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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:
FlySheMust · 09/08/2020 22:41

Is there a difference between a troll and a goady fucker?

There have been several GFs on the schools threads this weekend.

Gingerkittykat · 09/08/2020 22:42

Look for drama, my child is unwell should I call 111 or am I wasting their time. This is followed by my child has gone blue/ has a meningitis like rash/ has symptoms of sepsis followed by loads of high drama.

There was one a few weeks ago who pretended her child had a serious heart condition and was asking for the contact details of ward where he received specialist care as she lost them and then there was a load more drama.

Also trolls come onto the feminist board and make goady posts about transgender rights, often looking to post the responses on Twitter as proof Mumsnet is a den of transphobis.

DayKay · 09/08/2020 22:45

I spotted one once because they were stressed and panicked about their baby being very unwell and not sure if they should call for an ambulance and then added a sad blue face to their message. Who would have time to seek out a smiley at a time like that? It was a bit of a giveaway.
Some of them are over dramatic , I don’t think I’d always spot the low drama ones.

Enderman · 09/08/2020 22:48

Having several threads with entirely different stories/family histories/children/lives. They’re quite fun to spot.

howlathebees · 09/08/2020 22:50

I don’t know I’m awful at it I get sucked right inBlush

Original poster
tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 22:53

obviously we don’t know whether these posters are male or female, but it does also make me wonder whether there are more male/female trolls on the likes of twitter - because i’ve always imagined it as kinda like pizza guy from the simpsons.

OP posts:
FlamingoAndJohn · 09/08/2020 22:55

You can often spot if a poster is male by their language.

MyPersona · 09/08/2020 22:55

I generally assume that any tale which runs to more than one thread is a troll, although it’s usually obvious much earlier. Also there are subjects which are pretty much guaranteed to start a bun fight, and posters flock to them over and over again. Some people are clearly not well.

HelpMeh · 09/08/2020 22:57

Drama trolls: Fast developing drama - usually sick child or about to bust the cheating spouse. You get live updates that would never be happening if your life was actually falling apart at that very second.

Money trolls: sob stories about hard times, no friends, no family, no job, no money, no access to food banks, no transport, where the only solution is for strangers to send money.

Perv trolls: weird threads wanting details about embarrassing incidents usually involving bodily fluids or underwear.

Goady trolls: millionaire socialite housewife laments the quality of her foreign cleaner's work or some such. They only aim to wind readers up and make them feel shit about themselves but can be mildly entertaining.

AranciaRosso · 09/08/2020 22:59

i’m expecting my account to be deleted tonight if people are suspicious i’m a troll - so i’m wishing i hadn’t made this thread because i only really use mumsnet for parenting and family advice as a ftm and i’ve received some invaluable information

MNHQ are very adept at looking into things and establishing whether you’re a troll or not so unless you are and you know you are then I wouldn’t fret too much about that.

DishingOutDone · 09/08/2020 23:01

I've got caught on a couple of very particular types, usually where a young adult child is being mistreated - generally along the lines of my DD is 19 and hasn't got a job shall I throw her out oh BTW she's pregnant.

Uue a big outpouring of oh no you mustn't vs oh yes you must. That sort of thing. Been caught twice recently.

DishingOutDone · 09/08/2020 23:01

(Caught as in drawn in and got upset over it etc - just what the troll wants Sad )

1984andout · 09/08/2020 23:05

Also when characters emerge that are given nicknames.

That's often a giveaway

BilboBercow · 09/08/2020 23:05

Beaniebabies was my favourite. She just HAD to start a new account every time she was banned to come back and tell us how rich she was.

Lougle · 09/08/2020 23:12

@HillyJilly

Ive done the thing of naming previous classic threads but that seems to be met with hostility too sometimes.
Having been here for 15 years, I think there's a difference between quoting 'classic threads' as a proof that you're a genuine poster, and giving reassurance that you're genuine.

For example, I needed advice about a money situation, but I knew from experience that if I just outlined the situation, people may think it was a begging thread. So I started it with (in essence) 'I've been here ages, I know how these threads work, I don't want your money, just your advice.'

It isn't always easy - some people have much stronger filters than others, so what will seem to be completely beyond the line of 'normal sharing' for some posters, will be perfectly reasonable to discuss for others.

I'm quite a private person, so I'm rubbish at starting threads. Even anonymous usernames don't seem anonymous for me.

blurpityblurp · 09/08/2020 23:15

The “Obviously feminism has failed and there’s no gender wage gap can you ladies please explain why you persist in pursuing this flawed failure. Discuss” troll is fun, or rather someone everyone has fun with.

Time40 · 09/08/2020 23:16

There was one yesterday that made me wonder. A woman with a sexually abusive husband. It seemed genuine ... only the username could be seen to relate to the type of abuse.

OhYeahYouSuck · 09/08/2020 23:27

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OhYeahYouSuck · 09/08/2020 23:28

Bullshit @MNHQ! Why has my post been hidden before it even made it on here?

JaneJeffer · 09/08/2020 23:30

Just go on Reddit.

DishingOutDone · 09/08/2020 23:31

I've gone all funny now and I think I've spotted another troll on another thread, bit the bullet and reported it.

I SEE trolls.

Am I in trouble? Confused

FizzyGreenWater · 09/08/2020 23:33

Twins

Extra dogs popping up whose needs seem to be paramount

Stunningly unsupportive parents/friends

A host of attendant issues with bank cards/house keys/job interviews coming up

All at once!

CharityDingle · 10/08/2020 00:02

@DishingOutDone

(Caught as in drawn in and got upset over it etc - just what the troll wants Sad )
I mean this kindly, do not allow yourself to get upset about situations online, most of which are imaginary.
DishingOutDone · 10/08/2020 00:31

@CharityDingle - we see some very sad stories on here, they're not all trolls.

CharityDingle · 10/08/2020 01:15

[quote DishingOutDone]@CharityDingle - we see some very sad stories on here, they're not all trolls.[/quote]
It's important, in my opinion, to choose how invested one can or should become, in the lives of others, especially anonymous posters on the internet.

Just my opinion of course.

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