Trolls & Membership

[ChippingIn]

I know it has been discussed before - but I don't know what the outcome was.

Would having a paid membership deter some of the trolls?

Who would be prepared to pay to be a member of Mumsnet?

MNHQ - would it have a detrimental affect on your advertising revenue (greater than you would receive in membership revenue)?

How else can we get MN back to how it used to be - it has been bloody horrible lately :(

I don't think it would stop people either. So they pay a fee. So what's a fiver to most? And I remember when you had to pay a tenner to CAT. I've deliberately namechanged back to a name I was using last week in a thread some may have thought 'troll' to. I can assure you that's not the case, sometimes people do need to post as events happen. For me it was a way to reach out, I still haven't told anyone in real life the things I was talking about on here. I'm a very longstanding, fairly prolific member and I'm sure MN would and should confirm that to anyone with concerns. The trouble starts when the sockpuppetry accusations come about. How many people saw that one coming with M? (won't name but I'm sure you all know who I mean). So I get why people maybe feel jumpy. But it really bothers me that the focus on here has switched from giving support to weeding out the finer details of people's stories. I changed all sorts of unimportant things, my dc's ages for example, in a bid to stay anonymous. I'm sure if anyone had noticed they would have exclaimed 'aha! An inconsistency! TROLL'.

Do these n/cers liven up the threads? Is that why they're looked over?

Oh god I wasn't defending it, I was just thinking out loud as to why MN would allow it? At the end of the day it's a business and they get traffic when topics are either particularly funny/witty (hence my question) or inflammatory.

Otherwise, why would they not kick the sockpuppets arse??

I'm not explaining myself well at all :o

Verryyyy interestinggg.

"it really bothers me that the focus on here has switched from giving support to weeding out the finer details of people's stories" - couldn't agree more, FFFF.

I wouldn't pay, and I don't think namechanging should be banned (apart from possibly within same thread). Namechanging can be invaluable, especially for regular posters who need support re. personal issues.

The whole issue is very simple IMO:

1. Face facts that whenever you 'speak' to someone on a forum, all may not be what it seems. I have never met the majority of posters IRL, so as far as I am concerned anyone could be anyone IYSWIM - even MN 'royalty' (for want of a better word) could be making things up as far as I would know (and I've been posting for a good few years).

1. Don't shout troll. On most threads, even if OP is a troll, the good advice can be invaluable to others. I feel a lot more upset at the thought of someone in trouble and pain being ridiculed and called a troll, than at the thought of a troll fooling people. Innocent until proven guilty.

1. Understand that many people only 'find' MN because they have a problem or issue they need help and support for. I certainly did. These people are not automatically trolls just because its their first post.

1. If in ANY doubt, don't get excessively engaged with posters who are essentially complete 'strangers' - don't send money, don't arrange to meet to help with a problem. If there is a real reason to help, meet as part of a co-ordinated MN group.

Some very good points, RHP. Great post.

How about moderation until a poster had posted 10 times or something?

How about MNHQ have to either approve your name change each time, or approve you to name change? Would stop some silly, fun mid thread name changing but would also make it harder for trolls and sock puppeteers.

Sockpuppeteers should be outed on the thread and laughed at for all to see?

If you have number of posts next to your name or something else that denotes how long you've been here (sparkly twirly stars anyone? C4GBBF) there will be constant bunfights over it and people posting absolute bullshit and 'games' like post a smilie to bump up their postcount.

MaryZ - let's see :)

MaryZ - my OP name 'ChippingIn' is highlighted and 'ChippinginSmellyCheeseFreak' is too - how about for you? I presume Smelly Cheese Freak doesn't show as the OP or else we would be able to see thread namechangers/sockpuppets.

Back again - before I get accused of being a sockpuppet

It doesn't show green, no.

sorry-I have it set as green!

Your namechange isn't highlighted to the rest of us, Chipping.

I wouldn't pay. At the moment MN is my main hobby, its almost all I do when I'm not doing housework or child related stuff but even so I wouldn't pay. I'd defect to Netmums and mutter under my breath about that bloody mumsnet charging for membership!

I think it would be the death of mumsnet.

I agree with Tee, we had this same thread last summer holidays after a silly season of trollery. I think it will probably die down again. Its just that mumsnet is a victim of its own success so it will always be a target.

I agree with SybilBeddows and I like Maryz's idea -- being able to highlight names that come from the same isp would help somewhat. I have never figured out how to namechange, but some namechanges are genuinely funny (Wolef threads and Nobdies, and Christmas names stand out for me) and I think it would be a net loss to the site to prohibit the practice.

I love MN but really couldn't see my way to paying for it. I think it would leave MN open to accusations of yumminess even moreso than it is right now (without justification imo). Plus I am very tight with money.

I have to say too, that I have been burned by trolls once or twice, and maybe I have extra thick skin but I have somehow managed to bravely get over it and soldier on.