Dealing with Trolls
By GjAMastEr
@gjabaigar (2200)
Philippines
February 8, 2009 9:30am CST
^_^ Howdy!.... MyLotters!....
This is for all my buddies and other co-associates of MyLot on dealing with trolls. Pardon me I put this in "Interest - Religions" because of what I observe that trolling usually or always hangs-on on this space of Interest here in MyLot.
My references are from: (read on there for more information or just google search for more)
imdb.com - http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?boardstrolls
wikihow.com - http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-an-Internet-Troll
What is a troll?.... A `troll' is an individual who enjoys creating conflict on the internet. He or she creates and fuels arguments which upset other members of the online community. Trolls thrive in the anonymous space that is the internet. Trolls crave attention from others, and they don't care whether the attention is positive or negative. For trolls, other users are not quite real people; they are abstract characters on the other side of a computer screen. Trolls don't feel bad about hurting the feelings of other people in the digital space.
Troll behavior discourages many users and makes for a less vibrant online community. New users may not post because they fear ridicule. Established posters may leave an online community because the noise has overwhelmed the real discussion. Trolls can make an entire community paranoid, leading users to become negative or to accuse a user engaged in normal criticism as a troll.
A troll can be infuriating to users. If you know how to handle a troll, beating the troll frustration-free can be very simple and quick.
What should I do (and not do) about trolls?.... Remember, trolls feel rewarded by creating the biggest altercation possible. They want to get a reaction out of you. When you fight with a troll, he wins. When you reason with a troll, he wins. Any time that you give a troll attention, he gets exactly what he wants.
The best way to deal with trolls is to ignore them. When you ignore a troll, he doesn't get the satisfaction of creating an escalated conflict.
A troll's goal is to make users angry, and by responding to their posts, you are "feeding the troll".
Compliment the troll. Trolls will be thrown off balance if you give the a simple compliment, and may even stop trolling people.
Report the troll to a moderator if they persist. If the trolling persists, a moderator can deal with them.
**** Most Important ****
Inform your friends about the troll so they don't respond.
Trolls LOVE attention and they love it when they see angry replies. Don't feed the troll.
Arguing with a troll can get you in trouble.
More points of informations at IMBD, like....
- What does IMDb do about trolls?
- Help me, a troll has assumed my identity.
- Help me, I'm being unfairly accused of trolling.
That's it.... Hope you like....
let us keep MyLot Community a healthy and clean environment. So our evolution of our intelligence to higher knowledge and wisdom will be more prosperous. To make our world a better place to live life for everybody.
^_^ Thanks!.... and Enjoy! Mylot!....
8 people like this
14 responses
@Paula1966 (1102)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Trolls are like kidney stones. It's often quite painful getting past them, sometimes they need to be busted apart, but eventually they end up in the toilet.
4 people like this
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
8 Feb 09
Gnos why are you being a nuisance on this site.
2 people like this
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
8 Feb 09
GWB has already made a statement about your identity
according to the REAL gnosis - YOU are an IMPOSTER
go away troll
3 people like this
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
9 Feb 09
Well at least one thing I do by instinct does have a good side to it…I always try to escape an ugly or argumentative situation. I have always hated myself for this and later on, I will tear myself apart for not answering back at that particular moment but just moving away meekly! Well it seems in the virtual world, I am actually doing it right by never arguing or answering back a troll…oh I can identify them alright…only thing is they don’t pick on me much, maybe coz by now they know me for the uninteresting person that I am.
4 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
27 Feb 09
I'm like you sudipta. I tend to avoid such situations. What we are doing in effect, is not adding fuel to the fire. Lately, I have reported a couple of threads where a user is being attacked for his/her opinion. I see one person going in for the attack then there are several others going at it as well. This is unnecessary, unfriendly and not what this site is about.. Don't think of yourself as uninteresting. I have always found your posts very sincere.
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Usually when a troll hits on the mylot boards, threads are made to point them out and to warn us to look for them. We really should create a troll watch thread in the MyLot subject that's maintained by it users. Mods can only do so much, and sometimes their reaction isn't always as expedient as we'd like. By that time, the troll has riled up many different users and has already gathered new material to use against us. A troll watch thread could be updated every time there is a suspected troll(of course, the user warning us about the troll would have to provide evidence). Users could then either completely ignore the troll, or search the troll out, view their posts to decide for themselves if it really is a troll, then they could report them. Of course, the thread should probably include a link to this one, and a warning not to engage the trolls. I know sometimes it's hard not too - the inflammatory actions tend to pull those of us in who have a love for debate and reasoning.
I don't know how the mod system works on MyLot, but hopefully increased reporting on a specific user we know to be a troll will get them to act quicker, or at least warn them of the troll quicker.
It may not be an actual discussion, but I wonder if the mods would let us get away with it. You know, as a sort of community watch type thing?
