Trolling: Who does it and why?

An internet "troll" has been jailed for mocking dead teenagers on various websites. Public figures, including Stephen Fry and Miranda Hart, have also been victims of trolling. So what is it and why do people do it?

The word comes from a Norse monster but the troll is a very modern menace. For some it's the internet equivalent of road rage, vandalising a grave, or kicking a man when he's down.

Trolling is a phenomenon that has swept across websites in recent years. Online forums, Facebook pages and newspaper comment forms are bombarded with insults, provocations or threats. Supporters argue it's about humour, mischief and freedom of speech. But for many the ferocity and personal nature of the abuse verges on hate speech.

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Are you kidding me?

"One guy tweeted from his work account that he hoped my kids die of cancer. I let the MD of the firm know and the guy was fired. I felt no guilt, he should have gone to prison."

Please do not get me wrong, what he said was awful but prison for words? This is an interesting article. I would like to post more on what I think about it later when I have time.

Yes, prison sentences for the following seem a bit over the top to me:

In its most extreme form it is a criminal offence. On Tuesday Sean Duffy was jailed for 18 weeks after posting offensive messages and videos on tribute pages about young people who had died. One of those he targeted was 15-year-old Natasha MacBryde, who had been killed by a train. "I fell asleep on the track... [edited to avoid the smiley]" was one of the messages he left on a Facebook page set up by her family.

Duffy is the second person to be jailed for trolling in the UK. Last year Colm Coss was imprisoned for posting obscene messages on Facebook tribute sites, including that of Jade Goody.

Well we have several here that offer nothing to anything...

Freedom of speech is not a right in the UK.

No Comment

the internet has given people this feeling (incorrect in many/most cases) of anonymity. it is sad to see how much hate there is in people. why do they do it? I would suspect lack of anything else going on in their lives and attention (good or bad)

for US citizens freedom of speech means you can say anything you want but don't think for one minute that it means freedom from responsibility for what you say.

IMHO, why trolls seek exclusive and controversial levels of attention is a question and it leads me to wonder if their Mommies and Daddies didn't love them very much. The psychopathic drive to counter heartfelt remarks with the most offensive responses is perplexing but the most hateful responses are inexcusable and deserve prosecution to the extent that the law allows. Here are a few hypothetical examples of responses from trolls:

Original post: My dog died and I'm grieving the loss of my best friend.
Troll response: Your dog died from AIDS and you gave it to him/her.

Original post: What a horrible tragedy, the kids that died in the attacks on XYZ high school were innocent. Why did the (actor) do this and what is wrong with that/those (persons) sense of reality and justice?
Troll response: Stupid kids were too dumb to get out of the way and they all suck twice for not being better friends to the (actors) who carried out the attack.

Then there are the less prosecutable trolls who are simply contrarians and will always take the opposite point of view because they can, logic and reason be dammed:

Original post: The X party has a sound plan to fix the economy, it is based on logic and has been endorsed by many economists and leaders of the business community. It takes the burden off of the tax payers and creates an environment that is attractive to businesses. Existing businesses will hire new employees and new businesses will likely spring up, encouraged by the same business friendly environment.
Troll response: The X party is full of hot, stinky, horse feathers and anyone who buys into this plan is a fool! I hope your business fails and you end up on welfare even though you don't deserve the cash that the Government will give you because of your party X affiliation and point of view.

Original post: What a wonderful early fall sunset, magnificent colors across the spectrum of colors and very comfortable temperatures.
Troll response: All the colors in the sky are thanks to you and those like you and your chainsaws, SUVs, coal burning energy plants, and all of the other pollution that you and people like you pump into the environment. Comfortable temperatures? Since when is 34F comfortable?! Comfortable is +75F at least (note the contradiction - global warming bad, cold weather worse)!

otisptoadwater wrote: for US citizens freedom of speech means you can say anything you want but don't think for one minute that it means freedom from responsibility for what you say.

IMHO, why trolls seek exclusive and controversial levels of attention is a question and it leads me to wonder if their Mommies and Daddies didn't love them very much. The psychopathic drive to counter heartfelt remarks with the most offensive responses is perplexing but the most hateful responses are inexcusable and deserve prosecution to the extent that the law allows. Here are a few hypothetical examples of responses from trolls:

I think that prosecution to the extent the law allows should = nada. I would be OK with a bloody nose. I understand that giving someone a bloody noise today could land you in jail but the road to making stupid speech illegal is not one I think it would be good for this county to go down.

neptunechimney wrote: I think that prosecution to the extent the law allows should = nada. I would be OK with a bloody nose. I understand that giving someone a bloody noise today could land you in jail but the road to making stupid speech illegal is not one I think it would be good for this county to go down.

In the US the laws on the books address libel and slander and not much more. If hate speech is going to be addressed and punishments dealt for it then let's take a look at the laws that are in effect. Otherwise I have no objection to scheduling face to face confrontations between parties that disagree. Let the lesserer man get his nose bloodied (and maybe a few incidental broken ribs and various fractures that might have happened in the course of coming to an agreement...).