What the Heck is 'Trolling'?

Oh OK...thanks...guess I could have looked it up. Got a dose or two or that with the local club (NOT my Breezy Hill Buds), but had no idea it's so involved. Apparently, it's the same thing as my own term 'Angry Virgins'.

No problem Kim

Urban Dictionary is a pretty good site for people like us (who may be considered O-L-D by kids) to figure out what the heck the young ones are talking about. There were many different esplanations and meanings for "trolling" but I guess the one I copy-pasted is what the fellow at the other forum was experiencing.

From my experience at moderating a couple of large computer forums, it's just someone who makes a sport of making posts that incite arguments and animosity. I haven't heard it outside of the forum context. Remember "engine049," here at CEF? February through August 2012. That guy is the closest thing to a troll that I recall here, but they're rampant on some forums. He might have just been an abrasive guy, I never could quite figure him out.

"Please don't feed the trolls" is what a moderator may say, asking the online community to not react or respond to such nonsense.
Rusty

Oh yeah, I know the type, just didn't know the tag. I worked with several ole gals in the diaper factory that liked to start up crap, and see this as about the same thing---people with not much going on.

Also, rereading my original post, I mistyped it as The Ringmaster Forum, while it was actually on Stunt Hangar...had both open and looking through them.

There is a guy on the mentioned forum that calls absolutely EVERbody a troll, including me, and then spends the next thee days spamming my PM or E-mail to tell me what an a-hole I am for disagreeing with him...

Re read the above.... about trolls...

I tend to ignore or NOT FEED them---- but on occasion it is just so much fun to turn the Troll into a babbling pile of gibberish

hell I spend a lot of Google time looking up different words for YOU ARE STUPID

I am not a lock step, bow to Brett Buck guy, but do appreciate the time he takes to try and get me to understand some concept...

I am sure, of ALL the Forums I follow, he has the biggest following of antagonists...(trolls) who spit chit out just to see if he will take the bait...unfortunately, eventually, with a few, he does......... and then he can get quite vitriolic... some of it real damned funny, most of it true, and a lot of it fun to watch and keep mouth shut....grin

Troll
the grumpy creature under the bridge, defeated by the three billy goats.

In this context the first two goats are more like an internet troll than the troll is.

Phil

The fellow in question is a valuable asset to the hobby.He's also quite a modeler regardless if he chooses to fly or not to fly, While he's a bit of a eccentric, I have seen some of his graphic design work and I can only wish I was equally as talented. His prices are very reasonable and sometimes depending on how large can also be free.

Trolling is something I do when I take the boat out on the water.

...OH, you meant trolling on the internet! Yeah, Rusty covered it pretty well. It's basically someone intentionally posting messages that are off topic, inflammatory, and only tend to rile up the crowd.

This is where the moderators need to do their jobs to quickly remove the message(s) and ban the user. Otherwise, the members are bound to take it into their own hands to tell the troll where to go, resulting in arguing and fighting among the members, and some members even leaving.

That's why we say

I'd say we have almost virtually no problems here compared to other forums that I frequent. That can only be because we have great mods!

Spammers and trolls are related in that they both go into these online communities to post unwanted content, however, trolls normally come on only to incite arguments, and spammers normally only come on to advertise products or a service.

While a longtime member may post something off topic or inflammatory, trolls generally only join to post these messages, and rarely participate in actual discussion.

For example:

Member #1 wrote:HELP! I'm having trouble keeping my new Babe Bee running, it only runs for a second. I followed the starting instructions exactly, 3 needle turns, engine primed... I'm using Cox Super Power fuel, the engine has compression and the glow head is glowing. I've been at this for the last hour, what do I do?

Member #2 wrote:It is likely only burning off the prime. You may have a blockage in the needle valve, remove the needle valve and squirt some fuel into the hole to see if that clears the blockage. Let us know if that works.

Troll wrote:Clearly, Cox engines are too much for you. You have to be an idiot to have trouble starting a Babe Bee. I suggest you go with electric or maybe even better, go with flight simulators, safer for you and especially your bystanders.

I can only describe trolls as "scum of the earth" who despite being insignificant idiots with no friends in their offline lives find some sort of very sad excitement from creating falsities, misrepresentations and delighting themselves in causing distress. When their true identity is discovered they would not be able to help soiling themselves.

The internet provides too many opportunities for these individuals to create false identities and make comment with the sole intent of upsetting a target.

It has gone beyond a joke and in some environments has become the norm and escalated into online threats and deeds beyond belief.

In Manchester, we have just suffered a terrorist attack by a suicide bomber as the youngsters were leaving a concert by Ariana Grande. The true scale of the carnage has not been described - 22 dead, 60 "walking wounded" and 59 seriously injured. It is very easy to skip "seriously injured" but we are summarising limb, organ loss and major tissue damage. Life cahnging and ending injuries.

