I'm worried about the possible effect the Covid Denial Thread

[mc2fool]

I think some members forget what the status of this site is. It is not a publisher and money-making enterprise like The Motley Fool, Moneysupermarket or a whole host of other sites.

If that's regarding my make use of and gain revenue from Google Adsense comment, I am well aware that's only to cover costs and didn't intend it to read any more than that!

[Clariman]

I think some members forget what the status of this site is. It is not a publisher and money-making enterprise like The Motley Fool, Moneysupermarket or a whole host of other sites.

If that's regarding my make use of and gain revenue from Google Adsense comment, I am well aware that's only to cover costs and didn't intend it to read any more than that!

No that wasn't in response to your comment. I wrote it because some people forget how this site was set up and why. It has been running very successfully for 6 years and some take it for granted (why shouldn't they) ... as they probably did with TMF's discussion boards.

[mc2fool]

I think some members forget what the status of this site is. It is not a publisher and money-making enterprise like The Motley Fool, Moneysupermarket or a whole host of other sites.

If that's regarding my make use of and gain revenue from Google Adsense comment, I am well aware that's only to cover costs and didn't intend it to read any more than that!

No that wasn't in response to your comment. I wrote it because some people forget how this site was set up and why. It has been running very successfully for 6 years and some take it for granted (why shouldn't they) ... as they probably did with TMF's discussion boards.

I remember it well and appreciate it daily.

[scotia]

We now have a Covid Denial Thread, which is driven by one eccentric new member

The poster is not a new member. They registered for the site shortly after it was set up in 2016 and have occasionally posted on other boards in a perfectly reasonable manner.

My apologies - I didn't notice the earlier trickle of posts, but was overcome by the recent raging torrent.
I should possibly have added that I have no objection to eccentric views - as long as they do not threaten the existence of the Lemon Fool.

[Clariman]

The Covid Denial Thread has been deleted.

I will delete or edit this thread too, so that the whole thing is gone forever.

[monabri]

The Covid Denial Thread has been deleted.

I will delete or edit this thread too, so that the whole thing is gone forever.

I deny that the Covid Denial Thread ever existed.

(if it is deleted then that will just prove my point!)

[kempiejon]

This the TRUTH. Jabbers will be Jabbed and THE ILLUMINATI will Take OVER>

[Clariman]

The Covid Denial Thread has been deleted.

I will delete or edit this thread too, so that the whole thing is gone forever.

I deny that the Covid Denial Thread ever existed.

(if it is deleted then that will just prove my point!)

Sorry I have no idea what you are talking about

[Mike4]

The Covid Denial Thread has been deleted.

I will delete or edit this thread too, so that the whole thing is gone forever.

I deny that the Covid Denial Thread ever existed.

(if it is deleted then that will just prove my point!)

Sorry I have no idea what you are talking about

I think it was a valiant attempt at humour/satire!!

[Mike4]

We now have a Covid Denial Thread, which is driven by one eccentric new member

The poster is not a new member. They registered for the site shortly after it was set up in 2016 and have occasionally posted on other boards in a perfectly reasonable manner.

My apologies - I didn't notice the earlier trickle of posts, but was overcome by the recent raging torrent.
I should possibly have added that I have no objection to eccentric views - as long as they do not threaten the existence of the Lemon Fool.

I too thought I recognised the username as a longstanding poster. Given the abrupt change of posting style though, it looks to me as though the sentience posting on that user account has changed. Could the account have been compromised perhaps?

[pje16]

I think it was a valiant attempt at humour/satire!!

Almost ..... don't give up the day job though

[XFool]

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. I have locked the topic and will take a close look at it. In the meantime, I thought I'd clarify a few things here.

We now have a Covid Denial Thread, which is driven by one eccentric new member

The poster is not a new member. They registered for the site shortly after it was set up in 2016 and have occasionally posted on other boards in a perfectly reasonable manner.

Yes! My attention was drawn to a couple of their posts on a TLF property(?) board. They were entirely normal, ordinary and indistinguishable from other posts on that thread. No OTT manic comments, no 'funny' punctuation..........., no CAPITAL LETTERS. Just ordinary. What gives?

