We know it's fake! Leave it alone!

[Bigbadfish]

I am more than aware that a lot of threads are fake. But if the discussion is good it's enjoyable. Why delete it? This place has seriously gone down hill compared to previous years. There's no good threads, the app is falling apart and then anything good that does arrive you zap!

Just leave it up!

Glad it's not just me. I've noticed a lot more of deleted threads that I've commented on or watched in interest only to get the "we've taken it down to look behind the scenes...." but the threads never reappear after all this "looking behind the scenes". What do they actually do?!
I've even started doubting whether it's me as it's happening so often?! Any remotely interesting thread doesn't last two minutes. And I've been here since 2008 so I'm not naive to poo trolls etc.
Is MN just trigger- happy with pulling threads atm?
Tbf, even this thread will probably disappear into oblivion and I discover that, yet again, I've wasted my time investing in something I thought worthwhile.

For fuck’s sake.

Those of you who bleat, ‘I know it’s a troll but I neeeeed an update!’ Are you actually stupid? If you’re deriving entertainment and enrichment to your life from some bored halfwit posting a fictional parking thread on MN, why not try books.

There is no good troll thread. Have a think about why someone is posting a fake thread.

Do they want money? Post a reasonably convincing begging thread and MNers will be falling over themselves to send money to demonstrate their MC largesse. Anyone suggesting caution is accused of troll hunting and deleted.

Are they or their spouse/immediate relative suddenly diagnosed with a severely life-limiting illness, complete with regular updates from hospital? Someone wants attention.

People who post claiming to have shat/pissed themselves while asking for stories from other posters to make them feel better. Perv. Likewise graphic descriptions of periods.

Posters claiming to be an OW or step parent posting something designed to incite furious responses. Deliberate froth-baiting.

CF stories - this is literally the most blatant troll magnet. People can post any old bollocks if it includes neighbours, parking, childcare or trespass and the thickos lap it all up while begging for updates.

Hi @Bigbadfish and everyone else - we absolutely take your point about us sometimes being delete happy. If an obvious troll thread is making everyone laugh, then we don't see much harm in leaving it to stand. It does depend on the subject though - many of the troll threads we've deleted over the weekend were either downright offensive or designed to draw people in with sad stories. We don't want MNers to be in a situation where they're advising someone based on their own painful life experiences only to find out that it's all fake. That kind of thing is really horrible, we're sure you'll agree.

Please keep sharing your feedback on threads like this as it genuinely helps us. Thanks all.

We're not all equally able to tell when a thread is fake. I'm incapable!

@YetAnotherBeckyMumsnet what harm was the Elephant thread doing? Yes it was stupid but it was silly stupid, not a begging thread or making light of child abuse or something.

Unless it really went off the rails later on, I couldn’t see it was doing any more harm than a parking thread, most of which are also totally made up.

This. Exactly this.

What if the troll is lying about a dead child, or is a scammer wanting money? Or has a dead wife and wants money and sexting from MNers?
You still think those who see through them are worse?
Strange morality you have.

I think it depends on the age of the MNetter.
Younger ones are here for entertainment first, advice second. We know the majority of the content isn't true and this is the case for all SM platform. On reddit it is called karma farming. So what? MN needs to move on with time and the old guard might take offence, because they don't get it . I just love a good old CF story. It is like the comic strips in newspaper. The purpose is amusement.

I am not talking of course about the water troll, dying babies and similar.

If they leave up the “fun” troll threads, it just gives those trolls an in to say “I’ve been here ages, you all recognise my username, look at my long posting history about my colleague issues, batshit family and CF neighbours, I’m genuine, me” and potentially gain credulity for more sinister trolling in the future where they might start emotion trolling or begging. There are a couple of old usernames who started that way and then used their notoriety / popularity to gain traction for support of their later tales of woe.

