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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Can new accounts have some kind of 'newbie' designation?

24 replies

MattDamon · 20/08/2024 13:24

There are multiple brand new accounts (I counted at least 4) posting nasty messages in this thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5146485-to-think-that-this-isnt-lazy-we-all-have-different-limits

Can new users be given some kind of special tag to designate they are newbies for the first week/month? Most forums do this automatically. It would help users (and especially OPs) take nasty comments with a grain of salt, without actually having to troll hunt.

OP posts:
ThoseWhoFindThemselvesRidiculousSitDownNextToMe · 20/08/2024 14:00

I think this is an excellent idea.

MsInterpret · 20/08/2024 14:03

Also agree a good idea.

I wonder if this would also mean that if a reg poster namechanged for privacy, it would not mark them as "new" - or perhaps there would be a 'namechange' indicator as well as newbie? I don't know enough about it all to know!

tribpot · 20/08/2024 14:05

This is a good idea - along with limiting how many times new posters can post in, say, their first week. For every genuine new poster there must be 10 spammers.

invisiblecat · 20/08/2024 14:08

I also think that preventing new accounts from posting photos or links would be a good idea. There's been a whole host of spammers just lately, and it would stop them in their tracks.

NotTooOldPaul · 20/08/2024 14:17

This does sound like a good idea.

stronglatte · 20/08/2024 14:25

Great idea !

rosesyrup · 20/08/2024 14:28

MattDamon · 20/08/2024 13:24

There are multiple brand new accounts (I counted at least 4) posting nasty messages in this thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5146485-to-think-that-this-isnt-lazy-we-all-have-different-limits

Can new users be given some kind of special tag to designate they are newbies for the first week/month? Most forums do this automatically. It would help users (and especially OPs) take nasty comments with a grain of salt, without actually having to troll hunt.

How do you know they are brand new and not old accounts who have just name changed? (I mean MN would know! But how did you find this out?)

MermaidEyes · 20/08/2024 14:33

I think this would be a good idea as then at least if people have name changed for a particular post, but been on the site for years, it would stop people calling them out for being a 'new poster'. Would weed out half the trolls after the opening post too.

PolaroidPrincess · 20/08/2024 19:29

This is a great idea. It would be especially helpful with some late night thread starters who possibly have hairy fingers.

HebeMumsnet · 21/08/2024 09:38

Morning, everyone. This is an interesting idea and, as always, we're keen to hear what people think.

It's not something we do at the moment, partly because there are a few flaws in the plan - one being that we would worry that any posters who were marked out as new might not be taken seriously or, worse, it would be assumed they were trolls. The fact that no one knows how long someone has been on the site does at least put everyone on an equal footing. We've also never gone in for the ticker tapes or 'badges' that mark people out as being 'veterans' of the site for the same reason.

If you're ever concerned that a new name you've spotted might not be genuine, you can always hit the report button and it's fairly easy for us to see if they are new or not but, more importantly, whether there are other factors that lead us to believe they aren't genuine. There are new users here every day who are perfectly above board, so there's definitely a lot more to it than 'length of service' but where we can see other flags as well, we can quickly sort it out usually.

As we say, there are some interesting ideas here though, so please do keep them coming and we'll keep reading. We do already have some limits on what 'newbies' can do, such as posting in the sex topic, for example, so there may well be other tweaks we can make like that, which would have a positive effect.

Putting · 21/08/2024 09:40

Could there be restrictions on new accounts posting links until they’ve posted a certain number of times? Might stop some of the more obvious spammers.

Westfacing · 21/08/2024 09:43

I think the constant name-changing by many posters would make this difficult to implement.

tribpot · 22/08/2024 11:01

As we're now being bombarded with spam about using the occult to gain wealth, I really hope you will give consideration to @invisiblecat 's suggestion of not allowing newbies to post images and links.

JaneJeffer · 22/08/2024 15:51

I think you should have Troll Watch 🧌👀 where posters who have been here for more than 10 years can zap their posts

MattDamon · 22/08/2024 16:33

The nasty posts are the worst I've ever seen it. Doing nothing is just going to force regulars away.

OP posts:
ModuleOrion · 22/08/2024 18:13

MattDamon · 22/08/2024 16:33

The nasty posts are the worst I've ever seen it. Doing nothing is just going to force regulars away.

but by the same token if new or perceived new posters are not taken seriously then that too also has the same effect ?

Putting · 22/08/2024 18:17

JaneJeffer · 22/08/2024 15:51

I think you should have Troll Watch 🧌👀 where posters who have been here for more than 10 years can zap their posts

Wouldn’t that just turn into some kind of grudge match and / or competition to see who can zap the most posts? Would be carnage settles down to watch 🍿

Nowordsformethanks · 22/08/2024 18:19

HebeMumsnet · 21/08/2024 09:38

Morning, everyone. This is an interesting idea and, as always, we're keen to hear what people think.

It's not something we do at the moment, partly because there are a few flaws in the plan - one being that we would worry that any posters who were marked out as new might not be taken seriously or, worse, it would be assumed they were trolls. The fact that no one knows how long someone has been on the site does at least put everyone on an equal footing. We've also never gone in for the ticker tapes or 'badges' that mark people out as being 'veterans' of the site for the same reason.

If you're ever concerned that a new name you've spotted might not be genuine, you can always hit the report button and it's fairly easy for us to see if they are new or not but, more importantly, whether there are other factors that lead us to believe they aren't genuine. There are new users here every day who are perfectly above board, so there's definitely a lot more to it than 'length of service' but where we can see other flags as well, we can quickly sort it out usually.

As we say, there are some interesting ideas here though, so please do keep them coming and we'll keep reading. We do already have some limits on what 'newbies' can do, such as posting in the sex topic, for example, so there may well be other tweaks we can make like that, which would have a positive effect.

Excellent post.

NoTouch · 22/08/2024 18:34

Not keen on the idea tbh. I would be more worried someone looking for support would not want to do it wearing P plates than seeing someone messing around.

Social media is full of trolls, scammers and jokers, it is impossible to sanitise it entirely. I credit most MNers with the ability to caw canny (tread cautiously for non Scots!)

For annoying posts the report button is adequate.

MattDamon · 22/08/2024 19:05

ModuleOrion · 22/08/2024 18:13

but by the same token if new or perceived new posters are not taken seriously then that too also has the same effect ?

The newbie designation is used very effectively on other sites without scaring away new users, so no.

OP posts:
ModuleOrion · 22/08/2024 20:05

MattDamon · 22/08/2024 19:05

The newbie designation is used very effectively on other sites without scaring away new users, so no.

well unless you have the full stats to prove your points this then at best thats an assumption,

MattDamon · 22/08/2024 21:10

ModuleOrion · 22/08/2024 20:05

well unless you have the full stats to prove your points this then at best thats an assumption,

It hasn't stopped you from posting.

OP posts:
ModuleOrion · 22/08/2024 21:22

MattDamon · 22/08/2024 21:10

It hasn't stopped you from posting.

I am but one person and not many

BertieBotts · 22/08/2024 21:49

A newbie badge makes sense and I don't think it would make posters take people less seriously. People are already sceptical if a story is too far fetched anyway

Less sense in identifying older posters because that makes it harder to name change for privacy.

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