can we do anything please to prevent unnecessary troll hunting?

[GoddessInTheKitchen]

i and i think a few others believe this needs to be addressed as 'trollhunting' could potentially cause someone already in a bad place into a worse situation

Why is the focus on the trollhunting? Surely moving to cut down on trolling would be a better move for the atmosphere of the board in general.

There's a weird witchhunty vibe to this focus on 'trollhunters'. Must be making the various trolls very happy.

This should Help

Perfect

Why not just report the thread if the troll accusations and consequent nastiness is getting out of hand and let mumsnet moderators judge? I'm sure they already watch threads - probably watching this one- and if quite a few people register their disquiet about threads turning into bear baiting, then something can be done to calm it down.

God we've been round this one so many times before.

I don't think L plates would solve anything. As others have said, even long term mners can namechange, and the long-term trolls are the ones that cause the most damage.

But I do think that the troll-hunting has got out of hand and I think that unsubstantiated or rude troll-callers ought to be treated as personal attacks - ie deleted and asked to stop name-calling by MNHQ.

There MUST be some way people can raise their suspicions without being unpleasant about it - and yet they seem unable or unwilling to do so.

Because we seem unable to police this for ourselves, I suggest that there should be a "report troll" button for each thread, and pressing it would trigger an icon at the top of the page saying "please be aware that not everyone on the internet is genuine and be careful of what you say".

Regulars would be aware that this was the equivalent of a red flag on the OP, but it would be polite, non-confrontational and removable by MNHQ if they decided the post was genuine.

And no, I didn't see any of the recent threads and this is not directed at anyone in particular, just at what seems to be an escalating problem recently.

That's a reasonable idea, I think.

Thats a good idea im the example of which I spoke it was me that had changed names purely bcos I didnt want everyone to know what was going on behind my own front door ...but in the scathing attacks I received even my intelligence and my ability to parent my dc was questioned.

Yet had I used my 'real' name Im sure none of that would have happened nor would the ripping apart of my 'problem' the troll accusations etc etc that followed.....even when someone who knows me in real life recognised 'my story' and tried to say this is genuine-then she too was flamed for her typing .

In the end 'anyfucker' opened the escape door for me and offeed me advice...to that I will always be grateful.

But you know ive been on mumsnet ive given advice received v good advice had a laugh and indeed a cry at some of the stuff-just that incident left a very sour taste for me and I would never open up on here again.