What do you consider trolling?

[Former Member]

The whole reason a friend and I set up our own forum was because of trolls.

We found it immensely frustrating to take the time to write long, well thought-out posts (on a news/current affairs forum), only to then be bombarded with nonsense by trolls simply because they didn't like our opinions. They didn't debate our opinions, just abused and harassed us. And the moderators on said forum were a lax bunch and said to us "well, you can fight back but we won't censor them".

They couldn't grasp that respectfully disagreeing and debating someone is far, far different to senselessly hounding and annoying them.

So I basically think a troll is someone who gets a thrill out of obtaining negative emotional reactions out of other people, and dragging the tone of discussion down.

[The girl who waited]

A troll is, to me, some one who has no intention of posting relevant information, and is just using your board for thier playground, or to annoy, or sometimes to harm. Luckily, I haven't had a big problem with it on my boards, but I know some sites that have...I think the bigger you are, the bigger the problem.

[harryjack]

Hello Firends,

Now I know this seems like a load question, but as a person who is interested but reserved about the Playstation 4. Any question that is not praise is consider trolling, and I have a roommate who owns a ps4, and he is super defensive about anything.

[blc]

Jul 28, 2014 13:11:44 GMT -8 @seleucus said:

The whole reason a friend and I set up our own forum was because of trolls.

We found it immensely frustrating to take the time to write long, well thought-out posts (on a news/current affairs forum), only to then be bombarded with nonsense by trolls simply because they didn't like our opinions. They didn't debate our opinions, just abused and harassed us. And the moderators on said forum were a lax bunch and said to us "well, you can fight back but we won't censor them".

They couldn't grasp that respectfully disagreeing and debating someone is far, far different to senselessly hounding and annoying them.

So I basically think a troll is someone who gets a thrill out of obtaining negative emotional reactions out of other people, and dragging the tone of discussion down.

I'd say I agree pretty much with what you said. Trolls take on a lot of shapes. Some deliberately use certain words they know will elicit a known response. Others go on sites and play the 'victim'. Another type spams the same garbage in multiple threads. Others spam advertising either for their site or some product.

I do NOT consider back to back posts to be spam or trolling.

[kronks]

Apr 29, 2009 12:37:12 GMT -8 Orkamad said:

trolls for me would be those who are misusing the forum for its actual purpose for example if its a forum about captive killer whales, start going all anti-captivity all over the threads or ones who take peoples' photos and claim them as their own.

That is not trolling, that is just not sharing your opinion, in my opinion.

I have seen that before, a thread has a simple non-restrictive title and then someone
will try and dictate what you can post  in the tread, despite it being on topic, just not
fitting your narrow definition.

The photo stuff is something else, I mean it is being dishonest, but it is not trolling.

[EliteAbilityz]

Cyberbulling
Stalking within threads
Quoting just to reply with hate

[kronks]

Apr 16, 2015 9:22:48 GMT -8 EliteAbilityz said:

Cyberbulling
Stalking within threads
Quoting just to reply with hate

Well everyone has their own definition.

As I understand it the term originated from Usenet, which is like the
original internet forums.

So some guy was maintaining some position in an argument which was in
disagreement with everyone else.

So the general consensus was that he was just doing it for fun, for a bit of a laugh
so to speak.

So it as originally used to refer to a non-abusive way of perpetuating a false arguement.

The irony of course was that he turned out to correct.

Of course he was already banned when they found that out.

Nowadays is tend to a general catch all phase to abuse another person for whatever reason.

It mean you don't have to provide a genuine reason for banning someone you can just use the catch all phrase trolling.

"he was trolling so I banned him".

[TrollhunterX]

Apr 29, 2009 10:39:14 GMT -8 Patrick [ASE] said:

When you are on the internet, you run into various types of people from around the world. Some people are very friendly, while some are not. To the latter, the most common term applied to them is "troll."

As a staff member, how do you determine "trolling? What are your different levels of it? How does your forum handle "trolls?" Are there stipulations in your rules in regards to "trolling?" Why or why not?


Submitted by HoudiniDerek

My forum was created with the specific purpose of 'handling trolls'. Well, there were two aims. Firstly, to provide a kind of virtual 'sin bin', to keep any responses to individuals perceived as troublemakers off the sites affected, via 'troll nomination' threads. But secondly, to test the assertion made by numerous board owners/moderators that some posted material had to be removed because otherwise it could lead to legal action against the board in question. Too many times, that smacked of the 'right to be offended' fallacy, dressed up as a legitimate concern.

Unfortunately, as I learned last night, my forum has now been deleted, 'In accordance with Section 25(a) of the ProBoards Terms of Service', without my being notified that there were concerns, legitimate or otherwise.

