I don't think this is what the "folk world" has to offer, John. It's more a case of a small group who move around the Mudcat scene spreading bile and vitriol for purely disruptive purposes.
The constant baiting of Lizzie Cornish is a case in point. If they so hated her posts on Radio 2 website, why would they follow her everywhere she goes, doing exactly what they accuse her of doing there.
These clowns have nothing to do with folk music IMO. You will find them on every forum, 'tho they seem to prefer Mudcat because they don't get moderated out here.