I can only think of a few plausible answers:

1. The 'mad' posts are genuine. Somehow, when posting about their obsession, they automatically switch to an alternative posting personality.
2. There are indeed two different people posting under the same username.
3. It's a windup. The poster just likes having fun provoking other people with 'crazy' posts. (I am now tending in this direction - but unsure)
4. The poster is experimenting online with some kind of chatbot - possibly as part of number 3 above.

Anyone else got any other ideas?
(In a way it is a Pity the thread has now been deleted. IMO)

[Clariman]

By all means continue to discuss here for a bit, but I'll delete this topic within the next 24 hours.

[XFool]

I have thought of another possible explanation:

5. Sabotage? (Not necessarily by the original account user)

Thinks: Is it worth contacting the original poster and asking them to change their password?

[Mike4]

Anyone else got any other ideas?
(In a way it is a Pity the thread has now been deleted. IMO)

Given the way Jimarilo seemed not to show any emotional response whatsoever to any of the many criticisms of his posts (which must have taken AGES to compile if done by a human), my money is still on an AI engine being the author.

The real Jimarilo is probably completely unaware his TLF account has been compromised/hacked. How easy is it to crack a TLF account? Is just a case of brute force password cracking?

[XFool]

Anyone else got any other ideas?
(In a way it is a Pity the thread has now been deleted. IMO)

Given the way Jimarilo seemed not to show any emotional response whatsoever to any of the many criticisms of his posts (which must have taken AGES to compile if done by a human), my money is still on an AI engine being the author.

Somebody is carrying out experiments/research/other with an AI engine/chatbot? Akin to your suggestion.

This is why I'd like to be able to see their posts again. It's amazing what you can do with Google (remembering the time I accidently 'broke into' accountants' business networks in Israel...)

[doolally]

Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. I have locked the topic and will take a close look at it. In the meantime, I thought I'd clarify a few things here.

We now have a Covid Denial Thread, which is driven by one eccentric new member

The poster is not a new member. They registered for the site shortly after it was set up in 2016 and have occasionally posted on other boards in a perfectly reasonable manner.

Yes! My attention was drawn to a couple of their posts on a TLF property(?) board. They were entirely normal, ordinary and indistinguishable from other posts on that thread. No OTT manic comments, no 'funny' punctuation..........., no CAPITAL LETTERS. Just ordinary. What gives?

I can only think of a few plausible answers:

1. The 'mad' posts are genuine. Somehow, when posting about their obsession, they automatically switch to an alternative posting personality.
2. There are indeed two different people posting under the same username.
3. It's a windup. The poster just likes having fun provoking other people with 'crazy' posts. (I am now tending in this direction - but unsure)
4. The poster is experimenting online with some kind of chatbot - possibly as part of number 3 above.

Anyone else got any other ideas?
(In a way it is a Pity the thread has now been deleted. IMO)

Another explanation..... the poster does not realise the dire effects that covid can have on the brain
doolally

[Clariman]

Thanks everyone. I have sent an email to the accounts registered email address. For reasons I won't share, I believe the account email address is probably the correct and original email address for this former TMF poster. However, we cannot rule out that it has been compromised if the account also has.

I have deleted the posts for breaking site rules. They have been soft deleted which means that Admins can still see them if they wish.

I think it is probably best to leave the speculation for now, thanks.

Clariman

[Mike4]

Anyone else got any other ideas?
(In a way it is a Pity the thread has now been deleted. IMO)

Given the way Jimarilo seemed not to show any emotional response whatsoever to any of the many criticisms of his posts (which must have taken AGES to compile if done by a human), my money is still on an AI engine being the author.

Somebody is carrying out experiments/research/other with an AI engine/chatbot? Akin to your suggestion.

This is why I'd like to be able to see their posts again. It's amazing what you can do with Google (remembering the time I accidently 'broke into' accountants' business networks in Israel...)

Waybackmachine probably grabbed the thread....

But yes, the AI chatbot hypothesis appeals to me as now I am a member of TWO forums with weird posts/posters that fail to engage properly with the discussions they create.

And if you want to experiment by sending your bot out onto the net, it is probably easier for it to choose and crack an existing rarely-used profile than to register and set up a new profile, especially as it doesn't really understand how to actually read and engage e.g. with things like confirmation emails.

[Mike4]

I think it is probably best to leave the speculation for now, thanks.

Oops, apologies for my post above. I'll shut up about it then.