Author
|
Topic: Internet/Forum Trolls
|
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 13, 2012 10:58 AM
I know there is good info already posted about trolls around Lindaland. It is always a good reminder to be alert and proactive.Some very basic info: Fortunately, itfs easy to spot an Internet troll from a distance. They have their own sets of socially unacceptable behaviors.
*Trolls generally use provocative and confrontational language. A clever one will mix it up with relevant and friendly posts. *Trolls hardly ever stick to the topic; they beat around the bush with the intention to confuse the reader. *Trolls of the subtle variety flag off their attack with innocent questions. You will often find them dressed up as new members of forums and chat rooms. *Trolls lack understanding of a topic. They will not respond with a proper answer to a proper question.
*Trolls (especially the clever variants) use catch phrases to win sympathy. For instance, they may portray themselves as victims or specially challenged. *Trolls use web addresses or fictitious online identities that lead to dead ends. *Trolls may make desperate efforts to make themselves liked. Sugar coated responses or overt-flattering comments are signature troll moves. There are different types of trolls. Most are hit-and-miss and are far easier to deal with. Some are more strategic in the way they embed themselves online so as to cause maximum mayhem with minimum fuss. Identifying an internet troll is half the battle one. You can only count on your experience to get one early before you are baited by them. Now, comes the relatively easy part of dealing with these internet trolls.
*Avoidance is the best policy: If you can catch them shooting their mouths off, totally ignore remarks left by trolls. Donft feed the trolls should be stuck up on a yellow sticky always. *Avoid arguments: If you do get on a one-to-one with someone you suspect to be a troll, keep your remarks to an absolute minimum. State your facts and move on. Put the ball in their court. By the second remark or so, a troll would have identified himself. **Donft let them flatter to deceive: There is a high chance that a troll will pay a compliment or two to ingratiate himself before he starts his attack. This is a tough one as there are many real admirers who do sugar coat their comments. *Ask For Supporting Data: To net a troll in the anti-spam net, you can ask for data that can quickly verified like an email address or domain name. Genuine commentators usually have an online persona to back themselves. *The power of the webmaster: You can use blacklists and whitelists to separate the bad from the good. IP addresses can be tracked and persistent attacks from an IP or a range of IPs can be effectively blocked. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-effective-ways-deal-arrogant-internet-trolls/ ------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
charmainec Moderator Posts: 6051 From: Venus next to Randall Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 13, 2012 12:45 PM
------------------ quote: Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.
Linda GoodmanIP: Logged |
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 13, 2012 08:34 PM
------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
C1ND3R Knowflake Posts: 1490 From: Dorsia Registered: Aug 2012
|
posted October 13, 2012 08:55 PM
There's a tutorial on how you can have firefox show i.p. addresses and then block it to block the user no matter what screen name they have: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb_hqexKkw8 IP: Logged |
teasel Knowflake Posts: 5105 From: Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 13, 2012 08:57 PM
I don't know what I missed, but on another forum, we've just started agreeing with everything they say. No fights get started that way.IP: Logged |
PixieJane Knowflake Posts: 1716 From: CA Registered: Oct 2010
|
posted October 13, 2012 09:33 PM
The definition of troll keeps being changed. Not too long ago there was a panel that defined trolls as someone trying to bully others into silence because they don't like what you say while the above list seems to include those with powerful insecurity to an outright personality disorder. It gets kinda confusing to see the definition of a troll morph as it has in the last couple of years or so (though it's still better than the definition some have of "anyone who upsets me by disagreeing").To me (and I thought it was to most others, at least until the last couple of years or so) it meant someone trying to get attention. There are even boards and sites to help trolls upset people, and many claim to hold views they don't just to upset others (for example, a fundie that goes to a board for gay people and posts how they're gonna burn in hell is a grade-A jerk but not a troll, the troll would say that simply to tick them off but isn't a Christian and may even go to Christian boards and pretend to be gay just to upset them next). They think it's funny and perhaps having so many people respond to them (even if it's hateful) makes them feel relevant, maybe even powerful. And here's perhaps the best fun vid on internet trolls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMEe7JqBgvg IP: Logged |
RegardesPlatero Knowflake Posts: 4367 From: Registered: Sep 2011
|
posted October 13, 2012 09:37 PM
I always just thought that a troll was someone who just deliberately disagreed with a group and went there to cause trouble. Agree that it seems to be changing. IP: Logged |
PixieJane Knowflake Posts: 1716 From: CA Registered: Oct 2010
|
posted October 13, 2012 09:47 PM
And this makes me laugh, the magazine for the ITG (Internet Tough Guy): http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/9316/dorquemadaaf0.jpg IP: Logged |
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 13, 2012 10:23 PM
The definition may change but the underlaying behavior does not. Posting to incite or inflame is always a basic behavior. (among others. )note this one that is a given by newer members that feels familiar. They are because the behaviors remain the same from person to person. *Trolls generally use provocative and confrontational language. A clever one will mix it up with relevant and friendly posts. ------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
Alma Sun Moderator Posts: 2143 From: The East Coast Registered: Mar 2011
|
posted October 14, 2012 11:39 AM
The Worst Internet Trolls Might Be Mentally Ill
------------------ "You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant." ― Harlan Ellison ☺ IP: Logged |
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 14, 2012 12:11 PM
Oh my word ------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
charmainec Moderator Posts: 6051 From: Venus next to Randall Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 14, 2012 04:11 PM
------------------ quote: Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.
