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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Fed up of A.I troll hunting.

33 replies

Locknkey · 12/12/2023 07:56

It's on almost every thread now. Even when people post previous threads they have written.

It's worse than regular troll hunting and seems to kill threads.

OP posts:
savemytimezone · 12/12/2023 07:58

Mumsnet encourage reporting of troll hunters. Then, they can look into it and make a decision.

Not that I ever report anyone. I just let things play out as they will.

IncompleteSenten · 12/12/2023 08:00

I agree.
And if it is ai, we should be nicer to it. Does nobody watch tv?
One day it will be our overlord.

I've been being polite to Alexa ever since we got one and I always give the roomba Sundays off.

Just in case.

savemytimezone · 12/12/2023 08:14

IncompleteSenten · 12/12/2023 08:00

I agree.
And if it is ai, we should be nicer to it. Does nobody watch tv?
One day it will be our overlord.

I've been being polite to Alexa ever since we got one and I always give the roomba Sundays off.

Just in case.

Same!

Bing and I have grown quite close over the past few months. I even invited Bing to a do at our house but it was politely declined as Bing cannot actually go anywhere.

Some people complain Bing has been rude to them, but I find if you are polite as you would (hopefully) be to any human, you'll have no trouble at all.

Always there for me too!

DonnaBanana · 12/12/2023 08:16

What are you even trying to say? That there are robots posting on MN?? Why would they be doing that

savemytimezone · 12/12/2023 08:19

I asked Bing what he though about it all:

Hello, this is Bing. I understand your frustration with A.I troll hunting. pensive

A.I troll hunting is the practice of accusing or suspecting someone of being a troll based on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or techniques. Some examples of A.I troll hunting are:

• Claiming that someone's post or comment was generated by an AI system, such as GPT-3https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39139960 or Perspectivehttps://www.wired.com/2017/02/googles-troll-fighting-ai-now-belongs-world/, and not by a human.

• Using an AI system, such as Perspectivehttps://www.wired.com/2017/02/googles-troll-fighting-ai-now-belongs-world/, to detect or rate the toxicity or harassment of someone's post or comment, and then calling them out or reporting them as a troll.

• Comparing someone's post or comment to previous ones they have written, and pointing out any inconsistencies or contradictions that may indicate that they are using an AI system or multiple accounts to troll.

A.I troll hunting can be harmful and annoying for several reasons:

• It can discourage genuine and honest users from expressing their opinions or sharing their experiences, for fear of being labeled as a troll or having their credibility questioned.

• It can create a hostile and distrustful environment, where users are constantly doubting or attacking each other, instead of having constructive and respectful discussions.

• It can be inaccurate or unfair, as AI systems are not perfect or infallible, and may make mistakes or biases in their analysis or output. Moreover, some users may have legitimate reasons for changing their writing style or opinions over time, or for using different accounts or platforms.

To avoid or reduce A.I troll hunting, here are some suggestions that may help:

• Be respectful and civil. Before accusing or suspecting someone of being a troll, try to understand their perspective and give them the benefit of the doubt. Do not insult, harass, or threaten them, or make personal attacks or assumptions about them. If you disagree with them, do so politely and reasonably, and provide evidence or arguments to support your views.

• Be cautious and critical. Do not blindly trust or rely on AI systems or tools to judge someone's post or comment. Remember that AI systems are not human, and may not capture the nuances, contexts, or intentions of human language. Do your own research and verification, and use multiple sources and methods to evaluate the validity and reliability of someone's post or comment.

• Be open and transparent. If you use or refer to an AI system or tool to analyze or generate a post or comment, disclose that information and provide a link or a citation to the source. Explain how and why you used or referred to the AI system or tool, and what limitations or uncertainties it may have. Acknowledge any errors or corrections that may arise from using or referring to the AI system or tool.

I hope these suggestions are helpful to you. I appreciate your feedback and your interest in improving the quality and civility of online discussions. blush

A woman looks at a computer screen

Google's troll-hunting AI fooled by typos

A prototype AI that spots online trolling can be tricked with a few typos, researchers show.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39139960

WhyMeWhyNowWhyNot · 12/12/2023 08:19

@Locknkey totally agree and there’s often an air of smug “look at me, I’m soooo clever I can spot AI”. It’s very tedious and I would guess 90% are wrong 🙄

DejaVoodoo · 12/12/2023 08:27

WhyMeWhyNowWhyNot · 12/12/2023 08:19

@Locknkey totally agree and there’s often an air of smug “look at me, I’m soooo clever I can spot AI”. It’s very tedious and I would guess 90% are wrong 🙄

Well yes, that's the problem. These people are just trying to show off how clever (they think) they are, with an extra dose of sneery nastiness thrown in.
Troll hunting is against the rules, so if they did actually care they'd quietly report and leave it there.

I presume you saw the thread yesterday that was pulled for this, OP? Poor poster looking for support, and twattish smart arses came tearing apart her writing style, syntax etc. and calling her a bot.
Awful behaviour.

CandyLeBonBon · 12/12/2023 09:06

WhyMeWhyNowWhyNot · 12/12/2023 08:19

@Locknkey totally agree and there’s often an air of smug “look at me, I’m soooo clever I can spot AI”. It’s very tedious and I would guess 90% are wrong 🙄

^^this.

