# Trolls,Trolling & Timewasters!!!



## 1happy (Jun 15, 2005)

Hi All.
Trolls,Trolling & Timewasters!!!
From time to time it appears that people join this forum & attempt to wind members up :roll: 
These individuals are obviously annoying, but more importantly I think they are hindering a lot of good work done by genuine members.
I also think that a lot of potentially genuine new members are (sadly) viewed with suspicion because of 'Trolling'
I could go on about my thoughts but would rather have a frank discussion about these "Trolls" & how MHF could limit their mischief making :roll: :idea: 
I searched for previous threads on the subject & didn't see one but came across these which are related (one way or another)

Posting FACTS - Reminder
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-44674.html
IMPORTANT ** Defamatory Postings **
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-49136.html

So has anyone any ideas that would be useful :?: 
To 'kick off' the debate :? 
I am simply going to do a poll (Which will no doubt get things going :lol: ) & ask for input that perhaps 'the management' might find useful :idea: 
I am sure there is vast knowledge/experience amongst our members so perhaps someone knows how to help make our forum less vunerable :?: 

I love MHF & have made some good friends on here, I am sure others care too so....over to you :idea:


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

Personally? Not worth raising a thread on. Nuke made the Company Reports section to members-only, so that takes care of the majority of badly-motivated non-members:-

"One of these changes is the Company Reports section has been modified to be subscriber access only. This will lessen the damage to the poster should any post made which is later found to be defamatory and reported by the company involved become involved in any legal action as the number of possible viewers of the content is limited. It also serves to act as an advantage for the subscribers to have access to this information"

I've not voted - can't be bovvered.

Dougie.


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## 117332 (Oct 10, 2008)

I voted for Don't care, having just been a member of this forum for a couple of month, £10.00 well spent by the way, Its clear certain people just mix it and wind others up, Don't really think you can regulate against people like this, best to ignore them.

Tom


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## ramos (Nov 1, 2008)

had to look it up
An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[2]

Do we really have many that carry this out.??
I have only met lots of great people who have good views and that we all have great discusions and PM's now and again.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

I'm in the "Don't Care" bracket Catherine. As ramos says I'm not sure it happens all that often & what can really be done about it anyway, without causing hassle for existing members or for "Management"(wink)

Some suggestions have already been made on another thread & for good reason aren't being considered.

Would still be interested in Poll results though


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

I think there was one member who was deemed to be guilty on the shuddergate thread, he was dealt with after a warning and blocked from the thread. Other than that one, I think most member behave so I can't say I would be too bothered. 

Wobby


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## Mat7 (May 15, 2005)

It is an internet problem that has to kept in check! If you lets trolls (when they pop up) do what they want it can ruin it for everyone else! But over moderation can lead to a big brother sort of feeling! Its a balance - a balance I feel is very well maintained by this site and its moderators! Well done keep up the good work!
Cheers Matt :roll:  :lol: 8O 8O


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Don't care

Its up to each of us as individuals to work out who is a Troll.

One man's Troll is another man's Trollette

The £10 helps


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

I have voted dont care as I think we have a system in place ok.
I think I stopped one tonight infact (did I Zeb or at least a spammer)
You get a feeling and you ring the ! button the mods sort it.
unless there is a bigger problem that we dont know about??
I have no probs.
All the members are great best £10.00 I have spent with all the advice I get on here.


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

Depending on my mood I could sometimes be classed as a troll :wink: 
I think most on MHF have enough gumption to know when someone is winding others up ](*,)


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

Don't care... One post from me bombs the thread out of sight anyway.


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## Gonewiththewind (Nov 17, 2007)

Cannot a non member be stopped at the front page? I have been on sites and you cannot get in unless you subscribe.
Again I will support, well worth £10 er.
My opinions can be described as troll'ish, but I'm not.


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

I don't care, it sometimes livens things up. A bit of mischief is amusing most of the time as long as it doesn't get personal and isn't vindictive.
I didn't vote.
The technical part of the forum is second to none and it's amazing the amount of knowledge which is available & passed on willingly.


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## impala666 (Oct 26, 2007)

Hi 1happy trollette....IMHO this thread is timewasting trolling.

Lots of good posts here in MHF, several you can take with a pinch of salt, some are amusing, some are ignorant, some are helpful, some are timewasting.....a bit like TV watch it read it or turn it off.

All in all it is a cross section of society, so as in life take it or leave it.

Brian


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

The whole bloody forum is one big time waste! 8O 8O 8O 

*

*

*

Great though, innit!    

Dave


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## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

There's this fella lives under a bridge near here - now he's a nuisance :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Kelcat said:


> There's this fella lives under a bridge near here - now he's a nuisance :lol: :lol: :lol:


I've got a Great Big Billy Goat Gruff. 8)

Want to borrow him?
  
Dave


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

Trolls what trolls :?:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Timed to perfection Clod!

Love it. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Dave


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

we do get trolls on mhf same as every other forum but i think the mods staff and myself have managed to get enough processes in place to limit their effectiveness and with the subscription fee and the limited number of posts they can make before paying also reduces the anon system that trolls usually operate under.

the only thing i can think of to limit further is to reduce the number of posts that a member (non subscriber) can make down from 5 to 2-3 perhaps.

