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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Circular arguments used to "detect" trolls and multiple personalities

103 replies

loneparent · 19/10/2009 14:57

I am new to Mumsnet so perhaps this has all be mentioned N million times before. How do the people who claim to know that person X is a troll or is posting using more than one identity actually know that they are. Apart from an IP addresses check, which are easily faked or changed or both, on the Mumsnet server how can people know the truth of what they claim? Do ordinary users have access to the logs generated? I'm not clear what new users brought in by the recent publicity with the PM are making of all this.

OP posts:
MaggieBehaveOutGuising · 20/10/2009 12:41

they don't know half the time.

MadameDigestive · 20/10/2009 12:46

MNHQ have confirmed on trolls, both on threads and in emails.

While they might not have 100% proof, they will have a pretty good idea.

And its not a court of law! Its a forum owned by MN and they can refuse access to it to anyone they like.

And people can say whatever they like, as long as MN thinks its reasonable according to their criteria (not ours).

MsSpentYouth · 20/10/2009 12:56

Wuzter - That is how I coped, I had to namechange because XP found out my posting name and would quote back things I had posted. And then he posted his own thread slagging me off and getting sympathy from MNers, making me out to be a bitch. This made the troll hunters very but it was out of my control.

So I changed names, but because my circs were unique I couldn't post about the things I needed to, and when I did I had the troll hunters point it out.. I found it very hurtful and it caused me no end of grief because I couldn't use my lifeline (it really was) without being called a troll.

In the end I changed names and only posted about things that I wouldn't be recognised as, but it soon dwindled off... part of what I had enjoyed about MN was that everybody knew me, I lost any 'connections' I had built with other posters because they didn't know who I was (apart from my FB MN friends) so the whole thing seemed pointless. So I stopped posting (and even visiting the site) for ages.

It is really only recently (since MN started up their Fan page) that I have started lurking and posting again. And I won't be getting into it like i did last time.

curiositykilled · 20/10/2009 13:08

I'm not meaning MN have never confirmed trolls. I've not been around that long to know, I was just meaning that I have seen maybe ten troll hunts since I joined and no confirmed trolls. I have also been accused (in a minor griping way) several times.

MadameDigestive · 20/10/2009 13:20

well, there was brightonavenger only last week!

I think it comes with the territory....not pleasant, but because there are trolls out there, it raises the possibility...how it is dealt with is another matter.

Personally I am happy to report to MNHQ, and only if its blindingly obvious, on a thread...there are trolls who for whatever reason post again and again and again with the same kind of story and the same nonsense....I am thinking of one in particular, which needed to be called, because it was luring people into discussing something rather pervy obviously for the thrills of the troll.

wukter · 20/10/2009 13:58

That's horrible MsSpentYouth.

MsSpentYouth · 20/10/2009 14:25

It's ok though... because I stopped posting on MN it forced me to actually go out and make RL friends... and now I have lots of friends that I see regularly, and even a special guy I in fact sometimes feel like me life it too hectic...

So it was kind of a good thing, I really was too dependant on it (posting until god knows what time in the morning and turning the puter on was the first thing I did in the morning.) I really needed the push to stop relying on it so much tbh

stinkypinky · 20/10/2009 19:42

When I challenged a long-standing member of MN, she looked at my profile, saw that I was new, read my other few posts, then proceeded to take the piss out of me, my 3 year old daughter, and my nickname. Her friends joined in on the thread, hurling abuse (someone googled my nickname) and started another AIBU thread as I had reported the bullying to MN. The AIBU thread was removed by HQ, they apologised to me and encouraged me to stay.
I was shocked at the pack animal behaviour... bitchy. I had made some good contacts on a lovely TTC thread, and felt I could not go back - that was a real loss to me.
DH thought I was daft to let 'virtual' strangers hurt me, but when they took the piss out of my daughter I cried my eyes out.
I am very happy on MN now, and will not be bullied any more (but have a new name up my sleeve if needed)

TheHerbs · 20/10/2009 19:48

There is some weirdly pack animal behaviour on here at times

It can happen even when you have been here years and some newbies have never heard of you, and nobody comes to your aid, unless you go and grab a delegation and start full on war

Be careful and be prepared. It still hurts when it happens.

notanumber · 20/10/2009 19:54

OP - MN's advice on this is as follows:

By JustineMumsnet (from MNHQ) Sat 13-Jun-09 22:53:44 Add a message | Report post | Contact poster

"FYI for Oldtimers, seems Lola is/was one of our old friends, AnnainManchester.

As said in the past, please do report any suspicions of trolls rather than feed them on board if you can bear it. We have one or two persistent old friends and they know how to cover their tracks pretty well from a tech point of view.

