Trolling: Who does it and why?

WayneLeeH wrote:

Nobody that matters wrote:

WayneLeeH wrote: Some people also confuse trolling with baiting.

Semantics.

Words matter.

Yes, yes they do...

troll 1 (trəʊl)

— vb
1. angling
a. to draw (a baited line, etc) through the water, often from a boat
b. to fish (a stretch of water) by trolling
c. to fish (for) by trolling
2. to roll or cause to roll
3. archaic to sing (a refrain, chorus, etc) or (of a refrain, etc) to be sung in a loud hearty voice
4. informal ( Brit ) ( intr ) to walk or stroll
5. homosexual slang ( intr ) to stroll around looking for sexual partners; cruise
6. slang ( intr ) computing to post deliberately inflammatory articles on an internet discussion board

— n
7. the act or an instance of trolling
8. angling a bait or lure used in trolling, such as a spinner
9. slang computing a person who submits deliberately inflammatory articles to an internet discussion

[C14: from Old French troller to run about; related to Middle High German trollen to run with short steps]

'troller 1


I believe the initial use for 'troll' has more to do with fishing than with mythical monsters. Trolling is the act of posting something to which you hope people will respond, whenther you happen to believe it or not. Casting bait, baiting, getting a nibble, setting the hook, reeling them in, gettin caught hook, line and sinker, tough to reply logically with that hook in your cheek - all fishing analogies I've seen used in regards to trolling.

I have never seen it used prior to this article to describe blatantly hurtfull and abusive actions.

Nobody that matters wrote:

WayneLeeH wrote:

Nobody that matters wrote:

WayneLeeH wrote: Some people also confuse trolling with baiting.

Semantics.

Words matter.

Yes, yes they do...

troll 1 (trəʊl)

— vb
1. angling
a. to draw (a baited line, etc) through the water, often from a boat
b. to fish (a stretch of water) by trolling
c. to fish (for) by trolling
2. to roll or cause to roll
3. archaic to sing (a refrain, chorus, etc) or (of a refrain, etc) to be sung in a loud hearty voice
4. informal ( Brit ) ( intr ) to walk or stroll
5. homosexual slang ( intr ) to stroll around looking for sexual partners; cruise
6. slang ( intr ) computing to post deliberately inflammatory articles on an internet discussion board

— n
7. the act or an instance of trolling
8. angling a bait or lure used in trolling, such as a spinner
9. slang computing a person who submits deliberately inflammatory articles to an internet discussion

[C14: from Old French troller to run about; related to Middle High German trollen to run with short steps]

'troller 1


I believe the initial use for 'troll' has more to do with fishing than with mythical monsters. Trolling is the act of posting something to which you hope people will respond, whenther you happen to believe it or not. Casting bait, baiting, getting a nibble, setting the hook, reeling them in, gettin caught hook, line and sinker, tough to reply logically with that hook in your cheek - all fishing analogies I've seen used in regards to trolling.

I have never seen it used prior to this article to describe blatantly hurtfull and abusive actions.

I agree with your assessment, I have never thought of abusive posters as being trolls......they are bullies, and I would think they would have a tendency to be bullies in real life just as they are on-line. Trolls, to me, make it a point to be different on-line than they are in real life and will make up an entire personality for a board, often having more than one personality. Some boards totally ban all trolls, and others will either ignore them, or play along with the behavior as long as it stays civil. Trolls are rarely boring, but they can be annoying.

Trolling behavior is different....and I suspect many poster will use it from time to time, posting something just to get a reaction, exaggerating an issue to see who will react to it. Or maybe that is baiting? How does one tell the difference?

archer wrote: posting something just to get a reaction, exaggerating an issue to see who will react to it. Or maybe that is baiting? How does one tell the difference?

One doesn't. Baiting and trolling are one and the same. Both fishing analogies for provacative posting.

Thank goodness there aren't any who post regularly on this fine forum !

OmniScience wrote: Thank goodness there aren't any who post regularly on this fine forum !

:rofl rofllol :rofl rofllol :rofl


....deep breath.....


rofllol :rofl rofllol :rofl rofllol

Vice Lord wrote: [OUT OF CHARACTER]

Oh well I'm definitely not a troll and really resent being associated with a clinical physiological disorder like that. Here's my Pie Chart

87% Sincere
10% Joking
3% Feigning outrage
1% Misspelling

[BACK INTO CHARICTER]

END OF SUBJECT!

