I think that new members should be prevented from posting on the forums for 7 days

[wannaBeWhateverIWannaBe]

IMO it would prevent a lot of the nastyness that exists, and a lot of trolling.

I personally think that someone who signs up purely to cause trouble, is generally just borde. If they weren?t allowed to post straight away they would forget about posting here and would go somewhere else. As for people who need urgent advice, if they?re genuine, signing up here would give them a chance to look through posts and probably find the answer to their question without having to post it for the hundredth time. And if the advice they need is that urgent,then it?s probably professional help they need anyway and not mn help iyswim.

I think that newbies should be allowed to post but I wonder if their posts could be flagged with maybe a star or something for a few weeks?

I was called a probably harmless name (thick) on a thread recently but she chose just the thing to hurt me (having been put in SN class at school despite being actually rather academic) and if I ahd realised she was a newbie basing her views on little more than bigotry, I wold have handled it better I think.

madamex why should anyone say someone's opinion is boring or stupid?

What on earth is wrong with I do not agree with you?

More accurate, less vitriolic

no. there are people like me who have never lurked and just have to post straight away! i found out about mumsnet from a magazine and posted within the first 10 minutes. i got info about my baby's operation, not medical exactly, but experiences of others who'd been through something similar.
how about the length of time someone's been registered being displayed by their name. i've namechanged a few times so not sure how this would work but it could show up those who are just here to cause trouble on a particular subject.

I'd say most trolls aren't newbies at all from past experience on other websites!

the only thing i dont like about mums net, is that if someone doesnt like or agree with your opinion, that they immediatly make you out to be a bad mother.

this doesnt happen all the time, but i have seen people being refered to in that way.

yes it happens - shame

i avoid certain threads...seen too many cross faces..people being cheeky..things u would not say in RL

imo, Internet offer anonnimity, and some posters really use that and throw it about

No, bad idea for reasons already stated.

Can I just repeat my post from a previous thread so (since everyone bloody ignored me the first time and I'm pretty sure it wasn't that bad)

"As mentioned by others, there does seem to be an influx of new posters, spouting argumentative and nasty things.

IMO there are two possibilites here.

1 - They are trolls in which case continuing to berate them and allowing yourselves to be angered enough to post vitriol in reply is playing their game. Stop, they will get bored and go elsewhere.

2 - They are sad people, with no empathy or understanding, who like to shout loudly enough for everyone to hear. Don't waste your time on them, it only allows them to shout some more."

I thank you. You can all carry on and ignore me again now

i am new here, just discovered mn last thursday, if i hadnt been able to post for 7 days i wouldnt have bothered coming back.im sure most of us newbies arent out to cause trouble

This isn't bingo you know!

did you say something? stg? .

Peachy: is"oFFS YOU STUPID TWUNT" actually worse than "I do not agree with your parenting methods and think you may be doing your child serious harm...." for example.

I have seen established mumsnetters post horrible comments so I don't think newbies can be blamed for all the unpleasantness.

I just keep away from anything I know will upset/anger me, simple as

madamez yes it is imo

F off you etc etc just makes you look aggressive, as if you've got PMT or something, the alternative might just give some food for thought and at least makes it clear what the issue is.

Eff off should be strictly reserved for DH's, MIL's and Ed Psychs who work for the LEA?

Chip? on my shoulder? really? LOL

MN used to have a 24-hour lapse between registration and ability to post, iirc (and I do).

It would be far more worthy if all the oldies/prolific posters were banned from posting for 7 days to give others a chance

I don't remember there ever being a time lag before you could post.

Terrible idea.
I joined mumsnet and posted right away, got some lovely advice and joined the TTC threads.
I dont know if I would have bothered staying if I had to "prove" myself before posting.

I wouldn't have had the patience to wait. Seems a bit extra.

No, it's a bad idea. most people are genuine and although there are trolls out there they're either namechangers out to cause a bit of mischief or are very obvious and get short shrift or ignored.
I stumbled on MN (again via a search engine) after I'd had my first MC and to be able to "talk" to other people who'd been through it was a great source of support to me as I didn't know anyone who'd been through it. If I'd had to wait seven days, I probably would never have joined in the first place and been part of what is, for the most part a great community to be part of!

Don't recall there ever being a lag between reg and posting?

No, I don't remember a time lag either- certainly wasn't when I joined. I don't think this is workable either, sorry. I just kind of wish there was a way for MN to track name changing and whether it was being done deliberately to stir up trouble though. I know they can detect it but not always that quickly it seems.