Cheers."

bernadetteoflourdes · 20/10/2009 20:24

Stinky pinky I loved your thread, the same happened to me when I ventured off the other threads to the AIBU threads. I have changed my name as they made fun of my pics too, I was overweight and my DS and DD are really skinny. It did spur me to lose weight and it has taken some nerve to come back on here. I have removed photos as the jibes at my "skinny kids" were evil. Others have complained about the "old tiners" bullying and I think MNHQ should be more robust in their punishment of these individuals. Anyway I will re -post pics of the new slimmer me when I have tested the waters on MN (but my DS and DD will be kept off here! ) If any of you who made those spiteful remarks read this post, you know who you are and I think you are pathetic. Stinky Pinky chin up !xxxx

PacificWerewolfwoohood · 20/10/2009 20:29

The "feeding the troll" behaviour has always fascinated me: why not just stay away from a thread you are suspicious of? Report to HQ or not as you wish and then step away from the keyboard, non?
It is a great shame when newbies are discouraged, but equally, hey, it is an internet forum rather than RL which I always felt takes any personal remarks the sting, not that I am defending nastiness.
I am still not sure how the OP's previous thread make him look worthy of and doubts, though...

scottishmummy · 20/10/2009 20:44

gob-smacked when others search posts to see if 1st post,and if so squawk troll in a conspiratorial tone.the troll patrol really are keen beans to uncover a suspected troll

when really if you no likey - don't post

and to those who post don't feed the troll - well that is self defeating to keep post active to demand no further posts?

as i see it no likey, ignore.plenty more bampots to keep you entertained

scottishmummy · 20/10/2009 20:44

gob-smacked when others search posts to see if 1st post,and if so squawk troll in a conspiratorial tone.the troll patrol really are keen beans to uncover a suspected troll

when really if you no likey - don't post

and to those who post don't feed the troll - well that is self defeating to keep post active to demand no further posts?

as i see it no likey, ignore.plenty more bampots to keep you entertained

ABetaDad · 20/10/2009 20:47

Sometimes newbie people are called troll because they don't understand the unwritten rules of a forum they are posting on. It happens here and on other forums (fora?) I read.

Happened a few times to me in the early days on MN but for someone who had never been on an internet forum before I suspect it is very upsetting and may be the reason some leave and never come back, hence perpetuating the troll myth - especially if posting about something very personal.

There are usually self appointed 'enforcers' on every forum who call troll - but it just feeds real trolls and intimidates those who are not. Mostly, trolls out themselves in the end and they are ignored so it is not really worth shouting troll.

stinkypinky · 20/10/2009 20:50

Thank you bernadetteoflourdes. It is always worse when they mention the kids - not what you expect on a parenting forum. Well done for coming back, and for losing weight. I had the last laugh (smile) by getting pregnant!

scottishmummy · 20/10/2009 20:55

i object to self appointed troll hunters sniffing around,salivating at thought of discovering a troll

and whilst i am on it i dislike MN pat responses

i will get the popcorn
oh where's me hard hat
are you newbie?

cycling Christ at least keep your put downs fresh and funny.not recycled clichés

PacificWerewolfwoohood · 20/10/2009 20:57
bernadetteoflourdes · 20/10/2009 20:58

Good on you StinkyPinky there are loads of great things on here, and a lot of genuine support too. I think the small minority who get a kick out of piss taking the newbies are just as sad as the genuine trolls, it is all to do with attention seeking!

stinkypinky · 20/10/2009 21:01

bernadette

scottishmummy · 20/10/2009 21:05

i abhor the term newbies or folk asking it.so divisive a post is either good or it isn't

being an ole MN gimmer doesn't give carte Blanche to be cantankerous and ask "are you a newbie". fortunately that whole newbie/oldie debacle seems to have diminished

SugarSkyHigh · 20/10/2009 21:23

when I first joined MN I had a fairly unpleasant experience - unfortunately in my innocence I dared go onto a breast/bottle thread and try and give support to an OP by saying how I bf my 1st 2 dc and bottlefed dc3. And that there has been no difference in their health. (true). People leapt on me and I didnt know what on earth was going on... a MNer who is an oldie but still posts on here asked me if I was a troll and was incredibly scathing. I changed my name and avoided the feeding threads!

what was really unfortunate though was that I wanted to help and to this day stand by what I posted that time.

scottishmummy · 20/10/2009 21:28

jesus wept the feeding threads the zealots with quasi-research and bad attitudes,asserting formula gives baby

pimples
bunions
gas

folk on those threads inhabit a very combative unreal world.in reality no one cares that much how any mum feeds her own baby

no siree

tethersend · 20/10/2009 21:37

Oh, I made exactly the same mistake on my first post.

NEVER touch a bf/ff thread. EVER. Not with a ten foot pole.

My favourites now are the ones that start off about shoes or cheese and by the third page descend into a full-scale war about the irrefutable evidence that proves one or the other poster is a terrible mother because she ffs. FFS.

at sm

curiositykilled · 20/10/2009 21:39