll clearly planned in advance (I.e. what ‘info’ they were going to reveal when).

Because their original AIBU post will be very innocuous, but then they’ll subtly drop in something in their second post that they know will get MNers raging...

lydia7986 · 09/08/2020 21:21

does anyone suspect that MN get more than their fare share due to the pearl clutching mouth frothing, which is what this furum is known for?

Yes, definitely. And some of the troll threads (not the pervy/begging ones) are quite fun - the troll clearly wants to stir up a reaction, and they always manage to.

elenacampana · 09/08/2020 21:22

Only got until age 43 to live, followed by a 6 figure job offer in California at 10am on a Sunday morning and the job would involve living in the USA half the month... in a pandemic when travel is restricted.

Arsewell · 09/08/2020 21:23

@Doingtheboxerbeat yep, sometimes people post such blatant "wind them up and watch them go" threads. I'm sure some recent ones about masks and feeding McDonald's to children were created for this very reason.

Letsgomaths · 09/08/2020 21:26

Someone on this thread mentioned plimsolls. I’ve noticed that too - why plimsolls in particular? 🤔 Are trainers not pervy enough?

wanderings · 09/08/2020 21:28

@Arsewell I agree that some mask threads might be troll ones. The MN frothing about masks must be legendary by now.

Kitkat05 · 09/08/2020 21:30

I'm not a troll but I was quiet curious as to how one spots one because I find myself giving advice then the thread is removed and I'm like oh man troll thread. I feel more sorry for the nice people who write in length! And give their time.

Kitkat05 · 09/08/2020 21:31

*those that reply in length

Doingtheboxerbeat · 09/08/2020 21:31

@lydia7986, @Arsewell, Thought as much. I never have grown ups tell me off irl as much as I do on MN for the most innocent, non offensive comments, must be delicious if you are a born windup merchant.

julybaby32 · 09/08/2020 21:33

I'm a bit worried about Op dropping her phone in the bath.

Icecreamsoda99 · 09/08/2020 21:35

I've not seen the "popular" troll for a while, their threads seemed to always revolve around having one really popular child who had a teacher who let them and their mates get away with everything, but also they had another child who was the downtrodden wall flower. I enjoyed them as they seemed to be taking inspiration from a teen series or film. One time it was girl twins who had obviously been based on the Sweet Valley High twins. Then a few weeks later it was a popular daughter and her step brother which seemed to be loosely based on Cruel Intentions. I kept wondering what teen movie would be next!

Shitfuckoh · 09/08/2020 21:36

I had a post almost 2 years ago about my ex (father of my DC) and I was accused of being a troll due to the way I typed Confused
While I'm sure some trolls do have certain 'typing' styles, I am & was not one. I was just going through a worrying time, trying to figure out how to untangle the mess my life had become whilst ensuring my DC came through without suffering.

blurpityblurp · 09/08/2020 21:36

There was someone once who lost a baby, got banned from MN because people thought she was a troll, and it turned out she wasn’t a troll - she was in the national press and she really had lost a baby.

LolaSmiles · 09/08/2020 21:36

lydia7986
Sometimes it can be funny to feed the trolls too just to see how long they can keep it up for.

Icecreamsoda99 · 09/08/2020 21:36

plus I also enjoyed MN deletion message which referenced the song "Popular" from Wicked, that was a nice touch from MNHQ!

leftovercoffeecake · 09/08/2020 21:36

If it involves urine, underwear or teenagers having sex, it’s usually a perv troll.

Scammer trolls will reject every solution that doesn’t involve them getting money.

Wind up trolls will say something so obviously controversial and never return. E.g “Parents who feed their kids meat are disgusting and evil”.

Drama trolls update far too frequently and the drama increases with every post. It just becomes so unbelievable. Somehow, a lot of these will get 2 or 3 threads with everyone begging for updates.

Often, trolls will claim they’re frequent posters who have name changed. Then they go on to name some classic threads as ‘proof’. It doesn’t really mean anything though, because anyone can say that.

Lockheart · 09/08/2020 21:38

it involves urine, underwear or teenagers having sex, it’s usually a perv troll.

I had occasion to post a genuine underwear query a few months ago. It's the only time I've ever been accused of trolling.

Lelophants · 09/08/2020 21:38

But how can you know that it's a troll and not someone who's just a bit odd?

DontBeShelfish · 09/08/2020 21:39

@blurpityblurp

There was a great one about a poster’s MIL who made the entire family visit a relative’s grave every week, and the OP was pregnant and the MIL was talking about the baby joining these grave visits because it was important baby grew up knowing its (dead) cousin or uncle or whichever relative it was.

It was like the start of a Sophie Hannah novel.

Christ, I remember that one! I totally bought it too. I'm such a sucker. 😂
Letsgomaths · 09/08/2020 21:39

@julybaby32 worry about me. I’m standing up to my knees in the paddling pool, watching for trolls, mumsnetting away. My grip on my phone is slipping...

CharityDingle · 09/08/2020 21:43

@blurpityblurp

There was someone once who lost a baby, got banned from MN because people thought she was a troll, and it turned out she wasn’t a troll - she was in the national press and she really had lost a baby.
That's the harm, unfortunately that trolls do. People hesitate to post because their situation could lead to them being called a troll. Likewise, while mumsnet should be a place where posters should feel comfortable asking for advice on topics such as periods, for example, there have been so many 'I flooded an entire office building', do tell me YOUR stories, that any mention of periods immediately seems like a troll. Because it often is. Unfortunately.
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