Why Be A Troll?
Types of Trolls
Before we begin, it's worth noting that the term "troll" is one of the most frequently cited insults in the online environment. It is often used to brand, silence or scapegoat a member with a dissenting or unpopular opinion. The purpose of this article is to assist those in online communities in determining what a true troll is and what actions can be taken to prevent their creation, welcome, and ability to inflict any harm.
In our experience with online communities, there are four types of trolls...
Unmoderated or poorly moderated environments are not only more susceptible to malicious or damaging trolls, they are also more likely to create the conditions that invite them. This is because the members themselves have very little in the way of actual power. With few other options at their disposal they will often resort to intimidation tactics and personal attack with the hope of verbally overpowering the offender. If the offender is a true troll, this will only reinforce the troll's sense of purpose, inflames his/her ire, and let him or her know who the willing targets are. Informal community leaders, those who are empathic to others or those sensitive to the slights of injustice are more likely to step forward in cases of troll attack and thus, become their target.
Before we begin, it's worth noting that the term "troll" is one of the most frequently cited insults in the online environment. It is often used to brand, silence or scapegoat a member with a dissenting or unpopular opinion. The purpose of this article is to assist those in online communities in determining what a true troll is and what actions can be taken to prevent their creation, welcome, and ability to inflict any harm.
In our experience with online communities, there are four types of trolls...
1) Mischievous: Such trolls have a humorous intent. Often, they are a "regular" who has temporarily adopted a new identity in order to play a good-natured prank. They are not abusive to members and rarely create trouble within a community. Generally there is no harm in responding to them. Some members may find mischievous trolls to be annoying, particularly if their presence leads to lengthy threads that distract the community from its true intent; other members inevitably find that the troll's humor and light-hearted antics provide the community with an opportunity to laugh together, thereby enhancing and strengthening community bonds.Trolls have two ways of gaining access to a community: from the outside or from the inside. Outside trolls are newbies or visitors who are new to the community, or only sporadic visitors and guests. They are less likely to target specific members and will be content with "hooking" anyone. Inside trolls are comprised of mischevious, bored, disgruntled, angry, scapegoated or wounded regulars who may have turned to trolling as a result of actions that occurred within the community. They frequently have a bone to pick with a specific member or a select group of members.
2) Mindless: Mindless trolls have a tendency to post lengthy stories of questionable belief thus promoting good facial tone in members due to excessive eye-rolling. They are generally harmless. On rare occasion, the ficticious posts of a mindless troll may lead to insightful debate and discussion. Aside from encouraging them, there is generally no harm in responding.
3) Malicious: A malicious troll arrives with the intent of being blatantly abusive to the group and/or specific individuals within the group. One of their characteristics is that within a very short time of gaining access they begin targeting and harassing members using both low-end and high-end tactics. In some cases, the troll has a prior history with the group or someone within the group. In other scenarios, the troll is simply looking for a fresh meat market.
4.) Destructive: Around 1999 a new form of troll began to appear on the net in mail groups and online communities. The primary purpose of this type of troll is to completely destroy the group it has infiltrated. Destructive trolls may work on their own, or possibly in teams or gangs.
Unmoderated or poorly moderated environments are not only more susceptible to malicious or damaging trolls, they are also more likely to create the conditions that invite them. This is because the members themselves have very little in the way of actual power. With few other options at their disposal they will often resort to intimidation tactics and personal attack with the hope of verbally overpowering the offender. If the offender is a true troll, this will only reinforce the troll's sense of purpose, inflames his/her ire, and let him or her know who the willing targets are. Informal community leaders, those who are empathic to others or those sensitive to the slights of injustice are more likely to step forward in cases of troll attack and thus, become their target.
Types of Trolls
Before we begin, it's worth noting that the term "troll" is one of the most frequently cited insults in the online environment. It is often used to brand, silence or scapegoat a member with a dissenting or unpopular opinion. The purpose of this article is to assist those in online communities in determining what a true troll is and what actions can be taken to prevent their creation, welcome, and ability to inflict any harm.
In our experience with online communities, there are four types of trolls...
1) Mischievous: Such trolls have a humorous intent. Often, they are a "regular" who has temporarily adopted a new identity in order to play a good-natured prank. They are not abusive to members and rarely create trouble within a community. Generally there is no harm in responding to them. Some members may find mischievous trolls to be annoying, particularly if their presence leads to lengthy threads that distract the community from its true intent; other members inevitably find that the troll's humor and light-hearted antics provide the community with an opportunity to laugh together, thereby enhancing and strengthening community bonds.Trolls have two ways of gaining access to a community: from the outside or from the inside. Outside trolls are newbies or visitors who are new to the community, or only sporadic visitors and guests. They are less likely to target specific members and will be content with "hooking" anyone. Inside trolls are comprised of mischevious, bored, disgruntled, angry, scapegoated or wounded regulars who may have turned to trolling as a result of actions that occurred within the community. They frequently have a bone to pick with a specific member or a select group of members.
This one is harmless, IMHO....they really don't do harm to anyone...
2) Mindless: Mindless trolls have a tendency to post lengthy stories of questionable belief thus promoting good facial tone in members due to excessive eye-rolling. They are generally harmless. On rare occasion, the ficticious posts of a mindless troll may lead to insightful debate and discussion. Aside from encouraging them, there is generally no harm in responding.
We see this type all the time....ex: " I've been unable to eat for 5 years and I still can't get to goal, HEEEEEEELLLLLLLP!
3) Malicious: A malicious troll arrives with the intent of being blatantly abusive to the group and/or specific individuals within the group. One of their characteristics is that within a very short time of gaining access they begin targeting and harassing members using both low-end and high-end tactics. In some cases, the troll has a prior history with the group or someone within the group. In other scenarios, the troll is simply looking for a fresh meat market.
This is the one that does a lot of harm, making people afraid to post, attacking anyone who dares to disagree and using a lot of punctuation...
4.) Destructive: Around 1999 a new form of troll began to appear on the net in mail groups and online communities. The primary purpose of this type of troll is to completely destroy the group it has infiltrated. Destructive trolls may work on their own, or possibly in teams or gangs.
I believe this is what happened on the old R&R Forum
Unmoderated or poorly moderated environments(such as this one) are not only more susceptible to malicious or damaging trolls, they are also more likely to create the conditions that invite them. This is because the members themselves have very little in the way of actual power. With few other options at their disposal they will often resort to intimidation tactics and personal attack with the hope of verbally overpowering the offender. If the offender is a true troll, this will only reinforce the troll's sense of purpose, inflames his/her ire, and let him or her know who the willing targets are. Informal community leaders, those who are empathic to others or those sensitive to the slights of injustice are more likely to step forward in cases of troll attack and thus, become their target.
Just my .02
6-7-13 band removed. No revision. Facebook Failed Lapbands and Realize Bands group and WLS-Support for Regain and Revision Group
Hate to see you not chat because of a troll. Can you just ignore her?
I'm having a brain dead moment because for the life of me I can't think of who the "toxic plant" would be and I've been on the boards for going on 3 years.
Sorry someone is giving you trouble, but I wouldn't let anyone run me off if I were you. You have as much right to chat as anyone else. Just sayin.
I'm having a brain dead moment because for the life of me I can't think of who the "toxic plant" would be and I've been on the boards for going on 3 years.
Sorry someone is giving you trouble, but I wouldn't let anyone run me off if I were you. You have as much right to chat as anyone else. Just sayin.
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