What do you do when you think someone is taking the piss

[FabulousBakerGirl]

apart from emailing MNHQ?

Why can I still not find the thread you are all talking about?

can't see anything NF, please don;t fret.

what I don;t get, in general, is why, when people do come on MN for support, they often name-change for said support as they don;t want people who they know well to know who they are 'just-in-case'.

problem is, when they name-change, they then come on as 'newbies', and people suspect them of trolling.....especially is it is a dramatic problem.

why???

surely it is better to come in under your normal name, so people who know and trust you can know that they are helping someone in genuine need.

I get very confused by it all, I have to be honest.

this thread would never have come about if that other poster posted under her normal name, if indeed she is a regular.

Thanks Psycho. I would never have done that and D is implying I am a really horrible person by suggesting it...it would be such a snidey thing to do.

I agree about the name changing thing but sadly I think people get embarrassed and feel compelled to do it - i know I have done.

well, I honestly cannot see anything bar the mumsnet troll policy you linked to.

I can kind-of understand why you would not want to really admit out loud what is going on, kind of it you don;t speak it it is not happening kind-of deal (IYGWIM), but I do feel sad when I see people name-change for it as they often get a few faces from the suspicious lot.

in fact tho, it isn;t the regualar mumnetters that confuse me, it is the trolls that have made us suspicious that I get at!

This didn't ring true for me either. She had spent years being abused but a few supportive posts made her change completely and call the police...

What a shame if this really IS a con though. I fail to understand the mentality of it all, but there must be some very damaged people out there. Hard for those who really HAVE suffered though.

Me too. It's because of people mucking about for whatever dubious gain that others get questioned or doubted. I guess we have to find a way of managing that dilemma..

Hmmm

NF I wouldn't worry about it all tbh.

Certain posters always seems to have a bee in their bonnet about something.

Thanks FF

I used to belong to another forum, and have all but abandoned it now as it became infested with trolls and people with a grudge against other posters, who would name change to cause trouble and dish out abuse.

My interest is English, and I got well practised at identifying people who had name changed. People all have individual styles, and they are hard to hide because none of us think we have a style . . . just other people IYSWIM.

I think that if you read a post and immediately recognised someone's "voice," Psycho, you were probably right.

That's interesting BalloonSlayer - sometimes people post stuff under an assumed name and expect to be recognised. (silly 'guess who I am' threads) and I find that I don't recognise anyone's style at all.

I suppose if I had to disguise my 'voice' I woul dstop using - to link bits of sentences, (and stop putting things in brackets), and stop using italics

I think sometimes people make the effort to phrase things differently when they namechange. Sometimes they don't though.

You've got me think about my style now. I think I say 'though' a lot. But NF just said it too, so it's definitely not a defining feature.

I'm too obvious..........I just cannot wirte any other way.....even emails are written in the same manner, but I hate not being able to take the and with me where-ever I go

it depends how well you "know" the person too. Flame has multiple personalities names and sometimes i can tell which is her just name changing, sometimes i can which is her and wanting to not be 'outed'. Psycho i can spot a mile off usually

I know what you mean, Psycho!

Flight, the only wiki page linked to that I noted was near your link to the MN trolling policy, and I think it was to Nancy Drew, not trolling. I think it was D that linked it too.

I sometimes get an urge to post my life experiences on here, sort of like in bullet points but would know someone would call troll as it is unbelievable to think one person could have experienced all that I have. And I don't mean that in a woe is me way. I have a fear that people in real life know this is me but as they aren't my friends I wouldn't be able to post all I wanted so would have to name change and there in lies the problem with getting support on a genuine thread.

Interestingly when I did post a bit under a new name I didn't get the responses or the people posting I am sure I would have got if they had known it was me.

FBG- i know for a fact that there are other ppl who think that very same way.

In fact, i often DON'T post in case someone calls me a troll - hence all my recent posts being in my normal name

I would also be called a troll.....altho I lot of it I have already posted about anyway.

I am faaaar to open

MoM, flame is lolling about the multiple personalities

From Mn I have learned that the my life and the lives of people I know in RL are very simple.

aah - this is where you all are! I presume this is the thread which I have been accused of being on as well as discussing it off board.

Anyway FBG - when you post about your problems, we know it is you and I hope that I have been one of many who have helped you a little bit along the way. And the difference is that you are also on threads helping others and making the most of the whole of MN and I mean gtiving support to others as well as receiving it

And there are lots of people like yourself on here. Unfortunately with CVQ is was mostly me, me, me and nothing to offer. She even managed to turn other peoples posts into a 'her problem' thread.

Anyway, now at least I can be accused of being here legitimately

I tend to assume they are not taking the piss even if I suspect they might be

I would rather waste my sympathy and risk feeling a bit of a tit than hurt/invalidate the feelings of somebody who is seeking compassionate advice

FBG, i must admit that when i saw your name more and more i did go a little bit but saw you mention your other name on another thread and others knew who your were so relaxed my

I have to say that CVQ helped me once on a thread. Which I am grateful for.

I'm sorry for her whoever she is - to feel the need to do this sort of thing, well it can't be much of a life.

"I tend to assume they are not taking the piss even if I suspect they might be

I would rather waste my sympathy and risk feeling a bit of a tit than hurt/invalidate the feelings of somebody who is seeking compassionate advice."
(Greensleeves)

This, in a nutshell, is MN policy on Trolls folks. Over the years there have been plenty of trolls but also plenty of times when folks have been accused of trolling, and aren't.

Please do report your concerns - it's better than speculating on the boards - and it is very helpful to us. We can check IP addresses, name changes and posting history. It's not always conclusive of course but it does add some clarity sometimes and can avoid a wrong accusation.

Thanks,
MN Towers

"waste my sympathy and risk feeling a bit of a tit"

As long as that's all you are wasting, that's fine. I do worry when people offer to help out in real life when they've 'known' a poster only a few days. Great in theory if someone needs a lift in a car to get away from violence, but best not to help someone retrieve "their things" when their ex has locked them out of the house.