The official what's happening about the spammers thread. MNHQ will only post on this one for the time being (sorry, not being hoity; it's just to save time)

[HelenMumsnet]

Afternoon.

We are currently mopping up after close on 100 (and that's just the last count) spammers posted all over our boards last night and this morning.

Thank you for all your reports. We hope you'll understand that we're not going to reply to them. Please take it as read that we're really grateful.

IMPORTANT: we think we have tabs on pretty much all of the spammers now, so (even if we haven't deleted them all yet) so there is no need to report any more. In fact, any more reports and our system might keel over!

Once we can see the wood for the trees, we'll post again and ask you to report any remaining spam posts we might have missed.

Please bear with us. We are getting there.

Any Qs, do post em here and we'll do our best to answer you.

ha! We have a big sofa and a deep-buttoned Chesterfield, and an array of cushions for those who like to pretend to be en terrace - ie near the screen. (sad really).

Thank you for dealing with this and well done.
PHEW

I've not had very much involvement in all of this but this thread caught my attention especially as a link has been provided www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/1698650-wtf-is-the-Horrible-Histories-comp-about

It appears to be about a comp on MN?

Report something that you don't think is right.

Oh I have line, sorry I should have mentioned that but I know HQ are now drunk on gin so busy so thought it best to post here as well not mentioning that I was told to chillax on the thread

I want some gin.

Dear HQ,
I started a thread about this on thursday night, regarding night time trolling and how it is dealt with, but never really got any answer.
When Worras thread was finally taken down, we were told that there were procedures in place to spot this kind of thing at night, and Worras had just slipped through the net. But when the spambot hit, with literally hundreds of threads, it took more than an hour for anyone at HQ lovely tech to notice. I know it is the middle of the night when this happens, but this is also a time when vulnerable people may really need help, take 'Relationships' for instance, and their posts are getting missed because of mass spamming, or trolled with foul posts as in another recent invasion when sick posts weren't deleted until morning.
Could we get some feedback on the night trolls situation please?

I may or may not have included the line "spam spam spam spam" in a report to HQ last night, whilst singing the Monty Python song in my head...

deccacards, I'm a quiet Homebird, until I've had a few gins!

Dear MNHQ,

If you need more staff, I'm looking for a job .

But I don't drink gin so does that rule me out?

Well done hq

Thanks for all your kind words and

Hugely appreciated.

@SaggyOldClothCatpuss

Dear HQ, I started a thread about this on thursday night, regarding night time trolling and how it is dealt with, but never really got any answer. When Worras thread was finally taken down, we were told that there were procedures in place to spot this kind of thing at night, and Worras had just slipped through the net. But when the spambot hit, with literally hundreds of threads, it took more than an hour for anyone at HQ lovely tech to notice. I know it is the middle of the night when this happens, but this is also a time when vulnerable people may really need help, take 'Relationships' for instance, and their posts are getting missed because of mass spamming, or trolled with foul posts as in another recent invasion when sick posts weren't deleted until morning. Could we get some feedback on the night trolls situation please?

Sorry, Saggy, if you don't think we answered you properly last time.

It may help to know that we can't really elaborate too much on what we do/don't do, as that would inevitably give the spammers extra info on when and how to "hit" us.

That said, we can assure you there is stuff in place.

Some of it is quite drastic, in terms of the site's functionality, so we don't use it that often although we may have done yesterday and last night

And some of it is not so drastic but might not catch everything.

Our very lovely Tech team are also currently working on a solution that's midway between these two.

Apols for being slightly cryptic but hope you'll understand. We don't think it's a coincidence that these spambots attacked us shortly after several threads asking if the site was manned overnight...

Thanks Helen. Got you.

The spam was around for over 6 hours, from 9am to after 3pm Singapore time (GMT +8 at the moment), so the systems didn't kick in in an hour. All of us in the USA and Asia were moaning on for ages trying to boost real convos up Active and hide spam.

Spam doesn't actually harm you though, does it? If MNHQ are clearing it as fast as they can, then that's all there is to it.

I'm more bothered with abject trolley in sensitive topics, tbh. I think that's a bigger headache.

The links can harm your computer if you click on them possibly.

There back :(

It's all kicked off again.

Just reported about 10 threads, and advised people in the far-flung forums that are now being targetted not to respond.

I think pipparabbit's reported a load as well.

They're not there! See the upset they have caused me to lose my grasp on English.

Oh jolly good show MNHQ - the buggers are being deleted as quick as you like!

Many thanks again you for all your reports. We hope you'll understand that we're not going to reply to them. Please take it as read that we're really VERY grateful.

Again, please bear with us.
We are getting there.

Hope your Account Delete button does not get too much use tonight Olivia, though I suspect it might.

@nannynick

Hope your Account Delete button does not get too much use tonight Olivia, though I suspect it might.