Are there a lot of fake posts at the moment?

[Ticktockk]

Is it just my overanalytical brain? So many posts at the moment read like the crap clickbait stories that pop up on Facebook. Is it just because so many people are using AI to write their posts? Some even come across as downright unbelievable.
I can’t tell if I’m being ridiculous or if people are weirdly making posts to get comments. Which seems odd on mumsnet. Or maybe trying to get ideas for their next online novella?!

There's a lot of posts where people's alleged experiences conveniently support certain political narratives. However they spark debate and provide opportunities for other people to challenge the narrative. Stands to reason people are going to see a site this size as a platform to push certain agendas.

Yes loads. And loads of fake contributors to real threads.

Are we allowed to name them? I think the 'getting with sister's ex-husband' one is made up.

This is how I think.

And I think there's a difference between people getting riled up about issues that they have experience of and so the thread takes on like you said less focus on the OP, spark debate and the exchange of ideas and opinions.

And then there are the ones where people are getting riled up and furious on the OPs behalf with a possibly entirely invented person and situation.

Interested to know what's classed as one of MN's fave subjects - TRA?

Yes there are, I report them. I see that one I reported to MN wasn’t taken down though and so many hapless posters giving their “advice” - it’s all a bit cringe!!

There was a post a couple of weeks ago where the OP had also copied the crap you get at the end of ChatGPT where it confirms what it’s just done.

So it said something like “troll post written for mumsnet”.

I'm not the poster who you're asking but IMO, lots of people avoid political and feminism threads completely and hide the topics.

So my take on fave subjects that can get heated would be in-laws, step-parents, Mothers day and other major events, OPs saying their partner doesn't pull his weight, SAHMs and what are family finances.

That sort of thing.

I suspected this thread quite quickly. It pressed all the buttons. I cannot believe that, at the last time of looking last night. It had nearly 1k posts.

Yeah annoyed at myself for taking the bait.

So many with just an OP or maybe one more post from OP then silence.

Yep- thats the one I was referring to!

Ha yes. "My friend doesn't work because she has told DWP she has anxiety and can't go out. She gets her lips filled and her nails done and has four holidays a year. She is a single parent who has three children by four men who arent involved. The DC are quite badly behaved. She has told DWP they have SEND and gets £1000 a week for them. She has a beautiful free council house in a lovely area. She's a lovely person, but I can't help feeling a bit resentful because hubby and I both work 80 hours a week and live in a shared skip and can't afford to light a match to keep warm. She also only came to the UK two months ago as an asylum seeker. AIBU to feel this is unfair...?"

Benefits baaaad rich people gooood government doing a great job cutting the evil benefits bill so we can defend ourselves against erm everyone?

Or

Disabled people are fakers and dont need extra money or cars (that they pay for) if they can afford to pay money upfront to get a better car they can just buy a car themselves! (They can afford it because they work the modified car helps them work) i mean yes leased cars are what keeps the secondhand market afloat and motability is a huge part of that but we should all just buy a new car anyway 😉

Or

DOGS ARE EVIL

Also
Over weight people (in many guises from vanity sizing to WLI to I spent a ten hour flight next to a fat person to concern for an obese relative.)
Cosmetic procedures (aliens, duck face, ridiculous, insecurity, patriarchy, sorry for them..yada yada)
Teens in short skirts (multiple references to arse cheeks)
Affairs (is he having one? Should I tell a stranger that her husband might be having one?)

Blimey, so MN is one extension of Take a Break then! Sad that people have to make stories up to get attention. There's probably other reasons they do it, especially with political and feminist stuff 🙄 I'm going to start ignoring the iffy threads.

Masses.
In the last week or so I've noticed a load of essay style OPs with either just the right amount of rage bait points, stuff that could pass for an Eastenders storyline, the OP never returning or engaging again and a very obvious poo troll.

Are you talking about the sister / ex husband saga that miraculously resolved itself in hours this week 😂

Ah yes.

Food in general is always a hot topic 'AIBU to think this is too much food?' 'AIBU to think it's disgusting to eat McDonald's?'.

And I forgot dogs. Dog threads can take off very quickly.

Always. There are always fake threads. Mostly they stand because they generate traffic, so MN will say something like 'there's nothing in the posting history to suggest the OP is not genuine'.

Sometimes a faker gets a bit giddy or trigger happy with the power and strays into bereavment or somesuch unsuitable place and then MN will zap. Or if the OP gets so much derision that the thread is pulled 'for privacy reasons'.

The dog threads are ridiculous. It's as though MN dogs are a different species! Dogs defecating in cafes and John Lewis - always John Lewis 😆 🤣

Someone did that once a few years ago where they left their editor's instructions and brief on there too.

I think there is a Creative Writers Course which offers a prize to the thread starter who can achieve the highest number of posts over a 24 hour period.

😁

The poo trolls, piss trolls and school uniform trolls have always been problematic as the good faith posters engage.

There was a queefing one yesterday which I presume was deleted. Allegedly a female OP queefing for 20 minutes in bed every morning. Can only assume she inexplicably inflated like a balloon every night.

I always assume the hospital and health emergency ones are made up. In fact, anything requesting a 'hand hold' or are about real time unfolding drama I am sceptical of. There were loads of 5 kids and benefits ones that were probably rage bait. The entitled dog owners are probably rage bait as well.

I don't think it has got worse.