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Dealing With Internet Trolls »

Posted by: Radiofreeeuropa 1 year, 10 months ago

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Trolls are a bane on social networking sites. They post obtuse and inflammatory comments to sabotage discussions. Repeat the same inane comments over and over, submit ludicrous posts and vote them up with sockpuppets, etc. Here is some advice on dealing with them, and insight into the behavior.

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Radiofreeeuropa

All progress comes from unreasonable people.
Rats live on no evil star!
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Comments: 113

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Radiofreeeuropa
Feb. 20, 2008, 5:14 p.m.
Trolls are a detriment to Propeller and all internet social sites. No one likes their behavior. Yet why are they here? Often we react to them in just the way they desire us to.
Don't feed the trolls folks.
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Beau7890
Feb. 20, 2008, 5:51 p.m.
I've always thought that since the threads are public, responding reasonably to trolls just gives more information to everyone else on the thread. The comments I make to some of them are not necessarily for their benefit--they wouldn't listen anyway.
On the other hand, there are times I get a little teed off...that's when your advice (and the "Block" button) is good.
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Radiofreeeuropa
Feb. 20, 2008, 6 p.m.
FTA-Disrupting a stable newsgroup gives the illusion of power, just as for a few, stalking a strong person allows them to think they are strong, too.
For trolls, any response is 'recognition'; they are unable to distinguish between irritation and admiration; their ego grows directly in proportion to the response, regardless of the form or content of that response.
Trolls sit back and count the responses, it gives them an illusion of power, if they are ignored, and as Neo said simply neged, they are not fed.
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gamahuche
Feb. 20, 2008, 6:57 p.m.
Nothing lovable about them, that's for sure.
Trolls is actually a bit of a sift name for them but I suppose if they were called something more dramatic that would puff up their shapeless little beings..
Its just as well that the TOU really would be challenged of we named names here - OTOH that would also yield them their 15 minutes of fame..
Didn't some Scandinavian composer write a deathmarch of the trolls or something like that??
I imagine them grouping together to commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs, like lemmings!
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greenmac
Feb. 20, 2008, 9:06 p.m.
Good post Radio......I have seen a lot of these types of things on several sites that I post on.
lovermanComment has been removed: Retracted by user
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not2needy
Feb. 20, 2008, 11:59 p.m.
Excellent post. I must admit i am often times suckered in by the flammers. I try to keep it civil, but you can tell when people follow you from post to post, they don't want civility.
Thanks RFE!
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tanglang
Feb. 21, 2008, 6:15 a.m.
Happy to give this one a pos Radio. I thought the article was well written.
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sumptuousdigs
Feb. 21, 2008, 6:34 a.m.
Troll... I still picture something akin to a gremlin, feverishly pounding on the keyboard. A troll is anyone with a head thicker than mine. LOL! I know it's not the real definition, but it works for me.
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walden3
Feb. 21, 2008, 7:14 a.m.
I fall into the trap because it's hard for me not to feel the need to correct the record however.
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RickyDawkins
Feb. 21, 2008, 9:56 a.m.
Sometimes if you just give the troll a little hug. You will never have a problem with them again.
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saneman
Feb. 21, 2008, 10:40 a.m.
Why worry about so-called trolls? Since we use monikers and avatars, they don't know who we are. They don't know us personally. This is nothing but a cartoon to them and rightfully so. Let's not get so sensitive over what can be construed as fun and games. Personal attacks? I don't think so. Remember, they aren't attacking you personally, they are attacking what you say, because they have no clue as to who you are.
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sumptuousdigs
Feb. 21, 2008, 11:18 a.m.
Hugs...I like hugs. Give me hugs or I'll flame you!
Arr har har har harrr....
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BronxBomber
Feb. 21, 2008, 11:57 a.m.
To put it in a nutshell, trolls and flamers are like Monica Lewinsky...the only difference is that they do it BIGGER and better.
rdy2rckComment has been removed: Hard Banned
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BronxBomber
Feb. 21, 2008, 2:18 p.m.
??????
0_o
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MajJohn
Feb. 21, 2008, 4:29 p.m.
Ahh, shadowolf got you this time, he's an equal opportunity negger. :)
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x0000000009
Feb. 21, 2008, 3:06 p.m.
Now I'm coming to gobble you up!
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MajJohn
Feb. 21, 2008, 4:27 p.m.
Must not get sucked in, must not get sucked .., must not get......, must not..........must...........a
g
g
g!!
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Will1313
Feb. 21, 2008, 4:31 p.m.
If you think things are bad here.. when Yahoo had news boards.... they finally got so bad they just shut them down altogether.....
biggest drive by negger/sinker.. Wolfie...
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questionseverything
Feb. 21, 2008, 7:48 p.m.
lol 2 funny dropalib was 1 of 3 peops that sank this story
if i have time i will respond NO MATTER who is fonting to me because (even now that propellor is buried deep in cyberland) i think lots of peops read these comments that nevr font and i dont want some unsuspecting peop to think the troll was correct
i nevr have hurt feelings tho,it would actually bother me more if i thought the trolls agreed with me by not negging me...lol
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icono1
Feb. 21, 2008, 8:42 p.m.
Sorry I got here late but I've been out looking for trolls.
I agree with questionseverything to a large degree but in the final analysis it is up to the individual that has been trolled or flamed as to how they choose to respond.
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Fangarius
Feb. 22, 2008, 2:02 a.m.
The real problem here as the story indicates is this, most people go under the delusion if they're anonymous, they're untouchable.
Ergo, they can act, say and do anything here on the Internet without any consequence or reprecussion involved. Regrettably, all one can really do is ignore them because they're essentially idiots wanting attention.
Case in point, when I first opened a MySpace account, I started showing off my characters and telling where to find my art. About several months afterwards, there came a poser/troll going under the pseudonym "Fangdarius" using altered art he lifted from my site.
Then he had the nerve accusing me of 'stealing' "his" work, which it was evident all he did was use photoshop to alter my stuff and claim it as a new character. (cont.)
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Truzseeker
Feb. 22, 2008, 1:52 p.m.
Ignore the troll by staying on point with the story.