Banning/suspending trollhunters ?

[SerendipityJane]

Not sure if it's getting worse, or me getting grumpier, but quite a few threads of late where - despite clear and unambiguous guidelines - some posters decide to clog it up with in-thread accusations, rather than quietly clicking "report" and going about their day.

Especially in more sensitive threads it can be quite distressing to the OP.

Since it's clearly against site rules, why doesn't MNHQ ban or suspend people who insist on trollhunting ? Especially after MNHQ comment on a thread (but people "miss" it) ?

Awaits a flaming (or being called a troll )

Gosh, who made GetOffYourHighHorse the Queen of Mumsnet? Do calm down HighHorse, your blood pressure must be sky high.

Interesting to see that you recommend AS’ing posters who may not have been able to name change on a personal topic, however, especially as it is so frowned upon to drag other threads onto a new topic. Do you recommend googling posters’ usernames to see else what you can find online too, by any chance? Because it all sounds rather invasive to me.

You’ve mentioned the “other” site a few times now HighHorse.

Do you get a mention?

But why do feel it is your responsibility to do that on a thread, why not just report.

I do ‘just report’, as I’ve already said on this thread twice already, oh ye of little reading comprehension. I’m asking a question.

Woopwoop. It's simple you AS to see if any posting history first before jumping in and shouting troll. It isn't a guarantee obviously, just gives a clue.

Queen of Mumsnet . Or, I just get as sick of seeing excited troll hunters as I do of seeing trolls.

Ahhh, so no troll has ever had a posting history. That makes sense .

I understand that pages of TROLL are annoying. But they are not a patch on a pervert/beggar/fantasist/grief troll. They can cause a world of pain and they are also why other posters are suspected of telling untruths. It is obtuse to persist otherwise (unless of course one has a hidden agenda ).

. It's simple you AS to see if any posting history first before jumping in and shouting troll. It isn't a guarantee obviously, just gives a clue

A long posting history doesn’t mean they aren’t trolling.

But they are not a patch on a pervert/beggar/fantasist/grief troll

Is that so?

Clearly you haven't been on the end of being accused of being a troll when you have just gone through the worst experience of your life.

If you had, there is no way that you would make that comment. My rape not being believed nearly sent me over the edge. It was cut and pasted to the Reddit site too where they discussed that I must be a troll. It made me feel there was no point in pressing charges against the man who raped and violently sexually assaulted me.

That's not as damaging as being taken in by a troll is it? Ok....

'Ahhh, so no troll has ever had a posting history. That makes sense confused.'

I did say it's no guarantee but it's a clue.

I don't get your problem, if mnhq said 'no no there's no trolls here we will not delete anything ever!' fine I'd understand your angst, but they don't. They ask not to do it on thread in case it is a genuine poster who will then be distressed or if it is a troll you're adding to their excitement. Which part of that do you struggle with?

They ask not to do it on thread in case it is a genuine poster who will then be distressed or if it is a troll you're adding to their excitement. Which part of that do you struggle with?

THIS!

When MNHQ ask people not to troll hunt on the thread, yet people still do, they are putting their own desire to prove they are insightful, above both the feelings of the quite-possibly-genuine poster, AND the wishes of MNHQ.

If it really is more important to people to troll hunt on the thread, despite those potential outcomes, then the trollhunter is no better than the troll. Both are odious, attention-seeking cunts. Both harm others. Both break guidelines. I guess the need for a virtual 'backslap' must make some people selfish, unfeeling, arrogant bastards - much like trolls really.

SirChing, it's awful hearing what happens to you and your thread

It is sick how these 'troll hunters' are so worried about anyone mentioning a small child's plimsolls yet think nothing about mocking such a serious issue as yours.

I hope HiddenRobins will post that link again so I can report . Good to know mnhq will be taking tougher action.

I think the amount of actual troll hunting where someone says they don’t believe it and especially on a very sensitive thread has dropped dramatically. It used to be pretty rampant, I’m not saying it’s gone completely, just that I haven’t seen it for a long time.

So I think people are listening. The perv trolls probably do get told that they’re not believed tbf. Someone naive could be giving them all sorts of information that they’re getting off on especially as they seem to appear in the middle of the night when mods are in bed.

That’s why people need to be aware that not everyone is who they say they are and think before responding.

Why are you goading someone to post a link HighHorse?

That’s why people need to be aware that not everyone is who they say they are and think before responding

Absolutely. So that's why it should be MNHQ that make the rules and posters should familiarise themselves with them.

MN does NOT need posters acting like they 'have' to police threads for the wellbeing of others. Just press report and move on. People who call out trolls on a thread aren't doing a wanted public service for the benefit of others. They are being a pain in the arse, harmful in their own way, disobeying the rules, and causing hurt. Exactly the same as trolls.

Noone NEEDS other posters to step in and 'save' them on a thread. No poster is that important, quite frankly.

I remember a long time ago a couple of posters getting involved and trying to help someone that turned out to be a troll. I can’t remember if they met but I know there was a telephone conversation. It turned really quite nasty from what I’ve read on here.