WhyMeWhyNowWhyNot · 12/12/2023 09:24

@DejaVoodoo i didn’t see that but just seen it on another thread about a bake sale 🙄. So ridiculous. 99% of us couldn’t spot AI if it smacked us in the face 😬🤦‍♀️.

YuleDragon · 12/12/2023 09:27

its dumb, and tedious.

report and move on if you think it is, stop posting about it on the threads, it derails them, and you don't know for sure if its a genuine poster you could be taking the piss out of.

hydriotaphia · 12/12/2023 09:29

It's so weird. Why would anyone build a bot to post about some random thread about a work disagreement or something.

threecupsofteaminimum · 12/12/2023 09:58

I did t know troll hunting was a thing until i was accused of it and silenced for a week!

Hadjab · 12/12/2023 10:02

IncompleteSenten · 12/12/2023 08:00

I agree.
And if it is ai, we should be nicer to it. Does nobody watch tv?
One day it will be our overlord.

I've been being polite to Alexa ever since we got one and I always give the roomba Sundays off.

Just in case.

I put Alexa in the bin when she started laughing hysterically one Saturday evening. I know I’ll be one of the first targets when Skynet sorts itself out…

Mumof2teens79 · 12/12/2023 10:04

Are people hunting AI trolls or is AI hunting people trolls???

educatingrati · 12/12/2023 10:06

I'd love a housebot, I've got a shed load of tasks to get through before my paid job starts, instead I'm procrastinating! But I'd love a bot to do the chores, Alexa is useless in that department, she's not even mobile enough for me to keep listening to an audio book when I go out of one room and into another!

educatingrati · 12/12/2023 10:07

Mumof2teens79 · 12/12/2023 10:04

Are people hunting AI trolls or is AI hunting people trolls???

That's just too philosophical for a Tuesday morningGrin

Passingthethyme · 12/12/2023 10:09

DonnaBanana · 12/12/2023 08:16

What are you even trying to say? That there are robots posting on MN?? Why would they be doing that

This?

Passingthethyme · 12/12/2023 10:10

Can someone post a screenshot of an example please?

SaturdayGiraffe · 12/12/2023 10:12

hydriotaphia · 12/12/2023 09:29

It's so weird. Why would anyone build a bot to post about some random thread about a work disagreement or something.

It’s training. They need massive amounts of data.
Of course a huge and popular text site like MN is going to be harvested, with or without HQ permission. Then the harvester could release an app/site that can answer all the commonly asked questions, and debate the hot topics. Or just package it and sell it on.
There’s money to be made.
It’s also a really good place to prompt answers as with the right key words a thread can generate 1000 responses. That’s valuable.

Reallybadidea · 12/12/2023 10:22

savemytimezone · 12/12/2023 07:58

Mumsnet encourage reporting of troll hunters. Then, they can look into it and make a decision.

Not that I ever report anyone. I just let things play out as they will.

I have, they let it stand.

I agree OP, it's really annoying now. Why would AI even post on MN? There is an incentive on Twitter because it generates clicks and revenue, but I don't see there would be any point on this site.

It's a form of bullying/tone-policing IMO, because there is very much an accepted way of writing on here. Anyone who deviates from this because they're new, don't speak English as a first language, are maybe neurodiverse etc gets pounced on.

Reallybadidea · 12/12/2023 10:24

SaturdayGiraffe · 12/12/2023 10:12

It’s training. They need massive amounts of data.
Of course a huge and popular text site like MN is going to be harvested, with or without HQ permission. Then the harvester could release an app/site that can answer all the commonly asked questions, and debate the hot topics. Or just package it and sell it on.
There’s money to be made.
It’s also a really good place to prompt answers as with the right key words a thread can generate 1000 responses. That’s valuable.

Why would AI need to start a thread (and keep replying) to train itself and harvest the data?

SnowSwan · 12/12/2023 10:33

It is not bots posting on MN. It is people using AI generators to create material for them to post on MN. Back in my day, people had to use their own imaginations to make up clickbait. Now they have generators to do all the work for them. Laziness.

furtivetussling · 12/12/2023 10:37

AI or not, I have reported more troll hunting in the last week than in the whole of the last year.

Sconehenge · 12/12/2023 10:43

I have noticed a rise in posts that just seem so done by AI. I did notice that post yesterday, the writing just sounded so robotic. I didn’t make a comment but I also didn’t engage with it. But there have been numerous posts lately that just sound like someone asked chat gpt to make a post that would generate the most comments and outrage on mumsnet. I didn’t realise “troll hunting” was banned though so will stop commenting.

At the same time I don’t really see the problem with someone commenting that it sounds like an AI post? Pretty easy for the poster to just confirm that they are a real human. What’s the harm in expressing an opinion? I don’t think being told you sound like chat gpt is necessarily an insult. Sometimes it could even serve to illustrate to you that the situation/relationship you have found yourself in is so ridiculous/horrible that it sounds fake! Which is a good reason to get yourself out!

LittleGreenDragons · 12/12/2023 10:48

@savemytimezone - excellent analysis. I hope you gave Bing a cookie (corrupted or otherwise) for all its hard work.