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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

MNHQ delete every remotely interesting thread!

327 replies

wewillmeetagain · 13/02/2021 11:17

Why do they do this? Ive seen two in the last 24 hours! Nothing remotely insulting, libellous or argumentative on them! It's like the only discussion with which they agree is allowed to take place! I personally think it spoils MN, they will probably remove this discussion pretty sharpish anyway!

OP posts:
Thedramasummer · 13/02/2021 12:37

The Australia thread was goady as fuck. The fact that most of the usual Australian posters chose to report rather than responding, stopped it turning nastier.

passtheorange · 13/02/2021 12:39

MNHQ can see what we can't. Backstage, so to speak.

AlternativePerspective · 13/02/2021 12:42

@ billy1966 well, usually I take the view that if something seems far-fetched, it usually is. I don’t ever cry troll on the thread but I report and if it goes then it does, if it doesn’t then that’s out of my hands.

There are some obvious signs e.g. “I’m lying on the bathroom floor about to miscarry after my BF hit me,” or “I’m in the ambulance on my way to the children’s hospital as they believe my child has cancer/I’m sitting here waiting for his test results/I’ve shown him the messages on this thread and he’s so happy to know that all of mn are thinking of him,” and yes, those are threads which have genuinely been started over the years.

The thing is, there are posters who are gullible enough to fall for them, “checking in as a member of Oliver’s army” in the case of the thread with the little boy. And it becomes almost as necessary for the posters to respond as it is for the trolls to keep trolling, iyswim.

At the end of the day if a poster really is going through such a hard time that they’re hiding in the bedroom while their partner smashes up the house, ask yourself, are they really going to create a mn account or change names just to post it here?

ReefTeeth · 13/02/2021 12:43

@Thedramasummer

The Australia thread was goady as fuck. The fact that most of the usual Australian posters chose to report rather than responding, stopped it turning nastier.
First time I've reported a goady AF post about Australia but I'm sick to death of reading Brits tell me my country is racist and backwards.

Take a good hard look at your own 'Kingdom' first eh.

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 12:44

One of the main reasons that MN is sooo attractive to trolls is the ease of name changing.

VinylDetective · 13/02/2021 12:46

if people are reporting chances are there's something not quite right. That's it really

There’s quite a bit of vindictive reporting and the policy seems to be to just delete anything that gets reported. I felt quite sorry for a pp the other day, she responded to me with a mild and amusing insult that made me laugh. Someone took it upon themselves to report it, leaving us both nonplussed.

MNHQ
YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet · 13/02/2021 12:47

Hello @wewillmeetagain - ah now we don't think we delete every remotely interesting thread. There are still quite a few left...But yes - we understand that it's annoying if you're following a thread and then it's deleted.

If we say we've got concerns about an OP, it usually means we have seen some things that would lead us to suspect they're not genuine. If it's an obvious troll then we'll say so. As pp have said, we don't like to give too much away (TSSDNCOP) as it would make it easier for the trolls if we revealed all the secrets of the dark arts... Grin. We don't want to encourage more trolls by leaving threads to stand and we really don't want decent MNers to give advice in good faith when it's all for nothing.

If you see a deletion message you think could be clearer or want more information about any of our moderation decisions, please drop us a line at [email protected].

Cavagirl · 13/02/2021 12:47

I usually think I have a decent troll radar but completely believed the Tom one, if that was a troll I think they have serious issues the amount of responses and story development.
It's a shame because people are suspicious now of any threads so someone in a slightly unusual situation who genuinely needs help will get treated suspiciously because there are so many of them.
I kind of get the funny ones to rile people up and create debate - not my thing but each to their own - but pretending you're actually in danger/ need help/ etc I cannot understand the mentality of someone making that up.

littlepattilou · 13/02/2021 12:47

@breadwidow

And what I was going to say is that I don't understand why people want to GO Australia, (or NZ) as they are both sooooo far away from most of the world!

I would only go if I had no-one here who meant anything to me.

It just baffles me how people (from the UK/Europe/USA etc,) can move there when all they have; their life, their family, their friends, their roots - EVERYthing, is in their home country.

I could never leave the people I love here.