So I would say that those posters did need someone to say hang on is this what it seems to be. A private message at least.

So send a PM. Report to mumsnet. Just don't do it on the thread. Its really and truly not complicated.

Also, those posters weren't children. They made their own choices despite the fact that they must have been living under a rock, if they didnt know basic internet safety.

You aren't responsible for them. You don't need to save them. Just click report, PM them if you must, then move on.

This is going to sound awful, SirChing, but I really do not mean it to, as I am so sorry some absolute bastard put you through that.

But if something is so traumatic, then perhaps posting details on a public talk site where you do not know who is reading them (especially dreadful “journalists”!), have no control over who sees them or takes screenshots or will wheel them out again in the future after an AS as recommended by HighHorse, and when you are in a very fragile and distressed state, is not the best thing for you . The opinions of random strangers who could say anything at all should not have much sway over how you feel, but of course they will when it is about something so deeply personal, that’s only natural. If being called a troll made you feel that bad, then the internet was never going to be a kind place, and your privacy and mental health are too important for that. Talking to family/friends/doctor/counsellor/the Samaritans or a private site for people who’ve been through something similar and can understand would be much safer . I do hope you are doing much better now and that this didn’t come across as offensive or upset you in any way.

I don’t “struggle with” anything, thank you, HighHorse . I simply disagree with you that warning others about a possible troll is just as bad as being a pervert or a scammer or trying deliberately to upset people for amusement. It’s a tricky balance, but there is a happy medium between warning people before they share intimate details with a well known and persistent pervert like the Punishment Piss Troll who times his posts to try and evade moderation, and upsetting posters like SirChing. I certainly don’t think it’s funny as you seem to do with the grinning face there!

I agree in the main with SirChing. It's a bit pompous to think Mumsnetters need saving from themselves. It's rather clip-boardy, to use a well worn analogy. I just click off what I think are troll threads now therefore approx 50% of threads in AIBU and have done for years. HQ aren't the best at cleaning up the boards but that's another issue. No one needs to be saved from the trolls - with the possible exception of David and Caroline. And the bereavement trolls, I suppose. But in bereavement you (one) needs to be especially careful about trolling accusations just in case you are wrong.

Also, those posters weren't children. They made their own choices despite the fact that they must have been living under a rock, if they didnt know basic internet safety

This was iirc 10 years ago. This particular troll was in it for the long game. Twins, domestic violence, prem birth, sucking in posters who themselves were vulnerable.

So it’s not always those who aren’t believed that get hurt by trolls.

But at the same time, I don't think people should be banned or suspended for troll hunting because, equally, if you post on the internet you have to be prepared for the fact that some people simply may not believe you. You might be telling the truth, you might not and none of us have the faintest chance of knowing for certain. If you are asking the public a question you need to be prepared for a range of reactions.

Evening everyone. We will be returning at some point with answers to questions but we just wanted to pop in as we've had some reports voicing concerns about the business of 'vexatious reporting' and worry that it's been misconstrued.

Please be assured that no one is going to be banned for reporting genuinely. We have lots of regular reporters who report multiple times a day sometimes and, far from regarding them as vexatious, we're very grateful to them! As others have pointed out, we only know about issues on the boards from reports so we encourage people to report anything that concerns them. If you think someone is a troll, do let us know. Even if you think we've missed something, we're still glad to get another report about it pointing that out. We know we don't always get it right first time.

It's difficult to give a definition for 'vexatious reporting' but it's certainly something that by its very nature you'd be well aware you were doing! Reporting many times is absolutely fine, even reporting the same person many times if you have genuine concerns is fine.

But if it became clear that someone was deliberately and repeatedly reporting a user who hadn't broken the rules in any way in order to get them banned AND we had said we had no concerns about them at all AND we'd made clear we didn't want to hear any more of it, we would probably consider that vexatious. Ditto reporting the same post a hundred times in five minutes. But again, you'd probably be asked politely to give it a rest first - honestly, we're pretty lenient here!

We really want to do our best to encourage people to report. It would be shooting ourselves in the foot to do anything to make that difficult for people. And we'd only do so if we were pretty sure that someone was reporting with the sole purpose of causing trouble for someone. It has happened from time to time but it really is very rare. And it would be a very unusual situation that meant we didn't simply message you first to ask what was going on - we're talking bonkers trolls and people with very obvious axes to grind here.

Anyway, we hope that eases any fears on that score. Please do report. Please don't air concerns on the boards. We just love hearing from you really.

Thank you Hebe, good to know I’m not actually a pain in the arse

Not YOU again NoSauce! (Just kidding!)

🤗🤗

But at the same time, I don't think people should be banned or suspended for troll hunting because, equally, if you post on the internet you have to be prepared for the fact that some people simply may not believe you

Well, MNHQ disagree with you. Not believing is fine. Voicing that on a sensitive thread is bloody awful.

* thanks for that clarification Hebe*.