- Banned
- #1
Troll: to antagonize (others) online by deliberately posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content
Definition of TROLL
Virtually all discussion boards have become the exclusive property of trolls. Just like talk radio is dominated by the right and the liberal left own tv news, the trolls have captured the discussion boards.
Give the devil their due. Your average troll is cunning and sly. They tend to hang on boards where a majority of moderators think like they do on subject matter. That way, they can push the envelope and most can get by saying and doing things that would get the average poster banned. Trolling becomes the profession of some posters.
I have run ins with them, even here, wherein they have tens of thousands of posts. So, when they stalk an average poster, it's almost difficult for a moderator to detect. Since the pro has the time and inclination, they can stalk and troll one or two posters at a time, plus post on other threads so as to make it all but impossible for a moderator to figure it out... AND allow the troll's fellow thinkers who moderate posts to allow the troll to get away with what they're doing.
If moderators like to babysit and protect the trolls, that is their business. OTOH, one discussion board warned its members:
"Just a reminder that thread topics focused on personally attacking other members constitutes flaming, and will be quarantined."
Some boards allow you to argue about off - topic matter and even flame other posters provided you add something to the thread. This does not take away from the fact that the off topic flame and the attempt to draw someone out and force them to address the troll in a manner inconsistent with the rules is not entertaining (except to the trolls) and it is not educational. It drives the average poster off the thread and it ends in a few whizzing contests on a thread that then gives moderators a pretext for reprimanding the average poster and / or locking the thread down.
The way moderators could help is to watch the trolls... even the people they like and are helping to spread the same political sentiments. If those trolls are helping to get threads locked down and then immediately following other posters onto other threads and subtly starting a whizzing contest with a poster from a previous thread, it might be time to acknowledge the troll, warn them and ban them if necessary.
My position is a simple one: Just like the fallout from the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault scandal began, one day the trolls will get on the wrong side of history and be exposed one by one. And, they will be dealt with. History proves that the one constant is change. One day those who are anonymous trolls will be identified and exposed. Those who enable them will receive the wrath of the people as well. Being victimized by dedicated trolls, but wanting to face them in person, I'm committed to bringing down trolls. In the alternative, I'd settle for that moment where someone can tell us how to identify these obnoxious misfits and hold them personally accountable. If the management of boards will listen to the complaints about trolling and counsel the individual trolls, it may make the situation tolerable for a time. The one thing I'd like to see is a troll confronted, face to face, and the encounter posted on social media, YouTube, etc.
Definition of TROLL
Virtually all discussion boards have become the exclusive property of trolls. Just like talk radio is dominated by the right and the liberal left own tv news, the trolls have captured the discussion boards.
Give the devil their due. Your average troll is cunning and sly. They tend to hang on boards where a majority of moderators think like they do on subject matter. That way, they can push the envelope and most can get by saying and doing things that would get the average poster banned. Trolling becomes the profession of some posters.
I have run ins with them, even here, wherein they have tens of thousands of posts. So, when they stalk an average poster, it's almost difficult for a moderator to detect. Since the pro has the time and inclination, they can stalk and troll one or two posters at a time, plus post on other threads so as to make it all but impossible for a moderator to figure it out... AND allow the troll's fellow thinkers who moderate posts to allow the troll to get away with what they're doing.
If moderators like to babysit and protect the trolls, that is their business. OTOH, one discussion board warned its members:
"Just a reminder that thread topics focused on personally attacking other members constitutes flaming, and will be quarantined."
Some boards allow you to argue about off - topic matter and even flame other posters provided you add something to the thread. This does not take away from the fact that the off topic flame and the attempt to draw someone out and force them to address the troll in a manner inconsistent with the rules is not entertaining (except to the trolls) and it is not educational. It drives the average poster off the thread and it ends in a few whizzing contests on a thread that then gives moderators a pretext for reprimanding the average poster and / or locking the thread down.
The way moderators could help is to watch the trolls... even the people they like and are helping to spread the same political sentiments. If those trolls are helping to get threads locked down and then immediately following other posters onto other threads and subtly starting a whizzing contest with a poster from a previous thread, it might be time to acknowledge the troll, warn them and ban them if necessary.
My position is a simple one: Just like the fallout from the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault scandal began, one day the trolls will get on the wrong side of history and be exposed one by one. And, they will be dealt with. History proves that the one constant is change. One day those who are anonymous trolls will be identified and exposed. Those who enable them will receive the wrath of the people as well. Being victimized by dedicated trolls, but wanting to face them in person, I'm committed to bringing down trolls. In the alternative, I'd settle for that moment where someone can tell us how to identify these obnoxious misfits and hold them personally accountable. If the management of boards will listen to the complaints about trolling and counsel the individual trolls, it may make the situation tolerable for a time. The one thing I'd like to see is a troll confronted, face to face, and the encounter posted on social media, YouTube, etc.
