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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be annoyed that some MNers shout TROLL to anyone who posts a subject that requires a lot of debate and discussion

71 replies

pigletmania · 04/11/2009 08:38

Well am I . I am really fed up with people shouting 'troll' just because a fellow Mumsnetter dares post a subject that sparks a lot of debate, annoying imo. Get the troll detectors out

OP posts:

Chickenshavenolips · 04/11/2009 11:09

I have to put spaces in my name....

CitizenPrecious · 04/11/2009 11:15

sorry. I didn't notice it before, then someone pointed it out, now I always read it as Chicken Shave

pixiestix · 04/11/2009 11:16

I've been on Mumsnet for about five months and I must be really naive because the idea of people trolling hadn't even ocurred to me until the recent situation blew up.

And as a result of that naivety I found the whole thing very very upsetting.

I was very lucky and had no interesting stuff to post about for many weeks when I joined - if anything more exciting had been going on in my life I would have had TROLL screamed at me, with no idea at all of what was going on! I feel really sorry for people like Izzybiz's SIL who much just be thinking "Why the hell are all these evil people shouting at me??"

I still find it completely impossible to spot trolls...

pixiestix · 04/11/2009 11:19

must not much.
I still find it completely impossible to spell...

theyoungvisiter · 04/11/2009 11:25

I think the troll-spotting has got out of hand and far too gleeful. Sometimes it's like a competition to see who can be the first person to shout troll.

In 99% of the cases I am honestly not sure what the motivation of the "troll-spotter" is - apart from to prove that they at least are far too clever and sophisticated to be taken in, dontcha know.

If the troll is clearly malicious or harming other posters then fine - report it to MNHQ. Otherwise what's the point?

theyoungvisiter · 04/11/2009 11:31

I've been on threads where troll has been shouted for absolutely no reason I can see, other than that the spotter didn't have personal experience of the problem themselves.

I'm thinking of one thread where a poster namechanged to post about an upsetting physical problem they were worried about. A number of regulars posted to say they'd experienced exactly what the OP was describing and sympathised.

Then along came another band of regulars shouting troll and the problem the OP described didn't exist (in spite of other posters experiencing the same thing) and that she was clearly lying.

I truly don't know what they thought they were doing or why they felt the need to shout troll - it was incredibly unkind, gratuitous and unnecessary.

MadameDefarge · 04/11/2009 11:32

I usually report to MN, but very very occasionally it is blindingly obvious. Now if the post is in a sensitive topic I leave well alone, but if it is in AIBU, then all bets are off. I did suggest someone was a troll on the thread a couple of days ago, because it was. Same MO, same tone, same wind Mnetters up and see them go scenario. And no, it wasn't a sensitive topic, unless suggesting you bugger off on a sailing trip with a newborn and leave your wife at home is considered sensitive.

There was also another one, who is a regular troll, who posts pervy things about and DP and DSD scenario who I just reported straight to MN, who deleted the thread.

Mostly people suggest a troll because they don't like to see MNetters having the piss taken out of them.

Mostly I give benefit of the doubt and walk away.

Original poster

pigletmania · 04/11/2009 12:01

Yes theyoungvisitor some people can be quite unkind not everyone is a troll. I think that the AIBU thread is about the only one on MN that has trolls

OP posts:

Kamikatze · 04/11/2009 12:06

I posted for the first time about a really annoying situation that I am in. I thought my problem is a bit lame, since it's to do with a friend using my services as a babysitter. I did get loads of supportive advice but also a couple who thought I wasn't genuine. I really don't understand it. Why would anyone want to post a fake message and what good would come of it?? Also, my problem seems so mundane, I can't fathom why anyone would think it's not true. Anyway, I'm new here and I guess it'll take some time before I get the hang of it. I am very grateful for all the support I've been given and I really feel that MN has made a difference in how I see my situation.

Tortington · 04/11/2009 12:08

i posted in a different name about 18 months ago about a horrible situation within extended family that involved sexual abuse.

i was called a troll!

gagamama · 04/11/2009 12:11

I'd rather be reeled in by a thousand fake stories than shout 'troll' on a single thread where it could destroy someone's only support their hour of need and hurt them even furter.

Inflammatory AIBU threads are usually obvious from the outset, but even if they're not, I don't think it really makes a difference to the replies if the 'situation' described in the OP is real or imagined.