Why does this sound strangely like Richard Nixon proclaiming, "I am not a crook"?

You continue to crack me up VL. Thanks for this midday comic relief....I REALLY needed it.

So to which of these percentage catagories could I attribute the BS your constantly spew in these forums? You are a gem and quite possibly are the funniest person in this forum..... rofllol rofllol rofllol

Trolls are people who post non-relevant, often offensive content on message boards, forums, or social networking site—anywhere where they will get a reaction. They are not the ugly beasts of fantasy stories, although they often resemble one another. Trolls often target particular websites or pages. Their goal is to start a flame war, which means successful trolling.

Flamers are often the people who respond to the trolls’ inflammatory posts. They begin warring with words about the content, often using name-calling and threats to try to get the other flamers to back down. Flamers often come off as idiots due to their neglect of standard grammar and spelling or even the complete ignorance oft the topic of discussion. Flaming can be very closely related to cyber bullying.

Cyber bullies are not limited to the internet, often using texting to intimidate their targets. Cyber bullies are unique from flamers and trolls in that they often target people they know in real life, rarely bothering to keep their identity a secret.


IMO we have about an equal number of trolls and flamers although their characteristics can change from one post to the next. I don't know that we have any cyber-bullies but we do have the occasional flaming douche-bag which is unrelated to a flamer.

All clear? tongue:

Nobody that matters wrote:

archer wrote: posting something just to get a reaction, exaggerating an issue to see who will react to it. Or maybe that is baiting? How does one tell the difference?

One doesn't. Baiting and trolling are one and the same. Both fishing analogies for provacative posting.

Here are my definitions:

Baiting is deliberately trying to annoy or taunt a particular poster. Trolling is going after anyone who will bite.

Photo-fish wrote: Trolls are people who post non-relevant, often offensive content on message boards, forums, or social networking site—anywhere where they will get a reaction. They are not the ugly beasts of fantasy stories, although they often resemble one another. Trolls often target particular websites or pages. Their goal is to start a flame war, which means successful trolling.

Flamers are often the people who respond to the trolls’ inflammatory posts. They begin warring with words about the content, often using name-calling and threats to try to get the other flamers to back down. Flamers often come off as idiots due to their neglect of standard grammar and spelling or even the complete ignorance oft the topic of discussion. Flaming can be very closely related to cyber bullying.

Cyber bullies are not limited to the internet, often using texting to intimidate their targets. Cyber bullies are unique from flamers and trolls in that they often target people they know in real life, rarely bothering to keep their identity a secret.


IMO we have about an equal number of trolls and flamers although their characteristics can change from one post to the next. I don't know that we have any cyber-bullies but we do have the occasional flaming douche-bag which is unrelated to a flamer.

All clear? tongue:

I think all three terms refer to individuals who, for one reason or another, can't express themselves face-to-face and/or have tremendous insecurities and/or have been bullied extensively themselves. Anybody who tosses insults at strangers and hides behind the monitor in anything but a real-time forum is pathetic. At least in a real-time forum you can hear the sabres clattering before people start slinging arrows.

I keep my quiver full of sabres always, just in case.

swampfish wrote: [
I think all three terms refer to individuals who, for one reason or another, can't express themselves face-to-face and/or have tremendous insecurities and/or have been bullied extensively themselves. Anybody who tosses insults at strangers and hides behind the monitor in anything but a real-time forum is pathetic. At least in a real-time forum you can hear the sabres clattering before people start slinging arrows.

I keep my quiver full of sabres always, just in case.

Your impression of the individuals matching those terms is flawed. You assume all three have to do with negativity and insults, and that those trolling are trying to boost their egos. That is not always the case.

I often troll internet forums. I have no problems expressing myself in face to face situations, I am not a bully. I do it to keep conversations lively. I read forums for entertainment. When the entertainment value is in a lull, I know how to spice it up - a good trolling post will work every time. It sparks new conversations and tangents. Trolling is not simply the act of insulting people - that's unimaginitive. Trolling is the art of getting someone to post when they otherwise might not. Trolling is the art of pushing an emotional or intelectual button just hard enough to get someone to click 'submit'.