Now, I know this probably isn't the place to have a grumble, or even a heartfelt appeal about that. But then, I don't want to grumble, or appeal. I said from the beginning that one way or the other, action or a lack of it would send a message about how free the internet was, and even in its demise, the TrollhunterX forums would serve a purpose, as well as freeing up a lot of my time. My one concern is that that lack of consultation, of challenging me to put my own 'house in order', undermines the validity of the decision, leaving a question mark instead of a full stop.

I should also say that I've only read the first page of this thread, and I definitely don't have the time to read all of it, but incorporated in that first aim there was also a wish to give those labelled as trolls and banned some degree of right of reply, if anyone cared to 'hear' it. I've read a lot on this first page of how these individuals would flout a ban by whatever means were needed, but not every summarily banned person deserves it. A month back, I joined a board with the theme of scrapping the BBC's licence fee, and posted one innocuous comment. An hour later, I returned to the thread to be greeted by by a message telling me I'd been banned because with the name 'TrollhunterX' (they only seemed to see the first five letters), I couldn't have any good reason to be there. I haven't tried to circumvent that ban. Their loss, frankly. But if I had done so, to give a piece of my mind about their lousy 'tude, would that have made me a troll?

Just to say, some board owners/mods can come across as being just as belligerent and/or inconsistent in their behaviour as the people they fixate on. If you stare long enough into the abyss...

[Sassy]

Apr 29, 2009 10:39:14 GMT -8 Patrick [ASE] said:

When you are on the internet, you run into various types of people from around the world. Some people are very friendly, while some are not. To the latter, the most common term applied to them is "troll."

As a staff member, how do you determine "trolling? What are your different levels of it? How does your forum handle "trolls?" Are there stipulations in your rules in regards to "trolling?" Why or why not?


Submitted by HoudiniDerek

Trolls to me, are just people who come in to read, but never post.  I don't allow that, as it sends up red flags in my opinion.  Why just read?  Why not participate.

If I find members are joining to just read, their account is deleted, plain and simple.   

Might sound harsh to some, and even though my forum is public, I do value privacy and respect for my posters.  

[kingofmacaroni]

trolling is being banned for NO reaason



bunch of grade A douchebag bunch hipster dookies

[mmhmm]

To me, if they banned you because your alias is TrollhunterX, that was pretty far-fetched. I'd see no reason to ban that alias. It's not offensive. Still, a forum owner can ban for any reason, or no reason. I'd figure, as you did, if they didn't want me as a member it's their loss.

[nariadreaming]

May 5, 2015 4:29:01 GMT -8 Sassy said:

Apr 29, 2009 10:39:14 GMT -8 Patrick [ASE] said:

When you are on the internet, you run into various types of people from around the world. Some people are very friendly, while some are not. To the latter, the most common term applied to them is "troll."

As a staff member, how do you determine "trolling? What are your different levels of it? How does your forum handle "trolls?" Are there stipulations in your rules in regards to "trolling?" Why or why not?


Submitted by HoudiniDerek

Trolls to me, are just people who come in to read, but never post.  I don't allow that, as it sends up red flags in my opinion.  Why just read?  Why not participate.

If I find members are joining to just read, their account is deleted, plain and simple.   

Might sound harsh to some, and even though my forum is public, I do value privacy and respect for my posters.  

How long do you give users to start posting? I know on my forums people will lurk and read for months before getting active- and that's fine by me, because the different boards on my forum have very different tones and community standards. 

[Sassy]

Jun 23, 2015 6:03:18 GMT -8 nariadreaming said:

May 5, 2015 4:29:01 GMT -8 Sassy said:

Trolls to me, are just people who come in to read, but never post.  I don't allow that, as it sends up red flags in my opinion.  Why just read?  Why not participate.

If I find members are joining to just read, their account is deleted, plain and simple.   

Might sound harsh to some, and even though my forum is public, I do value privacy and respect for my posters.  

How long do you give users to start posting? I know on my forums people will lurk and read for months before getting active- and that's fine by me, because the different boards on my forum have very different tones and community standards. 

Different strokes, for different folks, I guess.   

[smileysjm]

If we use the "members should post as soon as they read my posts or I delete them" attitude, then I would have banned at least 32 people with my recent post here.

Path: support.proboards.com/thread/550534/evernote-blogging-postach-io

Not one of you has commented so following this policy if it was on my board - you would all be deleted.

I would really appreciate if people made sensible comments or posts rather than sarcasm and witty comments.

[Sassy]

I already commented on what I thought trolling was.

Let me be more specific for you.

If someone joins my forum, and hasn't posted in a 3 month period, but reads on a daily basis instead, it sends up red flags. I will PM that member usually, to see if anything is wrong. If I don't get a response, they're deleted.

I've belong to other forum places before, where constant readers only, were nothing but trouble. So because of that, I don't allow constant readers/non-posters.

I hope that made it a bit clearer for you.