One of the first items in the news was parents, friends and relatives trying to find their loved ones amongst the carnage. Knowing they were at the concert but now not responding to calls and texts and the revelation that one of the victims was an eight year old little girl.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40012738

What sort of person does this?

https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/23/15680202/hoax-tweets-manchester-attack-youtubers-viral

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3627084/cairo-man-twitter-trolls-photo-missing-manchester-terror-attack-victim/

I find that most trolling I encounter is an indication of a very sad personality who puts opinions before facts and contributes nothing while hiding behind anoniminity.

The example given by our illustrious admin is a good example and it makes me wonder how anyone who resorts to such comment can actually ever keep any friends or maintain a relationship!

Too often now, trolling produces comments and postings deliberately designed to hurt and demean with no justification.

Admin wrote:Trolling is something I do when I take the boat out on the water.

Following is captured from flavorwire.com Flame On: The Many Faces of the Online Provocateur

Mike Reed, a cartoonist used to maintain a blog with a dozen different amusing caricatures of forum posting personalities. Here is one:

Mike Reed in Flame Warriors wrote:

“Troller is looking for a response…ANY response, and he will chum the waters with complaints, insults, compliments, and inflammatory tidbits hoping that someone…ANYONE, will take the bait.”

8 years ago, I captured nearly all his caricatures as PDF prints. Here's another.  

Admin wrote:Spammers and trolls are related in that they both go into these online communities to post unwanted content, however, trolls normally come on only to incite arguments, and spammers normally only come on to advertise products or a service. While a longtime member may post something off topic or inflammatory, trolls generally only join to post these messages, and rarely participate in actual discussion.

A good explanation of what type personality would make up a troll may be found at:

Psychology Today: Internet Trolls Are Narcissists, Psychopaths, and Sadists

Psychology Today wrote:Let's start by getting our definitions straight: An Internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation. Often, in fact, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response.

What kind of person would do this? Some Canadian researchers decided to find out.

They conducted two online studies with over 1,200 people, giving personality tests to each subject along with a survey about their Internet commenting behavior. They were looking for evidence that linked trolling with the "Dark Tetrad" of personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.

They found that Dark Tetrad scores were highest among people who said trolling was their favorite Internet activity.

Admin wrote:For example:

Troll wrote:

Member #1 wrote:HELP! I'm having trouble keeping my new Babe Bee running, it only runs for a second. I followed the starting instructions exactly, 3 needle turns, engine primed... I'm using Cox Super Power fuel, the engine has compression and the glow head is glowing. I've been at this for the last hour, what do I do?

Clearly, Cox engines are too much for you. You have to be an idiot to have trouble starting a Babe Bee. I suggest you go with electric or maybe even better, go with flight simulators, safer for you and especially your bystanders.

That is a good example, Admin, a troll attempting to create mayhem by insulting an innocent victim. I've seen posts that are even nastier.

Here is a good paper on Internet forum trolls, their tactics and how to deal with them.

hyphenologist.co.uk: Anti Troll FAQ

Anti Troll FAQ wrote:3.4 The nasty Troll

If anyone does anything which will interfere with the troll's ability to cause mayhem, they can become very nasty, posting from obviously incorrect variations of the name etc. insults, call them netcops, netnannies, homosexuals.

Various off usenet methods are also used to force the victim to stop posting: Subscribing the victim to hundreds of unwanted pornographic email newsletters, and sites. Complaining to employers about non existent misdemeanours. Sending garbage emails without indication of sender. Telephone calls at dead of night. Harassing the close relatives of victims.

3.5 The evil and illegal Troll

If anyone does anything which will interfere with the troll's ability to cause mayhem, they also forge posts in that persons name and internet address and libel them on usenet. Both these are illegal.

In areas where there is little moderation, such as Usenet newsgroups, trolls have basically rendered it a media that is a wasteland. I stopped using Usenet about 8 years ago. I used to post in Linux newsgroups, where I encountered Microsoft trolls, who told me I had altered sexual preferences because Linux made me that way, whilst all the time boasting about their M$ stock portfolios. To counter, I used to post the Official comp.os.linux.advocacy (COLA) FAQ on a weekly basis, which explained what content was on topic and off topic. Then they started impersonating me, using my posting nickname, libeling me, seeding search engines. If you searched on my name or my posting handle would dredge up many negative links to these posts.

Since, it has taken me 8 years to clean up my name and posting name in Internet search engines. There are many forums that still link to Usenet and copy these threads to their forums, allowing users to read and respond to these posts. One by one, I sent complaints, which caused these posts to be deleted. Still, results get dredged up, but not as bad as it was 8 years ago.

GallopingGhostler wrote:...Since, it has taken me 8 years to clean up my name and posting name in Internet search engines. There are many forums that still link to Usenet and copy these threads to their forums, allowing users to read and respond to these posts. One by one, I sent complaints, which caused these posts to be deleted. Still, results get dredged up, but not as bad as it was 8 years ago.

