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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

that all mumsnet is about is hunting "trolls"

196 replies

justsue · 11/01/2010 23:23

I have read so many posts tonight that are not short of bullying to be honest. So someone has questions and ideas that do not sound particulary sane, so what! This is exactly why some people "including me" are a little worried about posting thier ideas, fears, little problems that to the individual are huge but to some of you lot are funny or total lies that you can belittle and make fun off.

If that is what mumsnet is all about then you carry on

OP posts:

boardgames · 12/01/2010 22:41

I've always assumed that trolls were adolescent males whose frontal lobes (involving thought, empathy etc) were not fully developed.

mummysgoingmad · 12/01/2010 22:56

OH MY GOD lucyellensmumagain, thats shocking. That kinda thing happened to me too when i worked for sky. some man wanted me to read out the adult films that were on box office, all the while i could hear him chugging in the background! I couldn't say anything as i was in hysterics

lucyellensmumagain · 12/01/2010 22:59

yeah well, im not catering to any creepy wankers on here - there are phone numbers that they can call you know, just cos they dont want to pay up!!!

CarmenSanDiego · 12/01/2010 23:09

Couldn't agree more with Edgar.

Now, WWC was very provocative with her first post. But I don't think it was trolling. She had a valid point in there about public health. Yes, the way she put it forward was offensive. But it was followed up with a lot of "I know someone who had breast cancer, so my opinion is valid and yours isn't." Most of us do know someone who has been affected.

There really should be a bit of self-preservation going on. If I know a thread is likely to hit close to home and trigger something upsetting for me, I ignore it or hide it. Two days ago, someone flounced apparently in 'tears' because I said they sounded smug. I don't get that. If a topic on an internet forum is going to make you cry, you really need to not engage in that topic in a controversial way. We're all adults.

Personally, I /try/ to be quite measured in my posts, but I understand the value in shock tactics or imagery. How valid they are on Mumsnet is another debate. I don't think we have a right to not be offended or to not hear extreme opinions. I don't agree with much of what Bonsoir or DP for example, but they have a right to what they say. I tend to ignore it if I really find it offensive.

I don't think that thread killing, spamming and personal abuse are valid though and I saw a lot of that on WWC's post.

CarmenSanDiego · 12/01/2010 23:12

Not too convinced by this 'nice threads for nice people' thing either.

Most of the self-proclaimed 'nice' people I know have been the most passive aggressive and shallow.

The implication is that anyone who engages in debate is 'not nice' which I find rather bothersome.

MillyR · 12/01/2010 23:15

That implication was not my intention.

cariboo · 12/01/2010 23:33

lucyellle, you've caused me to wake dh up! hitting the phone with his cock, indeed...lolololol

BitOfFun · 12/01/2010 23:53

The creepy wanking troll is NOT WashWithCare. It is Extended/RaisedInCare/MrsHiggind/ConcernedMother/many other aliases.

gaelicsheep · 12/01/2010 23:57

Is it still around BitOfFun? Luckily I don't think I've conversed with it - the thought of that makes me heave .

DuelingFanjo · 13/01/2010 00:04

I think the word 'troll' is incredibly miss-used on mumsnet.

Most people who post these incredible stories full of made up issues and lies do it because they seek attention because they have mental health issues, not because they want to trick people.

A troll just simply and deliberately winds people up by being inflamatory or rude.

BitOfFun · 13/01/2010 00:54

I still see him now and again, gaelicsheep- I have a feeling I know who it is in RL now actually from some clues online, but I can't be 100%, obviously.

mummysgoingmad · 13/01/2010 01:01

DuelingFanjo thats a incredibly sweeping statement.

How do you know these people have a mental illness?

attention seeking is not a mental illness!!

DuelingFanjo · 13/01/2010 10:40

apologies if I have offendded, I wasn't trying to be dismissive of mental illness or suggest that all trolls have a mental illness. I do think that many of the threads we get here which people say are started by 'trolls' are being described incorrectly and that it is more likely that many of them are started by people who for whatever reason (mental illness being one) need attention from other people. Need to feel like they are getting support and so who make up stories to get that attention.

The people who I know who have done this in real life (String together a whole fantasy life so they can get support from other people) have often been suffering from some kind of mental disorder or illness. Maybe there's a nicer way of saying it than using the word 'mental'?

Anyway - not my intention to make sweeping statements or offend.

I just think that the word 'troll' is being used incorrectly a lot of the time.

LittleMrsHappy · 13/01/2010 10:44

From what I can see some MN's dont want to posts constructive advice/criticism, only post when they ant to be vindictive, and see things from what they want, and not what is actually their.

bibbitybobbitysantahat · 13/01/2010 11:10

Nikita - I agree with what you said. We are singing from the same hymn sheet here. Afaik Mumsnet has only banned a few posters (there was a thread about this the other day) one of them being UCM who was not a troll but who was deeply offensive and reported by many Mumsnetters.

No one is talking about banning people on this thread but I genuinely don't understand Curiosity's assertion that even if you suspect someone is spinning a line or if you find what they are saying deeply offensive you should for some reason passively sit back and give them "the benefit of the doubt" just because this is the internet.

BelleDameSansMerci · 13/01/2010 12:01

Edgar - thank you, very helpful. Much appreciated.

daftpunk · 13/01/2010 12:14

Talking about trolls/outing trolls/and anything else to do with trolls/.. seems to make up 50% of the threads on here... (yawn yawn).. does anyone really give a toss..? I mean really...?

I find all the troll hunting extremely boring and think troll hunters deffo need to get out more...

Go and meet some RL trolls...

Hullygully · 13/01/2010 12:15

There goes one! Tally ho! Avast ye! After her!

daftpunk · 13/01/2010 12:21

It's my human right to defend trolls, I'm sure there are homosexual trolls, muslim trolls, and disabled trolls...

leave them alone I say...let them get on with life...

scottishmummy · 13/01/2010 19:12

face it some trolls are more interesting/funny than some of the posters on mn

EdgarAllenSnow · 13/01/2010 19:27

if you suspect someone is spinning a line or if you find what they are saying deeply offensive you should for some reason passively sit back and give them "the benefit of the doubt" just because this is the internet.

that's not what (i thought) she was saying - more that if you find something gets your goat, that doesn't mean its a troll - it might just be someone you disagree with.

In which case - posting to say why you think they are wrong is appropriate - abuse/ yelling troll is not. engage with the ideas - not the person.

also, if you know you feel easily hurt on a subject - maybe don't take that pain and throw it at someone who has raised a related topic as a matter for debate?

then there are the creepy trolls, who you should report to MNHQ and not reply to.

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