What is a troll?

[bobmac]

''A troll is Internet slang for a person who intentionally tries to instigate conflict, hostility, or arguments in an online social community. Platforms targeted by trolls can include the comment sections of YouTube, forums, or chat rooms.''

This is just one definition.

What are your thoughts?

 

[paddyjk]

I thought they lived under a bridge and scared people.

It's a term that gets trotted out way to quickly on here, often just because you disagree with someone's opinion.

 

[Orikoru]

People on here are way too quick to label someone a troll just because they have an opposing view which they find incredulous. The real trolls are few and far between.

 

[bobmac]

People on here are way too quick to label someone a troll just because they have an opposing view which they find incredulous. The real trolls are few and far between.

That's why I asked.
If we can agree what trolling is, maybe unnecessary arguments can be avoided in the future, especially as winter and boredom approaches

 

[Orikoru]

That's why I asked.
If we can agree what trolling is, maybe unnecessary arguments can be avoided in the future, especially as winter and boredom approaches

Or we could just stop calling people trolls full stop. I think 90% of the times people have said it they were wrong and it was just what I said above. Calling someone a troll seems to the last bastion of the chap who's run out of points to make.

 

[paddyjk]

That's why I asked.
If we can agree what trolling is, maybe unnecessary arguments can be avoided in the future, especially as winter and boredom approaches

Most of it is just the way forums are, tit for tat arguments etc. I don't really see why it bothers anyone, I find some of pretty funny and think the more we try and stamp out stuff we don't like the forums loses something.

 

[paddyjk]

Or we could just stop calling people trolls full stop. I think 90% of the times people have said it they were wrong and it was just what I said above. Calling someone a troll seems to the last bastion of the chap who's run out of points to make.

Add it to the swear filter

 

[Orikoru]

Most of it is just the way forums are, tit for tat arguments etc. I don't really see why it bothers anyone, I find some of pretty funny and think the more we try and stamp out stuff we don't like the forums loses something.

Agree - some people can't see the difference between a debate and an argument.

 

[PJ87]

People who keep causing rows with their feet

 

[Crow]

It's the lack of face to face contact that makes forums the sometimes hostile place they are, if you were sat opposite the person you were "debating" with you'd be much less likely to come out with the snide or insulting comments.

We're all guilty to a greater or lesser degree, many's the time I've posted something and then realised I've behaved like a complete knob.
Even more often I've written what I thought was a clever riposte, only to read it again and have second thoughts and not actually post it.

 

[GreiginFife]

Agree - some people can't see the difference between a debate and an argument.

There’s a subtle line though, some people debate/argue and then continue to do so when it’s evident it’s now just for the sake of it/some weird self-satisfaction.

The experts-on-everything that must have the last word so just keep going.

 

[PJ87]

There’s a subtle line though, some people debate/argue and then continue to do so when it’s evident it’s now just for the sake of it/some weird self-satisfaction.

The experts-on-everything that must have the last word so just keep going.

Very guilty of that, but then it's hard when you have experienced the situation and know the answer yet get ignored on the subject.

 

[bobmac]

Agree - some people can't see the difference between a debate and an argument.

That's easy.
A debate is 2 or more people sharing differences of opinion.
An argument is 2 or more people stating their opposing opinions as facts.

 

[TimShady]

That's easy.
A debate is 2 or more people sharing differences of opinion.
An argument is 2 or more people stating their opposing opinions as facts.

You’ve just redefined those words to suit your own argument there, Bob.

 

[paddyjk]

That's easy.
A debate is 2 or more people sharing differences of opinion.
An argument is 2 or more people stating their opposing opinions as facts.

In your opinion

 

[Tashyboy]

There’s a subtle line though, some people debate/argue and then continue to do so when it’s evident it’s now just for the sake of it/some weird self-satisfaction.

The experts-on-everything that must have the last word so just keep going.

I think the classic example of this is the footie thread, some forummers will defend their club to the death. Some are critical of their club. For me the banning of the political thread was the best thing that could have happened.
Re trolling, lost count the amount of times the topic depends into a spelling/ terminology argument or people attack the poster not the topic.

 

[Jimaroid]

Hey Siri! Show me irony.

 

[Tashyboy]

Hey Siri! Show me irony.

 

[GreiginFife]

Hey Siri! Show me irony.

It’s a type of metal, right?

 

[jim8flog]

There was me thinking it was just a shortening of trollop