It's infuriating and frustrating to be assaulted by these lowlifes isn't it. I got trolled on the 'Tube the other day, although mildly and no more than slightly amusing. He commented on my short video, "Sights and Sounds - Joe Nall 2017 C/L Stunt contest," and after checking out his channel, finding it devoid of a single upload, I replied as follows:

YouTube has really become the ultimate amusement park for trolls. I'll bet the guy who posted that potato comment on your video didn't even watch the video. There is virtually no moderation, unless someone else flags it as offensive, it is up to the uploader to deal with it. YouTube is working on their spam filters though.


These two are trying to promote their royalty free background music.


Hey now!  

Yes, it can be infuriating, RknRusty and speaking of amusement parks, Admin, to keep things on the light side (the weekend is here   ), here is more of Mike Reed's troll caricatures. Enjoy.  

Wow. This thread is both meaningful and FUNNY!

I thought I had a good grasp trolls but apparently I have managed a rather sheltered online existence.

Phil

pkrankow wrote:Wow. This thread is both meaningful and FUNNY! I thought I had a good grasp trolls but apparently I have managed a rather sheltered online existence. Phil

You're welcome, Phil. The following website has captured all Mike's work, some 88 personalities.

https://www.politicsforum.org/flame-warriors/

I stayed with the same employer after leaving aerospace and was sufficiently tenured to not be affected. However, if I were looking for another employer, these deeply negative search engine hits could have hindered job placement. I checked into what it would take to clear my name, go after these libelous individuals hiding behind anonymising servers. Initial cost is $6,000 US to kick off investigation and goes up from there. I could have easily spent $20k or more. Celebrities have spent even more to clear theirs. You're better off Phil, not getting involved in the fray.

Here's a few more.

I took the time to go to George's link and read through all the warriors

First, I think there are all sorts of sub categories for people who have variations and combinations of two or more personalities and behaviors

Not sure where I am on the Model Hobby forums----- but a few years back I was a very dedicated Ford Truck , sub forum Super Duty, member---- and frequent poster.  I also was a frequent guy on a Smart Car forum ( I owned 2 of them)

Seems, from Georges link, I probably exhibited at least 4 of the 88 and maybe as many as 9 of the 88 personalities. If you count threads where I was driven to reaction, or my basic type A personality drove me to be a real snide, sarcastic, mean SOAB  (son of a B)

I am not too prone to do Google vanity searches on my name...but I just did, and noticed 54,000 + hits  (in Google's self aggrandizing mention that the search only took 3.4 seconds)

This is a good eye opening topic--- and I certainly learned a lot about myself and many of my fellow forum members...

The only downside... It will be in my nature NOW--- to think even harder about my posts... consider my true attitude, decide if I have one or two more drinky poos too many in my blood than I need, then have to decide to push, or NOT push, the send button...

Glad this was posted on CEF.... I know on several other forums this topic would rapidly morph into " Fred shut the hell up-- you friggin grenade throwing, Militant, Big dog, Centurion, God Father, Necromancer----Troll"

PHREDDY
Typed with a BSEG*

*Big S___ Eating Grin

This is definitely an interesting thread. I guess like Phil, I've led a fairly sheltered internet existence. I'm not into playing games and I loathe people who play head-games by antagonizing others, purely for their own enjoyment. Where's the benefit? Are they so insecure that it gives them some feeling of power or supremacy? I didn't read a lot of the material in this thread.. because frankly, it's a bit hard for me to wrap my head around it.. My wife Lynne is a Psychology Major. She'd probably find this topic fascinating. I just see it as one more act of malice to test my faith in fellow-man.

Of those 80+ some personalities made into a sense of humor by Mike Reed, not all are trolls. Keeping things light, they basically describe a wider range of the type of people who post in forums. We all can see a little of us in at least one or several personalities, as Fred alluded to.

Roddie, regarding your wife, I don't know if this fits her personality, but I think we can all laugh at the sense of humor Mike has, as we all at one time or another have encountered various interesting and some very provocative people.



And please note, if you think it may in anyway offend her, by all means do not show it to her let me cause you to stumble. As husbands, we've all been to this place!  



Here's another with a sense of humor:

GallopingGhostler wrote: Roddie, regarding your wife, I don't know if this fits her personality, but I think we can all laugh at the sense of humor Mike has, as we all at one time or another have encountered various interesting and some very provocative people.



And please note, if you think it may in anyway offend her, by all means do not show it to her let me cause you to stumble. As husbands, we've all been to this place!  

That's a funny Vid George! The mustache-wax husband is priceless! Lynne frequently eludes to her schooling to support her opinion on certain human behavioral issues. I generally smile and say "yes honey"..

As it turns out, I've got a small crop of them growing on my Sea Fury video !!!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsH7MYCrm1c

Oh my....i've never seen anyone get their knickers in a twist over an engine  I've got much to learn.....

Thanks, Roddie. Kim, you need the ultimate flame warrior, Admin.