Endless one post OP threads

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Hi MNHQ. There’s a rash of one post OPs at the moment. Normally goady, made to wind up, not enough detail and then the OP never returns. Hundreds of posts, no OP in sight. AI, goady trolls, idiots? Who know, probably a combination. But it’s getting silly. Could we add to the guidelines and make it a reportable thing?

I don’t mean someone who is a regular who forgets, or is just slow. I mean like the current one with 600+ replies about trans ‘hate’. Or the vegan at an BBQ. Obviously a wind-up but people bite.

Someone suggested it was a little club somewhere (probably some twatty boys’ club) that had a contest going for who could do it the most. Can we please knock it on the head?

I see your point.

Given how many people just reply to the OP without reading anyone else’s posts, a lot of threads aren’t worth reading anyway because they just degenerate into lots of people making the same two or three comments.

Morning, everyone. We think there are a few different issues at play here.

In a few cases, the OP has been banned (for trolling or other reasons), and in others, they simply don't return. Sometimes because they've got what they needed, sometimes because they weren’t expecting the strength of responses, or just didn’t feel able to continue. That doesn’t always mean the thread itself was started in bad faith and we typically don't chase up OPs to ask why they've not come back.

In general, we try not to delete threads unless there’s a strong reason to - especially if others have shared useful information or support that might help future readers. But we also try to let posters know when an OP has definitely gone. If you're ever unsure, you can always hit 'report' and we’re happy to take a look and confirm if the OP is likely to return.We know it's a bit of a balancing act, and while the goal isn’t to keep threads up for ‘clicks’, we do try to judge each one on its own merits, including whether the discussion has value even without the OP continuing.

Thanks @HebeMumsnetI do think you’re underestimating the bad faith posters, honestly. So many wind-up threads that can’t be real. But I appreciate that some are real adn it’s hard knowing which are which.

What about the suggestion that having the number of posts as well as the number of OP’s posts at the top might stop posters wasting their time?

^^ It might also encourage people to read all OP's posts in a long-running thread instead of just responding to the first one as they increasingly do.... maybe?!

VERY good point!

One bird, two stones.

That is a good idea.

Classic MIL bashing regarding a kettle - 13 pages, hasn't been returned to.

It's getting boring now MN.

They are everywhere and HQ see utterly unbothered
plus ca change

Absolutely. I'm utterly sick of these - and sick of reporting them when nothing appears to be done.

I've just reported two goady piles of bollocks and got an auto generated identical response which means bugger all will be done

I note the overuse of "asshole" or "dick move". These are not British terms generally speaking but the posters claim to be Brits. Maybe it's just me.

Same.

Probably the same threads as well.

And the faux innocent ‘oh I didn’t know I was allowed to swear on here, I’m so new and just such a naïf!’

ETA to add: when they use asterisks and are told they can fucking swear if they want to

This is a good idea