"Trolling: Who does it and why" - BBC report.

An internet "troll" has been jailed for mocking dead teenagers on various websites. Public figures, including Stephen Fry and Miranda Hart, have also been victims of trolling. So what is it and why do people do it?

Trolling goes mainstream, after reading through the article I indeed find myself wondering, what kind of people get kicks out of winding someone up over the internet?


The article refers to many different ways of looking at "Trolling". I tend to look at it as an action without consequence, but in some cases, people can go to prison for it.

There's actually "anti-trolling" laws:

The Communications Act 2003 governs the internet, email, mobile phone calls and text messaging Under section 127 of the act it is an offence to send messages that are "grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character" The offence occurs whether those targeted actually receive the message or not.

As a member of this forum, which is full of trolls and what not, I thought it would be interesting to see what some of the users of ATS think of the issue. I have my own views of the typical troll, attention seeking, bored, and immature or sometimes just sick in the head; but lets face it, a lot of people have trolled a few times. I can admit, when I used to play MMO's I "trolled" a few times when people had no idea what they were talking about, but where does the line blur, when does it go to far?

Though hats off to the mods etc who deal with off topic posts, offensives posts and what not, making ATS a nicer environment.

V.


Source: www.bbc.co.uk...

Trolling definition: In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

Source: en.wikipedia.org...(Internet)

When I first joined ATS I had not heard of the term "troll" as applied to the internet realm, it didn't take me long to work out the understanding, when it came to message boards.

I have probably trolled a few times, making some smart alec comments to wind up certain individuals on here, but it's not something I do often and it's more out of frustration than anything, sometimes it's hard to convey emotions over the internet, so the odd trolling post is just a response to that I guess. But there are some people who come on here with the sole purpose of trolling, they don't last very long though.

Yes, before i jumped into the Ats world, i had no idea what trolling meant. As time went on however, i learned it very quickly.

Deliberate trolling is not cool, especially if a topic is being discussed in all seriousness. I have seen cases of accidental trolling though, where the poster is not even aware that he might be perceived as being trolled.

Whatever the case, trolls are a part of the internet, so not much to be done really.

vvv

Complete and utter genetic defects. That's who does it. The kind of person who thinks it's cool to beat the hell out of someone on the street. The kind of person who thinks gaming is online multiplayer (though there are good people out there who play online, though most are wankers). The kind of person who thinks movies like "Meet The Spartans" are actually funny.

The kind of people whose genes should have been wiped out generations ago through natural selection.

Douchebags to be precise.

All you have to do is post a differing opinion to be called a "troll" here.

i think some of it has to do wit the anonymity that the internet provides. Anyone can throw in any statement or comment without having to be challenged publicly/face to face.

Originally posted by 547000
All you have to do is post a differing opinion to be called a "troll" here.

I don't often agree with you, but i do agree with that statement.

If you dare to be different to the norm on here, most of the time you will be called a troll, or a flamer.

vvv

A person who gets their jollies by causing grief to others because their lives are so utterly boring. Geneology ranks just below the maggot.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
I have probably trolled a few times, making some smart alec comments to wind up certain individuals on here, but it's not something I do often and it's more out of frustration than anything, sometimes it's hard to convey emotions over the internet, so the odd trolling post is just a response to that I guess. But there are some people who come on here with the sole purpose of trolling, they don't last very long though.

That's not really trolling. Taking a jab at someone isn't really trolling. What I think the OP is talking about is real trolling. Like purposefully slandering someones memorial page on facebook or purposefully replying to threads with offensive opinions to get a rise out of other participants for their own personal "enjoyment".

I find that it is usually trolls who accuse others of trolling. The accusation itself is like waving the proverbial red flag in front of a bull; it can provoke the angry response they are trying to achieve.

Here is the incredibly simple explanation

Normal person + Anonymity + Audience = total #wad

Originally posted by 547000
All you have to do is post a differing opinion to be called a "troll" here.

From what I've seen here people who are called trolls on ATS are people who start threads or reply to threads appearing to be seeking a legitimate differing opinion from their own to help them find the truth, then they ignore all opinions and evidence brought forth to possibly convince them of the contrary.

Now not everyone does this. Most acknowlege and discuss opposing beliefs when brought up, those who ignore what is scientifically solid or proven as fact, are trolls. Well to me anyway.

Sorry if anyone feels different.

I will sometimes troll in the attempt to find out how gullible or naive a particular forum is, in order to ascertain the worthiness of my participation.

When I first started using the internet there was a person on a particular message board who would always post provocative topics, on topic, and would draw in people, ignite a flame war then take no further part. That was my first experience of a troll. I dont think this particular troll intended on hurting anyone, he just treated the internet as a game. He eventually got banned, which is fair.

