Troll in the basement!

[inverarity]

We all know the ancient wisdom of the internet: "Do not feed the troll." I.e., don't respond to trolls, don't let them bait you, don't give them the attention they so desperately want. If everyone just ignored a troll, it would eventually get bored and go away disappointed.

And this never, ever works.

In all my years on the internet, I've never seen a dedicated and persistent troll actually fade away by being ignored. Why? Because there will always be someone who just can't ignore it. It's just not realistic to think that on a newsgroup or email list or forum with dozens if not hundreds of people, every single one of them will be able to refrain from responding.

I withdraw increasingly from online interactions because the urge to want to punch people through the internet is too strong.

Comments

Why not ban the troll?

[ray243.livejournal.com]

I would think that the reason why trolls continue to be around in forums is mainly due to the lack of proper enforcement by the moderators than anything else.

If a moderators and administrators can adopt a zero-tolerance policy, you can ensure that the trolls are ignored by everyone else, and continue to ensure valid and thought-provoking discussions in the forum.

Re: Why not ban the troll?

[(Anonymous)]

It seems like a good idea but I don't think censorship is the way to go. If you believe trolls are uneducated people that respond in an aggressive manor, then potentially you could have an ignorant moderator who deletes a valid post or poster. Troll awareness (ie How to ignore/respond to trolls) is the approach being preached right now, and I'd like to see this practiced a little more before moving on to other measures. (In my opinion)

Re: Why not ban the troll?

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

A troll isn't just an uneducated person being aggressive (though those people make me want to punch them through the internet, too). A troll is a deliberate shit-stirrer who's just trying to push buttons.

I've got no problems with "censorship" in privately-owned spaces. However, having been a moderator myself, I can also tell you that when you do start making judgment calls about who's being an asshole and should get banned, who just needs a warning, etc., it just brings on another level of drama. (I've gotten flack here just for occasionally telling someone to chill the fuck out...).