Why?

Peter333

pukkamum wrote: »

I really don't see why people get worked up about whether somebody is a troll or not, if the OP raises an interesting discussion and isn't abusing anyone then what is the big deal?
It seems to me that becoming 'troll hunting' obsessed we are only adding fuel to the fire.
As i tell my kids about annoying children, just ignore them and they will go away.
I do feel often people are unfairly declared trolls due to a recent join date, or the extent of a problem etc, well we were all new users once and i know i for one have posted some pretty wacky problems or dilemmas. .
I like to give the benefit of the doubt and err on the positive side.

I tend to agree a bit, and I think the troll hunting on here of late has been fierce. And although there have been several trolls on here who have been causing a ruck lately; I believe that there are a few people who are genuinely looking for help. Maybe regular users with new names, but not trolls.

However, I think that the fierceness of the troll hunting has been because of a couple of really nasty trolls who caused a lot of trouble over the last few weeks, sending vicious and nasty PMs, insulting the posters on here, and reposting old posts of theirs from many months back, with personal and sensitive issues in, to try and hurt their feelings.

One troll in particular was dreadful. He thought he was smart and funny and was getting one over on people by making up new usernames, but he was very easy to spot, and was soon PPRd each time. The thing is whenever people suspect it's a troll; 9 times out of 10, it is.

Well this troll got a lot of peoples backs up, and so anyone who joined was instantly laid into, even if they may have been genuine. You can hardly blame the troll-hunters can you, when there has been such horrible behaviour from a certain couple of trolls.

It's been quiet for a week and a half or so since one main troll was banned. They did try to return under a few guises about 5 to 6 days ago, but were soon obliterated.

Hopefully, they won't come back, because they were ruining the boards.

I don't think though that the mods delete a thread because a few posters 'gang up' and report it. The threads that vanish are going because the OP IS a troll, or because the OP has requested its deletion.

I am seriously hoping that this thread does not rile any trolls that have been making this forum unpleasant for the past month or so. Personally, I think starting this thread was a bad idea, as the forum has calmed down this past week or so. I believe that this may make things flare up again.

Mike86d

I never comment on this forum much, but have read the boards for a couple of years. Things are no different on here now than when they were when i first registered. Long standing members have always accused newbies of being a troll and nothing has changed. The only difference now is a colony formed and gang up on any newbie to attack over anything they say to cause conflict. The same group who do this are the trolls on here. What also annoys me as a reader is seeing the writing style jargen. Everyone here uses the same font and look exactly the same. That is just a BS excuse to justify bullying someone who you think is a troll. I will probably be called a troll now... Cant wait :lipsrseal

Gigervamp

When people talk about writing style, they're not talking about handwriting! everybody has their own style of writing. Some will always mis-spell a particular word, some put in paragraphs, others write a whole block of text etc.

There is one member here, who has a very particular style of writing, using "quotation marks" a lot to "illustrate a point". She was PPR'd a few years ago, but has popped back up with a different user name, but it's obvious it's her as I've never seen anyone else who writes like that.

pickledonionspaceraider

pukkamum wrote: »

P.s gutted about the 14yr old on drugs thread I was really enjoying the discussion.

I was enjoying that discussion and don't understand why it was removed either. There were some intelligent folk putting across their thoughts and passing around information

Toward the end - a resolve had been found for the OP. I certainly don't think any rules were broken.

It is a shame that we see trivial threads (not meaning any in particular) carry on knocking around for months but when one comes up on an important topic - it gets knocked off.

I have noticed that there are several threads disappearing and almost not worth getting involved these days

Will MSE only allow us to talk about trivial stuff? Where do we go to talk about real issues?

balletshoes

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

I was enjoying that discussion and don't understand why it was removed either. There were some intelligent folk putting across their thoughts and passing around information

Toward the end - a resolve had been found for the OP. I certainly don't think any rules were broken.

It is a shame that we see trivial threads (not meaning any in particular) carry on knocking around for months but when one comes up on an important topic - it gets knocked off.

I have noticed that there are several threads disappearing and almost not worth getting involved these days

Will MSE only allow us to talk about trivial stuff? Where do we go to talk about real issues?

As has already been mentioned here, I think in the case of the 14-year old taking drugs thread, its entirely possible that many users reported the OP for her attacking posts at the start of the thread. Yes, she came back later and apologised, but it could be the amount of reports the MSE team had already had, which meant the thread disappeared when they got round to dealing with it.

There are still many threads on this forum allowed to continue which aren't trivial in my opinion. I'm mystified as to who the trolls and "colony" are, FWIW I didn't think that thread was started by a troll, but I was very surprised when she started personally attacking another MSE'er, and using terms which clearly were offensive to many, not just the one person she was having a go at.

pickledonionspaceraider

No idea who the colony are either. I haven't noticed one band of people forming together on a regular basis

I think that on occasion, there is a 'follow the sheep mentality' where if one person has a different opinion from what is trending on a thread, then others can get rather OTT.

jaylee3

Gigervamp wrote: »

When people talk about writing style, they're not talking about handwriting! everybody has their own style of writing. Some will always mis-spell a particular word, some put in paragraphs, others write a whole block of text etc.

There is one member here, who has a very particular style of writing, using "quotation marks" a lot to "illustrate a point". She was PPR'd a few years ago, but has popped back up with a different user name, but it's obvious it's her as I've never seen anyone else who writes like that.

I found this comment (bolded,) funny, and ironic, when you have those very quotation marks - "" "" in your sig :rotfl:

Not saying you're a troll BTW, or being mean, I just thought it was funny and ironic.

Gigervamp

Lol Jaylee, I see what you mean! But the poster I mentioned does it excessively, so even though she used a new name, it was very obvious who it was.

jaylee3

Gigervamp wrote: »

Lol Jaylee, I see what you mean! But the poster I mentioned does it excessively, so even though she used a new name, it was very obvious who it was.

Glad you took this with the good humour it was intended.

Don't know who you're referring though sorry, as I haven't been here a very long time. And I don't suppose you can say without getting a telling off from the mods for 'naming and shaming.'

coolcait

iammumtoone wrote: »

They were written by the same person (there have been others as well), its not just the style of writing and paragraphs - its the whole tone of it, including the style/tone of their replies.

I totally agree with the bit I have highlighted on your post, what difference does it make who/why someone started it, the advise offered might help others, personally I can't see the harm, if it starts a conversation/debate and is kept friendly and respectful then why not let it run.

Yes, the style is unmistakeable.


Unfortunately, the track record of the person in question does not suggest that they are looking for the type of thread you describe in the bit in bold above.


Rather, they appear to be looking for/fomenting discord.


It's possibly that aspect of their style; and quite probably a history of previous incarnations having been PPRd, which leads to quick removal of the threads.


It's a shame when it happens to threads which had an interesting topic, and where others had made interesting and helpful contributions.