A lot of the trolling that goes on these days is completely different. Its outright bullying, people deliberately finding targets and pouncing, in short, predators. These people are out to hurt people, they may also treat the internet as a game but their actions are targetted at individuals. The trouble with people like these is if you attempt to fight back, or react to them, which it is difficult not to, just like real life bullies, they can and will always twist the situation around to make themselves look like innocent victims, and most people fall for it. And I can bet if the law does clamp down on trolling, then the victims of these trolls who end up snapping and posting bad things because they simply cant take any more will be the ones locked up, while the trolls live to troll another day. Just like what happens when people take on real life bullies.

reply to post by VraxUK

Trolling: Who does it and why

Trolling used to be defined as mostly the adolescent male, 11-to-15 year old set with nothing better to do than start flame wars that turned into raging cyber forest fires. But today, trolling has come of age and is used as a tool to root out and identify certain types of beliefs so that the user can be publicly tagged for future harassment.

One very fertile bit of digital ground for this behavior is at the Boing Boing website, where anti-religion zealots, left-right political gladiators and ridicule specialists keep tabs on whatever sector of society that dislike the most. The articles one finds there are often quite good, but daring to comment is like walking into a minefield of cow-pies, lol.

reply to post by VraxUK


A troll is basically referred to someone in a chat forum that has somehow made you mad with words and antagonized your emotional state. Harmless. I prefer to call them antagonists.

The real troll is the one who has been offended and decides to give chase using technical prowess to exert power over the offender. (Hacking, scripting to slow your PC down or a moderator puts you in time out or completely bans your ip as punishment) Worse case scenario involves law enforcement.
Teetering between stalking and true criminal behavior.

A real troll in the true nature can actually ruin your life with criminal prosecution. Very Harmful

Trolling is mostly a phase done by those who simply wish for cheap laughs at another person expense. Believe it or not there are actually harmless forms of trolling. But, basically at the heart they all do the same which is to seek a reaction by baiting them to a topic the troll knows the person will post in.

But here is my personal view on it and how I countered it. I became a troll at a site called 4chan where the term troll became widely used and spread like cancer through out the web. That site is also where Anonymous was born. My own personal view on why they do it is to try and seek out humor during bad situations. Most people on that website feels rejected from society. Most of them have been bullied themselves or been made fun of themselves. I know I was one of the people who felt rejected. You lose morality and begin dumping everything you held unto all these years, and because it is "safe" behind a computer, they see no physical actions done unto them.

There is two sides to every coin, yes trolling can cause someone to become extremely upset. But there has been times when trolling became useful to trick people to posting personal info, especially pedophiles who in the past posted they were about to do something and a troll would come and trick him to get information.

That is one of the ways anonymous had busted a few of them, or when someone harms a cat and posts videos on the web, same thing occurred. Another positive side is that you let go of your emotions instead of physically harming someone, which is why I prefer people to troll and let go of their emotions instead of blowing up in public and causing havoc. It has happened before.


But I mentioned it was a phase right? yep, it is a phase because when you let go of all negative emotions and ultimately don't see humor in trolling anymore, that is a sign to rejoin society and actually try to contribute. It's called becoming mature.


Unfortunately however, TPTB also uses trolling. People are paid to troll on forums especially those that goes or talks against them. But because I trolled in the past and actually mastered the art. I can easily pick up when someone is trolling here and I call them out on it.

So in short,
why do people troll? for lulz
where does it come from? you, me and everyone

huh? I say that because everyone at some point in their lives trolled someone even if they did it subconsciously. It is basically that inner child you kept encaged trying to come out.

They come across like The Del Close comedy album 'How To Speak Hip'. Lesson one in trolling: Be jolly mean to someone online.

reply to post by superluminal11


Rubbish. A troll who deliberately sets out to wind someone up to the point of reacting is the one fully and completely in the wrong. The victim would never have done what they did if they were not treated in such a vile way.

reply to post by RisenAngel77

So in short,
why do people troll? for lulz
where does it come from? you, me and everyone

huh? I say that because everyone at some point in their lives trolled someone even if they did it subconsciously. It is basically that inner child you kept encaged trying to come out.

Sorry to reduce your lengthy and insightful post to these few lines, but your conclusion oversimplifies some good points that you made. First, using a false online identity to bait potential criminals is not "trolling" in the sense that is being discussed here, nor is the technique of using the internet community to track down anti-social types who post photos and videos of themselves torturing animals and such. "Trolling" here means a deliberate attempt to disrupt an honest debate or to provoke an irrational or emotional response; anger, grief, fear and so forth. It is a form of verbal or mental sadism. I agree that at some point nearly everyone commits acts of "trollism;" often as the very irrational response that an habitual troll is attempting to provoke. Others resort to trolling as a last ditch effort to derail a thread when they see that they are losing a debate. It is a childish "If I can't win, nobody else can play either" tactic. What is of serious concern are the people who feel that acts of verbal sadism against total strangers are either "funny,' or in some way necessary to make them feel good about themselves.