Not gonna lie, if my ONE child (DD in her mid 20s,) said she and her boyfriend were going to emigrate there, I would be DEVASTATED.

I doubt she would go though, as she has too much here to stay for... Friends, career, family etc...

I have seen/heard about quite a number of people - in real life AND on the 'life in the sun' type programmes, who regretted moving to Oz and NZ very much. But they had put everything they had into the move (and even had a child or 2 over there,) and were unable to move back.

I can't see this thread lasting long either sadly....

Original poster
wewillmeetagain · 13/02/2021 12:51

@YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet thank you for your explanation.

OP posts:
partyatthepalace · 13/02/2021 12:52

The Tom thread did sound like a troll, but it was VERY entertaining

Belladonna123 · 13/02/2021 12:54

@Berthatydfil

I was following the Tom thread - I assume it was a troll.
I was too! I must be rubbish at spotting trolls because hand on heart I thought that post was genuine and really felt for the OP Blush
Whistle73 · 13/02/2021 12:56

I reported the Tom thread last night too. It had a promising start but was a classic example of the OP being led by those responding and giving them what they wanted - ie. Tom turning up on the doorstep and her having to leave.

She jumped the shark when she managed to find a new job with accommodation provided, finish packing, gather several pets and a baby, move into an air B and B and be sat on a bed with several assorted labradors watching her EBF daughter munching a slice of pizza in 24 hours.

Original poster
wewillmeetagain · 13/02/2021 12:57

And concerning the thread about Australia, i was going to say I think that we brits are the most similar to aussies out of every other country in the world. I love that they are very direct and say it how it is! I couldn't live there because of the spiders/insects though Grin

OP posts:
dottiedodah · 13/02/2021 12:57

I think the one about Australia could have been a Troll ? Reading it it seemed very one sided ,and rather offensive to Australians and people wanting to visit /live there to me .Hence why MNHQ have decided to delete it I imagine .

DevonorLondon · 13/02/2021 13:02

I think I'd better post on this thread so that there's some evidence that I exist. I've never created a thread, but would hate to be thought a troll for never having posted before. I've been lurking for YEARS. For me to post, it would need to be something extraordinary, so it might therefore look a bit troll-like.

AlternativePerspective · 13/02/2021 13:04

She jumped the shark when she managed to find a new job with accommodation provided, finish packing, gather several pets and a baby, move into an air B and B and be sat on a bed with several assorted labradors watching her EBF daughter munching a slice of pizza in 24 hours. Grin Grin I like your explanation....

Thedramasummer · 13/02/2021 13:07

@ReefTeeth I was surprised it got to 6 pages before being removed.

I’m a Scot living in Aus and love it, love the people and have not had a negative experience in the few years since I’ve lived here( although the first winter was a bit of a shock! )

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 13/02/2021 13:10

(TSSDNCOP)

^ what does this mean?

Biscoffaddict · 13/02/2021 13:11

Why was the Australia thread deleted? I didn’t see anything offensive on it? A lot of discussion about the pros and cons of living there, but nothing else.

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 13:13

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut

(TSSDNCOP)

^ what does this mean?

The Secret Service does not comment on procedure.

ie MNHQ won’t say how they decide what to delete. Every time a thread like this was posted a few years ago that’s what they would comment. Grin Fair enough.

Chocolatechocolatechoate · 13/02/2021 13:13

I was gutted when the nastiest celeb thread got deleted

Quartz2208 · 13/02/2021 13:14

The Tom thread I think became a troll when she started following what other posters were suggesting. At the end 2 or 3 said they thought he would turn up that day - so he did.

It was very much reacting to the audience and moved incredibly quickly

Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2021 13:15

@Chocolatechocolatechoate

I was gutted when the nastiest celeb thread got deleted
MNHQ don’t really need a lawsuit however gutted you are.
stampsurprise · 13/02/2021 13:16

I suspect many threads have been deleted that weren’t trolls.

Many people have difficult and complicated lives - the kind of lives often showcased on Dr Phil or Jeremy Kyle for instance. Written down, they could well look OTT to those who have calm and peaceful lives with loving families.

There are many people here who will no longer post for help on MN because they know there’s no point.