@Changechangychange hmmm not sure what thread you mean. If you have any more details then we'll take a look. Yes, @ComtesseDeSpair, we don't want to give an air of legitimacy to any troll but we're thinking more along the lines of leaving up the ridiculously obvious threads if they've since evolved to an entertaining discussion. We'd be pretty unlikely to let a thread run on and not tell anyone the OP isn't genuine if posters are investing time and effort into thoughtful responses.

I’m suspicious of most threads. The shit in classics that everyone is apparently ‘howling’ while reading.... 🤔

You just have to take it for what it is, 80% bullshit and exaggeration I reckon. Sometimes I watch Netflix, sometimes I go on mumsnet. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Mad1988 are you fucking serious?! Ageist or what! You have no clue why 'older' MNetters might be here, and to insinuate that older MNetters 'don't get it' is so insulting. We're the ones who've been using the internet for a lot longer than you whippersnappers. I think you'll find we know exactly what it's about and why we're here.

I am not talking of course about the water troll, dying babies and similar

So where does it start/stop? Where do you draw the line? Let the trolls start with their cheeky fuckery about parking or their neighbours, and then next it's dubious stories about teenage girls' breasts and periods and then the full whammy of dying babies.

My opinion is that I’d rather MN be a little deletion-happy than let troll threads stand — whatever their content.

The problem, as I see it, is that trolling (both obvious and not) damages the credibility of the site as a whole.

It means that people who do genuinely consider turning to MN for advice or solidarity, whether that’s about infertility, relationship issues or a parking problem, might end up not bothering.

I think, given that the internet generally is pretty minimally regulated, sites and their users have to be more proactive in terms of weeding out fake and potentially hurtful/damaging/misleading bullshit.

There is one up now, lots of posting history but seriously can not be right!

That one didn't even come across as suspicious to me. Do MN check every single thread or only if someone reports it?

@Phos posts only get checked if they're reported. There are way too many threads and posts every day for MN to check them all!

"we don't want to give an air of legitimacy to any troll but we're thinking more along the lines of leaving up the ridiculously obvious threads if they've since evolved to an entertaining discussion."

That's a dangerous line to be treading. Because by doing so you are doing exactly what you say you don't want to do: legitimise trolling. And opening up the site to more losers whose trolling then escalates into a "last tub of Marge, spare a few coppers" or worse, threads.

@BIWI maybe us old gals should look on @Mad1988 's post as a compliment. Whippersnappers clearly not bright enough to spot troll wearing troll costume and saying troll things because they're too busy weeing on their children and pouring tea on their keyboard then defend trolls because to do otherwise would expose thickness to general public. "I knew it was a troll but it's hilarious!" "It doesn't matter that there was no teenage girl looking for a bra (and Herbert is jacking off to the answers he's received) some of the answers were useful!"

Frankly, I prefer my conversations (online or not) to be slightly more intelligent and a little less bottom feedy.

Someone posting about breaking into the bathroom while their 11 year old son is in the shower and commenting on how big and hairy his willy is doesnt come across as suspicious?

Oh I thought it was a different one, which in fairness has also been deleted. Apologies.

Ok, I wasn’t sure if they had some sort of automation or a risk based approach like checking the boards which are likely to be more contentious (or fake for that matter)

But the thing is @Phos, trolls will (and do) post everywhere. No such thing as a board which isn't contentious!

Please don't do this. I got so upset about a thread on Sunday that was apparently obviously a piss take.

I'm autistic and I didn't get it and I ended up in meltdown.

Please don't do this

Ah you're probably right. My bad for spending so much of my time in AIBU right!

I was on that thread and the way you were spoken to was disgusting. Sorry you were spoken to that way and what happened afterwards

I've been called a troll on the Reddit group.

I totally missed that it was supposed to be a "funny" thread. And I reported and reported it. And it took ages to come down.

Both the troll and the supposed parody.

I would feel horrendous if those threads were still there. It's bad enough as it is.

Time for another name change methinks.