Tortington · 04/11/2009 12:12

indeed gagamama i agree, the threads themselves could help someone else in some circumstances

Deemented · 04/11/2009 12:52

YANBU.

People who are quick to shout 'troll' often have no understanding of just how devestating it can be to be labelled as such, especially when going through a tough time already.

MaggieMonday · 04/11/2009 13:04

piglet, i had a thread a while back about my son weeing in a cup and a lot of people said I was a troll. I am fairly certain you were one of them......

theyoungvisiter · 04/11/2009 13:05

there's also somehow an implication that only regulars are "allowed" to have sensitive problems.

I think it's really sad that when people namechange to post about a difficult situation, they feel the need to say "I'm a regular, here's a list of MN cliches to prove it".

And anyway, it doesn't prove anything at the end of the day. Any regular can be a troll and vice versa. Some of the most damaging trolls have been regulars - that's exactly why they've caused such emotional fallout. The first time poster with a sensitive OP is not usually the problem.

MaggieMonday · 04/11/2009 13:50

very true TYV.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 04/11/2009 13:57

I 'd rather be reeled in by a thousand fake stories than shout 'troll' on a single thread where it could destroy someone's only support their hour of need and hurt them even furter.

I agree gagamama

There are some people who I think troll in a different sense - not telling an unusual or "salacious" story, but those who like to kick up an argument, but I just don't respond to them.

MorrisZapp · 04/11/2009 15:15

YABU

Mostly it is obvious when somebody is new and just a bit clueless, and when somebody is starting a bunfight thread for their own enjoyment.

I've never once seen a sincere sounding poster being called a troll just for having a name change or being new. Never once.

I've only seen it on threads where the OP has shown other signs of trollery.

MaggieMonday · 04/11/2009 15:20

here's another who called me a troll a week ago! MZ

I'm neither clueless nor new. Not that that is a defence for being obnoxious to somebody imo.

MorrisZapp · 04/11/2009 15:24

Was that aimed at me - fill me in??

BitOfFun · 04/11/2009 15:27

We do get some proper regular trolls on here though, and very regular saddos like me MNers can spot them a mile off. I think it's fair enough to warn other posters in that case, especially when MNHQ take a while to delete and in the meantime posters ate sharing sensitive personal stories etc.

I don't ever assume trolling without a good reason- it's got nothing to do with how unusual a situation is, it's much more a case that you recognise their "voice" and elements of their narrative, style of name etc etc.

BitOfFun · 04/11/2009 15:28

Maggie, I was just replying to you on another thread when it got deleted

Now you will never hear my wisdom

MorrisZapp · 04/11/2009 15:37

Totally agree Bitoffun.

I'd also say the troll issue on MN is miniscule compared to just about every other forum I've ever been on - both in terms of people posting deliberately provocative posts and in terms of people calling other people trolls. Most people here aren't trolls, or 'troll hunters'. I've seen so much worse on other sites.

To the person who asked 'why would somebody make up a post?' the answer is for fun, for attention, to have a laugh, or to deliberately provoke posters who they want to wind up - etc etc.

BitOfFun · 04/11/2009 15:46

At least we get your more imaginative troll on here. If you look at sites like IMDB and youtube, they run around calling each other "dickwad" in block capitals constantly- very dull!

Legacy · 04/11/2009 15:47

I agree with BitofFun And MorrisZap - it's usually not just because someone is posting for the first time and/or has name-changed.

I think some of the attitudes to this differ depending on how long you've been on MN too - if you're an old codger a seasoned regular of 7+ years then you'll have seen a lot of 'troll' threads and the way they develop. In the past many Mners have been very, very upset when they've posted sympathy, advice, detailed personal stories etc and then found out someone unpleasant was just stringing them along... and the whole OP was a fake situation. There have been some seriously nasty/ distressing ones too....

God knows why people do it, I agree, but they DO... sometimes it is attention-seeking, sometimes boredom, sometimes 'fun' that goes wrong, and yes, sometimes journos posing as newbies looking for easy copy, and new 'angles' for an article with a rapidly approaching deadline .

It's all in the lifecycle of a chat forum, isn't it... been here, seen that, and begin to spot the signs... And sometimes those signs may be mis-interpreted and people get offended.

Personally I don't think saying 'I'm suspicious' or 'Trip-Trap?' is that offensive, it's merely stating that you personally have some doubts and asking if others think the same?

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