The reporting functionality of the site really helps as it makes a community effort of dispatching spammers and trolls much easier as so many posts put on MHF during a busy day that it is impossible for me or the mods to read them all. By simply clicking the Exclamation symbol that is at the top right of every post







and filling in a quick form telling us why it has been reported will instantly alert all the staff of the issue and we can investigate.

Some members already use this and help the mods and I and it helps us resolve issues much quicker and prevents things developing. Many spammers on MHF are caught in the fashion, and we must dispatch around 4-5 spammers a week sometimes. Many of you won't even have noticed as spammers tend to be from different time zones and so are reported or found during the night and removed by morning


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## some-where-in-oxford (Apr 18, 2006)

Possibly have all new members set up, so they can only post in one forum - 

"New Members Forum"

Genuine posts moved to relevant forum by moderators after a set time period?

Others removed after a 30 day period?

I don't care about troll.


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

not scaleable really as in the summer season we can be getting 50+ members joining in a day and with the site already busy and mods busy it would mean lots more work for the mods.

I tried something similar on another site and it ends up really messy with the "new members forum" getting clogged up with every type of query / post imaginable


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## 1happy (Jun 15, 2005)

impala666 said:


> Hi 1happy trollette....IMHO this thread is timewasting trolling.
> 
> Lots of good posts here in MHF, several you can take with a pinch of salt, some are amusing, some are ignorant, some are helpful, some are timewasting.....a bit like TV watch it read it or turn it off.
> 
> ...


Hi impala666
If you do see my post/poll as trolling/timewasting 8O I can assure you it was done with the best of intentions and therefore by definition isn't....However you are entitled to your opinion & in a curious way 'trollette' sounds cute thanks 8) 
The second paragraph also makes a lot of sense.. except occasionally people/trolls purposely seek to upset members in genuine need of help & advice & therefore can spoil the thread :roll: 
If anyone who wants to ignore this thread because they are unconcerned then thats also great...but by posing the question at least there can be a discusion for those who wish it 

Also hi to Nuke
I think 


> to reduce the number of posts that a member (non subscriber) can make down from 5 to 2-3 perhaps.


May be a good move  
After all the £10 sub is a great investment :idea:


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

496 users online :: 195 Registered, 14 Hidden and 287 Guests 

This always amazes me, the figure of who is on, as there are always more guests than paying members.
Should we not try to get more £10.00's 
Say a time restriction on how long you stay a guest etc etc. and then an offer if you join within say 2 weeks. (just an Idea)
Wouldnt it be nice if we had 30,000 paying members Nuke. :lol:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

locovan said:


> Wouldnt it be nice if we had 30,000 paying members Nuke. :lol:


Is that a serious question Mavis? :roll:

Betcha I know the answer!!   

Dave


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Zebedee said:


> locovan said:
> 
> 
> > Wouldnt it be nice if we had 30,000 paying members Nuke. :lol:
> ...


Actually it is Im very serious Dave :lol: :lol: :lol:
I get a lot of info for my £10.00.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I have not voted because I think the site has the right balance although I think the number of free posts could be reduced. It would be almost impossible to stop trolls altogether. On the other hand an excessive number would totally ruin the site. The mods do a good job keeping them in check which I thank them for. We can do our bit by not rising to the obvious bait. I rarely respond to none subscribers especially if it looks contentious. The clue was in the user name!

peedee


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## Kelcat (Apr 20, 2008)

With no disrespect to MHF I've always suspected the who's online figures must include alot of people who simply haven't logged out properly? - one for Nuke to answer - but as theres usually a quoted figure circa 400 it seems alot of people read but don't post?


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## AberdeenAngus (Jul 26, 2008)

I think the site is spot on as it is....well done Nuke.

Some issues are contentious....rightly so.
The motivation of the poster is irrelevant.
Some threads that are started mischieveously, turn out to be good fun and very informative.

Forum is supposed to be informative and enjoyable.
Well i'm certainly informed by some peoples viewpoint and its always enjoyable to watch someone blow a fuse  

Please stop trying to think up ways to sanitise the world.
If you don't like a thread - ignore it.

Only one way to get rid of a Troll........starve him !


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

How cruel Angus


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

_(I'm trying something out, but here will do as well as anywhere.)_

Last word on Trolls, eh Clodhopper? :lol: :lol:










Yep. It worked.


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## Ven (Aug 12, 2008)

I voted for I don't care. I must confess sometimes I enjoy reading the wind up threads, but equally would hate to think anyone was seriously upset by someone doing it (and would not ever do it myself).

Of course there are the odd exception that I do find unpleasant when people feed off tragic circumstances to get a rise out of people without seemingly any thought or tact.

I am addicted to visiting and reading this (and a couple of the other similar forums) and although I am not a prolific poster I am trying to take part more and hopefully as our motorhoming experience grows will be able to contribute more usefully to the site.

I can imagine it must be so difficult for the Mods to find the line between allowing freedom of speech and having too many restrictions that scare people off. And from what I've seen so far they seem to be doing a good job at it, rather them than me!


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