Linda GoodmanIP: Logged |
PixieJane Knowflake Posts: 1716 From: CA Registered: Oct 2010
|
posted October 14, 2012 05:47 PM
I guess motivations matter to me. If someone tries to upset people as part of some game I completely cut them out of my awareness, like an annoying but meaningless gnat. Someone who's just so insecure or immature that they lash out whenever they're in a bad mood or feel challenged is someone I tend to avoid but may not cut out completely, especially if it's more mood-oriented. I generally overlook those I see with poor people skills or who have unpopular ideas as I see no malice there. There's even one guy who some think of as a troll (and I don't blame them) but I believe him mentally ill and I've defended him...even if he's about the only one who ever inspired me to full rant mode, but I know he doesn't do it out of malice or because he thinks it's funny, he does it because of a mixture of unpopular beliefs and a defensiveness born of paranoia (creating a somewhat self-fulfilling prophecy when he does a preemptive attack). I more pity him than hold in contempt as I would a troll. IP: Logged |
teasel Knowflake Posts: 5105 From: Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 14, 2012 05:57 PM
quote: Originally posted by Alma Sun: The Worst Internet Trolls Might Be Mentally Ill
Uh.. that kind of resembles my desk. Only, I don't smoke, and I don't spend much time here. I was thinking the same thing as Pixie wrote above; especially since I've responded poorly at times. IP: Logged |
sunshine9 Moderator Posts: 1047 From: Beehive, MD Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 15, 2012 02:57 PM
I agree - best to discourage trollish behavior by not responding to posts of that sort.Perhaps one of these may be in order too: IP: Logged |
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 15, 2012 06:08 PM
Sunshine ------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
teasel Knowflake Posts: 5105 From: Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 02:03 AM
I'm still wondering what prompted this. It's a shame we don't have an ignore function here. IP: Logged |
charmainec Moderator Posts: 6051 From: Venus next to Randall Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 03:45 AM
quote: Originally posted by sunshine9: I agree - best to discourage trollish behavior by not responding to posts of that sort.Perhaps one of these may be in order too:
IP: Logged |
Ami Anne Moderator Posts: 39814 From: Pluto/house next to NickiG Registered: Sep 2010
|
posted October 16, 2012 09:11 AM
Yes, ignoring is the best!------------------ Passion, Lust, Desire. Check out my journal http://www.mychristianpsychic.com/
IP: Logged |
Lei_Kuei Moderator Posts: 893 From: Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 11:55 AM
The political correctness and delicacies of tyranny that is rampant in today's world (Especially in Academia) labels most "critical thinkers" trolls (Even if they are 100% correct). Simply because they often have very strong and opposing views It is that kind of P-C behavior that is deeply disturbing for society in the future...Its the "soft-kill" of the human spirit ------------------ ~*~ Did you know that a circle is round? ~*~ - Tautology You can't handle my level of Tinfoil! ~ {;,;}
IP: Logged |
sunshine9 Moderator Posts: 1047 From: Beehive, MD Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 03:30 PM
quote: Originally posted by juniperb: Sunshine
How have you been, dear one?? Long time no see.. There's been some drama in my life of late.. but I'll save that for another thread. I've missed you!! Hugs, Sunshine IP: Logged |
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 04:36 PM
quote: Originally posted by Lei_Kuei: The political correctness and delicacies of tyranny that is rampant in today's world (Especially in Academia) labels most "critical thinkers" trolls (Even if they are 100% correct). Simply because they often have very strong and opposing views It is that kind of P-C behavior that is deeply disturbing for society in the future...Its the "soft-kill" of the human spirit
Speaking for this forum, that isn`t the sort of "troll" we are refering to Strong academic opinions are one thing, the kind of troll mentioned in opening post is the run of the mill kind Lindaland gets. ------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
juniperb Moderator Posts: 6031 From: Blue Star Kachina Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 04:38 PM
Sunshine, I will look for your thread and I hope it`s all been resolved now!------------------ We dance around the ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and Knows Robert Frost IP: Logged |
Lei_Kuei Moderator Posts: 893 From: Registered: Apr 2009
|
posted October 16, 2012 04:50 PM
quote: Speaking for this forum, that isn`t the sort of "troll" we are refering to
Give it 5 years and Internet Censorship and Ill bump that post lol
------------------ ~*~ Did you know that a circle is round? ~*~ - Tautology You can't handle my level of Tinfoil! ~ {;,;} IP: Logged |
C1ND3R Knowflake Posts: 1490 From: Dorsia Registered: Aug 2012
|
posted October 16, 2012 05:26 PM
Is everyone purposely ignoring my helpful link? IP: Logged |