Threads that get deleted or temporarily taken down?

[Sebsaloysius]

Not a long-term user here, but have responded to several posts recently that have gone on to be removed or temporarily held. One of them I could understand, as some of the content was getting rather vitriolic and discriminatory. But there's been a couple of others which I just couldn't see an issue with. The most recent example was a post today about a Mum who didn't want her children going anywhere near the sea. As an ex. lifeguard, I penned quite a lengthy reply on this and now the whole thread has disappeared in a puff of smoke. I read most of the comments on it and I'm pretty sure there wasn't anything unduly controversial.

I'm just curious to know, aside from the obvious reasons, why some posts are removed or held 'while background checks are made' (I think that's what the sea swimming post said)?

Most of the threads that are removed were started by trolls. If you haven't been here long, you may not know that MN is plagued by trolls. After a while they become fairly easy to spot.

The thread was probably a complete fabrication so was taken down.

Because sometimes people just pretend to have outrageously stupid idiotic opinions that aren't what they really think, in order to post a made up story that gets them lots of attention. They aren't real people with genuine problems. That poster might not even have had kids. That's the level of lying some people go to.

Some want attention from MN posters, some want to stir up an argument, and some want to get featured in the Daily Express who seem to have at least one full time journalist who just trawls MN and Reddit for ridiculous stories as they can claim posters are a "source" (the ethics of that are obviously totally unviable).

Oh and the very worst ones want money and bemoan how they have 49p to last two weeks but they "aren't asking for a handout" when they totally are (bonus points if they're able to make a political point while begging for cash).

One of many tall tales, when you been here long enough you will find out lol.

Actually scratch that. The very worst ones are men pretending to be women asking really faux naive questions about sex or other weird fetishes e.g. the poo troll then inboxing unsuspecting women or wanking to their well-intended responses.
But they're usually really obvious whereas people like "scared of the sea" lady are a bit subtler.

I’ve posted on quite a few seemingly boring threads lately, no arguments, that have been deleted. I think more than I’ve not been deleted on.
Ive been on here over ten years now and personally I think it’s more recent that so many are deleted. Tbh if they aren’t arguing or rude I don’t care if they are deleted. It’s almost becoming more annoying that trolls that it’s normalised to believe nothing outside your on bubble. You can say something as boring as ‘my sons primary school have half days before holidays’ and loads of posters will pile on shouting this isn’t true because they haven’t heard of it. I find it really really wearing the people who spend ages on here just playing detective and hunting every single comment out

The fetishists who use Mumsnet as a personal wank bank are the worst of all, as pp have stated. Periods, pee, poo, pre-pubescent children - nothing is off limits and some posters are too gullible to realise they are being used.

I just get fed up with the " we are looking behind the scenes" MN post. I have never seen one reinstated in the 15 years I have been here. Surely not ALL can be trolls?

There is a big issue with trolls and AI posts. There are other forums that post about MN and try and post ludicrous scenarios to elicit response.

After a while they become easier to spot, however recently it appears to be especially bad, which actually is good for me as I'm on here less.

I think I quite enjoy some of them 🙈I get really annoyed when I’ve posted a reply and then the thread disappears

The worst fetishists write posts just before the Night Watch come on, so they can't be deleted quickly.

This is when the poo troll, the pee troll, the period troll and the infamous school uniform troll appear most often.

Yes this is a very good point. I got troll hunted on my own thread not so long ago by amateur sleuths, and a 2 minute search of my username would have showed I was just a regular person being flippant about a silly situation. Presumably that's why MN left my thread up though. IDK what checks they do behind the scenes.

I've never seen one of those threads reinstated either. But perhaps they were in fact all started by trolls.

There are several threads created by trolls, but MN does get it wrong.

All it takes is for a couple of reports and MN remove the thread. I was accused once by MN of being a troll, and my account was then blocked with no warning, when I had posted a very legitimate post in AIBU seeking advice.

The deletion message on the thread was that I’m a previously banned poster. But I had never been banned. Instead, I had an older account which I had them delete as I forgot the password.

So they do get it wrong sometimes.

Thanks everyone. I feel like I've gone back to school and learning the ropes!

you will soon get the hang of it; like has been said a lot of trolls on here come on for cheap thrills I would love to be on the admin of here! i run a few fb groups and I can tell scams trolls etc quite easily now

The absolute worst trolls are the ones who pretend to have a gravely ill child or a child who has died. There is a special place in hell for trolls like that.

Most trolls are tiresome and pathetic. I think it's a mistake for MNHQ to rely on users' reports before investigating suspicious threads. They should really be more proactive IMO.

It’s half term in a lot of England, so troll-tastic around here.

If the thread you are referring to @Sebsaloysius was that one in Style and Beauty the other evening that was definitely a troll and a very poor attempt at that. People weren't bullying someone who was asking a genuine question, they gave that troll what they were wanting -a good fight.

Half term, a full moon, kids hyped already on Halloween confectionary. Give them access to Mumsnet, what could go wrong? 😀😁

No, the one that came to mind was about someone who had used hand sanitiser on a train after being served by one of the stewards, I can't remember exactly what the exact scenario was now, but I remember it all got quite argumentative very quickly and it disappeared!

Yes, that was an obvious troll, trying to create dissent.

I can think of a few post dont know if there are trolls.
The past weeks theres been a few that have raised my brow to like the poo ones
or can i watch my 12yo pee partner not wipeing is arse.
And the pedo ones i did report but MN left them up.
I think there was one yesterday partner touches child mum worrys over punpkins.
There are some post i think you cant be real you cant be that stupid.
And ive notice that all mums are all over 30s on here some may say that due to the stigma of being under 30 and having a child.
Or all the post that are really high earners they cant all be real.

I sometimes feel sorry for the op when a thread is taken down as I know in some cases it is a roll but what about when it isn’t? I saw a thread a few weeks back where everyone started saying‘this didn’t happen’ to someone and something hugely similar had actually happened to me!!! People turned nasty fairly quickly and before I could answer it was gone. I do hope sometimes that people got what they needed from the thread if eg someone was to take advice, not necessarily even the person posting- sometimes I think people go onto threads for similar help so it’s a pity when they go