Can we add the date posters joined MN?

[BIWI]

So many trolls, cheeky and goady fuckers these days! Advanced Search can be helpful in identifying a first time poster - but given how frequently people name change, or the fact that often people name change for one, specific post, sometimes a long-term poster can seem to be a first time poster. Hence they may come under suspicion too.

Could you add, underneath the info on the right-hand side, where it currently has 'message/report', the month and year that they joined MN?

I realise that being here for a while doesn't preclude trolling (unfortunately), but it's much more likely that someone posting a CF/GF/Troll thread, who only joined this month, is not going to be a genuine poster.

Most other sites seem to have this kind of information. I think it would be really useful.

“Having looked at Reddit” once an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, perhaps

Seriously, how is Reddit remotely relevant, and how could people misuse the information?

I don’t like the idea of specific dates that could remove anonymity, but a generic “1 year”, “10 years” etc might work.

Length of time since account created is not an indicator of trolliness

Erm, yes it does. PBP trolls, gets banned, makes a new name, trolls, gets banned, etc etc etc.

I don’t agree. It’ll still be something the troll hunters will love getting their teeth into and it won’t have any effect on actual trolls.

But there will be many more people who joined in the same month, so I really don't see how that could happen.

Not for long term posters there wouldn't.

I think it's the name changing that means this site will always have more trolls than others, where name changing is banned. However, I understand the need for people to want to NC.

Therefore I think HQ should allow everyone two names only.

The first name for general chat, gathers history and the second for posting about problems, doesn't (and they're not connected).

That way people won't have to keep name changing to avoid being linked to their regular name and people can't AS them either.

But at least the boards will have visible 'regulars', like most other forums do, rather than a ton of new names daily that makes people suspicious.

I don't think it would make it much easier to connect namechanges, however it would make it easier to rule them out, thus stopping people jumping to wrong conclusions about a poster's previous history.

Why not put number of posts instead? That would give a good indication of how long someone has been around.

Reddit is relevant once people start saying ‘Poster joined December 17 and so did PosterB. Must be the same.’

@JaneJeffer that's a good idea!

@Relevantreddit but then if it said number of posts or "newbie" then that wouldn't be a problem, would it?

Or do you just have an anti-Reddit agenda?

I don't like the month/year idea, it's like a gold star for being a longterm member.

Should longterm members who have a nasty way have black stars .

But I agree, there are so many threads that seem trollish. As we are not allowed to caution other posters, perhaps mn could make some kind of mark on the original post, if it has been reported numerous times?

I know this isn't ideal either, but we need something.

The number of posts is even more useful in linking name changes than the date joined. It would have to be the number of posts under that username.

I know this isn't ideal either, but we need something.

Do we? I thought that was what the report button was for.

Margaritte was a member for how many years

Why not put number of posts instead? That would give a good indication of how long someone has been around.

It also would give a good indication of whether Poster A is Poster B.

I thought that was what the report button was for.

Me too.

I report quite a few and let MNHQ get on with it. Sometimes they are trolls, sometimes not.

The report button isn't the magical solution some people seem to think it is though.

All MNHQ can do is verify that the poster isn't new or banned.

They can't say they're talking a pile of bollocks even when it's painfully obvious that they are.

Mind you, that's where common sense comes in I suppose and some people really do lack it, when it comes to some of the crap they automatically believe.

I’m not a scamypants and have been here since early to mid 2000s.

I’m really not interested in who’s been here for how long, nor if there are trolls. It’s a tiny part of my life, entertaining at times and informative. It’s up to mnhq to work out who goes on the naughty step.

The report button isn't effective though, if it was there wouldn't be such a massive troll problem.

The problem is worra you’ve outed yourself, great for you, however some of us are not comfortable with that level of exposure.

They can't say they're talking a pile of bollocks even when it's painfully obvious that they are

And having a "date joined" type thing would stop this how...?

I'm not sure what you mean Relevantreddit?

If a person has two NNs...one for posting general chitchat and one for posting private things (that doesn't gather history) and the two NNs aren't connected, how could they out themselves?

The report button isn't effective though, if it was there wouldn't be such a massive troll problem.

Of course there would.

The report button isn't effective though, if it was there wouldn't be such a massive troll problem.

Is there a massive troll problem though? What problems are trolls actually causing here?

Sone people post dodgy threads which usually get deleted. Others are given the benefit of the doubt and they stand. What’s the huge issue? Surely people here should be sensible enough to treat everything posted with a healthy degree of suspicion.

And having a "date joined" type thing would stop this how...?

It wouldn't