to not give a flying feck about troll but to find the troll spotters irratating

[chevre]

all this 'interesting first post 66mumtodaisy?' followed by the obligatory ghastly eyebrow emoticon. is driving me fecking nuts.

But if everyone just took a slightly more distanced stance from it all they could be harmless - at worst annoying. You give your advice and then stand back.

Don't give out your email, don't send money.. protect yourself first and foremost before trying to help others that may or may not be genuine.

i agree it can be unpleasant but i am currently finding the rash of troll spotters more unpleasant

Well yeah, when there's ones like that, or ones like that one about a mum walking in on her daughter looking at porn or something.. I mean an offensive thread is an offensive thread regardless of whether it has come from a genuine place or not.

I think we are talking about issues that could perfectly well be real situations but what is in doubt is whether that particular op is being truthful/genuine.

I agree. I think we need to be very careful about shouting "troll" - which is going on a lot at the moment.

Yes, trolls can be hurtful, but equally if someone is desperate for advice, imagine how hurt they could be by not being believed.

By all means if people are getting emotionally involved, offering money, offering to meet up etc, and you suspect that the OP is a troll, when it's time to step in, but surely the whole point of Mumsnet is that generally people get a sympathetic / candid / helpful hearing?!

Also, even if the OP is a troll, any advice given could well be helpful to others. What have you lost if you offer advice to someone whose OP is fabricated? Surely it's just the same as replying to a hypothetical scenario?

And some of the thread I've seen people shouting "troll" on recently weren't even in any way suspicious or unbelieveable - just someone's first post under a particular name! Come on guys, we risk turning Mumsnet into a clique, where you have to be "known" to post.

I think people are forgetting a crucial thing. THIS IS AN INTERNET SITE. THAT THE ENTIRE WORLD HAS ACCESS TO. It might be wrapped up in pink tissue paper but that doesn't mean you should give your personal details to all and sundry. Nor believe everything you read.

Come on ladies, exert a little common sense here. Internet bulletin boards, by their very nature, are going to have jesters intent on picking fun and making life difficult. It's a fact of life. Constantly pointing fingers and giving them the attention they desire makes it all the more fun for them. See them as you would a tantruming toddler. Ignore the bad behaviour.

That's quite funny coming from someone who started one of the most attention seeking threads of the last few days...never mind though, that is a sensible post and I agree with it.

Totally agree - the spotters just come across as smug imo.

Maybe they are right but if there is a lurker who is going through the same thing as the OP claims to be going through and all they see is distrust and name calling how are they going to feel? They might for example be gearing up to leave an abusive partner (thinking of one recent troll thread) and be looking for support and information. Instead all they see is people turning on the OP, pulling their support and name calling. The lurker is left feeling even more confused and cut-off than ever.

Also those who shout 'Don't feed the trolls' are by their own post doing exactly that. Silly.

Best to not post on the thread, contact MN and ask for them to look at it. If a poster is getting in too deep, offering help and support, phone numbers and meet-ups, then it should be up to MN to warn them and not let the thread turn into some sort of battle ground.

Troll spotters get on my nerves. There's something really moronic about them.

Jumente: I didn't start that thread as a means of seeking attention. I will admit that there was a large degree of mis-judgment on my part but i certainly didn't post to be centre of attention.

I agree.

If a troll is being nasty it's easy to ignore them.

It irritates me too, so yanbu.

I'm a regular namechanger, I like it that way and I have been called a troll once on here.

But I'm a grown woman, with a bit of sense in my head, if I'm interested in the thread I'll post. If I'm not or if I think its a bit odd, I dont. Simple.

I think it depends how it is done. If there is a degree of subtlety and people are perhaps warned off board by those who 'know' them and want to look out for them, I don't see that that is a problem.

However the online game playing does annoy me...trolls don't need shouting down or outwitting in public, normally. They need ignoring and perhaps a little behind the scenes marpling is not out of place.

Remember that troll hunters are generally out for the public good, and the better ones are not always to be seen on the thread.

Agree with shoot from the hip shootfromthehip, the ongoing competition is just as annoying as the trolls themselves. I'm not sure what kudos there is in being the first one to 'out' the troll but it seems to fascinate a certain section of MN.

I went onto a 'lets revel in outing the trolls thread' to point out they were just feeding the troll but got shouted down by the self appointed leader and told I was the one actually feeding the troll by writing that I pressed hide thread after that

At least they've stopped talking about wearing their 'troll hunting cloaks' as was the boring trend a little while ago, that's progress I suppose

One of the so called troll hunters supported someone and offered her lots of personal advice and encouragement, she even met her in rl because she believed her story and believed her to be genuine, sadly the person turned out to be a troll. She was quite badly hurt and affected.

So can we just lay off a little bit please?

yes i agree that was a shame fimbo but if we are talking about the same poster this whole "troll hunting" buiness has gone to far and is becoming a bit of an obsession.

a thread was started last week (i think) warning people that it was a full moon and to take care as the trolls were out, new posters dont stand a chance at the moment.

I find it hard to feel sorry for anyone that fell for CVQ's lies - call me cyncial but anyone that belived her nonsense isnt really qualified for the desciption 'troll hunter'.

And that doesnt justify calling every new poster 'troll' or the subsequent competitions that have poppped up all over the board

I don't see the harm really.

I just don't open threads that are not appealing to me.

Perhaps registration does need to be tightened up a little, but then would that really stop anyone?

Fimbo - I think I know who you mean and I don't think anybody is getting at her because, if she does shout troll, which isn't often as far as I can see, it is with good reason.

I think what a lot of us are saying, well me anyway, is that it is better off handled behind the scenes with MN investigating and then issuing a warning when there is proof. Far better than turning a thread, which may be legitimate, into a battle ground.

The thread is a reaction to the often unfounded outing of trolls which seems to accompany threads for anybody the troll hunters don't recognise.

SusieDent - back at the start of this thread you suggested a 'proper registration scheme'. What do you mean exactly, and how would it help deter trolls? Just curious.

It's a difference of opinion Lofty. But I thought the "ruling" was that if you suspected someone was a troll then you do not say anything on the thread and report it to MN?

x posts of sorts Niecie!

As others have said the shouts of troll and that annoying emoticon which i really wish could be removed are annoying.

But i am constantly surprised as to how much very personal information people are willing to divulge on a public forum that can be read by anyone.

I only post what i'd be happy for anyone to know about me really and if i've had doubts about a poster i've either emailed mnhq or just not bothered replying to the post.

Yep, sorry. I didn't even get a chance to correct my typos there!

Too slow.

Sorry and just to add that we teach our children about internet safety but seem to forget the principles ourselves sometimes.

Of course with some of the trolls i do know its because some people are too kind/well meaning but sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is point them in the direction of RL support and step away.

PMSL @ this thread, you know threads like this pop up on MN every so often, in fact not just on MN, on "open" internet forums around the world on every subject imaginable