3 people like this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
27 Feb 09
We are encouraged in the Guidelines, Latrivia, to report abuse and to help out whenever we can. There are already a number of people doing this on a regular basis. It isn't only trolls who need moderating, of course. There are many new people arriving who clearly haven't read the Guidelines and therefore assume that MyLot is something different to what it is. Some of them just need gently advising that what they are posting is against the rules; just a few seem to think that they can do what they want regardless of the rules. Reporting a discussion isn't 'grassing' or 'snitching' (and nor should it be done out of anger or malice, of course!).
3 people like this
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
8 Feb 09
Thanks for the good information. I just had my first meeting with a troll. He had 5 identities and had assumed the name at least 2 myLotters. I found it very confusing and quite frustrating. I messaged one of the people whose identity he was using, and we both sent in reports on him. One day later he, and all his posts had disappeared. This is very encouraging! the myLot moderators really did their stuff this time. Thanks again to You, and to myLot!
3 people like this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
8 Feb 09
it is extremely bad when they would go as far as, taking somebody else's personality while doing mylot. that is most unfair, indeed, barehugs.
now i wonder how were you able to identify that person to be assuming somebody else's mylot personality?
i think that these troll people just couldn't care less if they do no earn at all here in mylot. they must be existing and moving around just so as to have the fun of creating havoc and causing ill to those who becomes the tool of their anger. i feel so sorry unto those who is unlucky enough to have been chosen to be the tool.
2 people like this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
8 Feb 09
i am now convinced that they are just playing around. just playing around with people and their feelings. too bad. but, that's how they are.
2 people like this
@gjabaigar (2200)
• Philippines
8 Feb 09
^_^ Howdy!.... barehugs, trinidadvelasco and gnosisquest2!.....
To win is to be more wiser, smarter and intelligent. And let's face it they don't have higher intelligence of knowledge and wisdom. That's why they have an attitude of like that. They keep on lowering their intelligence. Always pursuing wanting to be like with them and that's their final goal.
^_^ Thanks!.... and Enjoy!.... MyLot!....
1 person likes this
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
9 Feb 09
I never heard of trolls until yesterday when one Mylotter accused another of being a troll. I didn't respond in the trolls discussion because I found it to be stupid. Thanks for the information.
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
8 Feb 09
yes they thrive on attention
and ignoring them sounds like good advice
but it doesnt work
I can assume by your discussion that you have never had them commit libel against you or steal your identity
reporting doesnt seem to do a whole lot of good either since we dont know who to report them to other than send a bland e-mail to a faceless administration
I have noticed that you are friends with some of the trolls so I have to wonder about your motives and intentions (no offense)
3 people like this
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
8 Feb 09
what was that noise?
oh look a troll!
are you speaking to me troll?
dont waste my time
nothing you can say will make me or anyone believe you
now run along because I have more important things to do
2 people like this
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
8 Feb 09
jealous?
of you?
ROFLMAO get real LOL
and when are you going to get it through your head I am NOT zu?
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
27 Feb 09
Thank you so much gj for an excellent post with such helpful information. Now if only people pay attention and stop feeding the trolls. In my opinion, some members themselves become troll like when they do this. It's always been my way to ignore and avoid such threads. Best wishes to you.
1 person likes this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
8 Feb 09
it is true that these mongers have lingered around mylot for years now. i used to think that they got in soon after mylot was created.
so, they are now called trolls. aptly so, i believe. for we all know how trolls are. but, aren't trolls able to give one a string of good luck if he is able to touch the hair of a troll?
this is one thing which is missing in these creatures who happen to have thrived with us in this community...they never managed to bring anyone some good luck at all.
you are right dear friend, that the best way to deal with them is to ignore them totally. as though, they are not in existence around here at all.
happy mylotting and let us all keep our cool heads in dealing with mylot trolls.
2 people like this
@gjabaigar (2200)
• Philippines
8 Feb 09
Well, they are nice for MyLot House Pest.... oh I mean House Pets. Bwahahaaha!!!
How about MyLot should branding these beings as "House Pet".
And marked on their avatar or name the "House Pet".... Bwahahahahahha!!!!
I think that is so cute....
^_^
@headhunter525 (3548)
• India
8 Feb 09
Thanks for the post. I shall ignore them.
1 person likes this
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
8 Feb 09
Hi have not read everything but it is good that you have outline what a trolls is. They have run some good persons from this site and since then MYLOT has not return to the way it was before. It is said that trolls has damaged a good site such as this.
2 people like this
@modstar (9605)
• Philippines
8 Feb 09
Good post! This will come in handy. But here in myLot, i don't know how to prevent trolls from pulling down my star ranking. I pretty much have strong tolerance for people deliberately creating conflicts on discussions and that's what i exactly do, i ignore.
@dmrone (746)
• United States
8 Feb 09
Hi! Thank you for the very informative article on trolls. I have seen a few around, and i have to agree they always look for attention whether good or bad. I try to stay away from them as much as possible. They are very annoying. I do appreciate knowing who trolls are, because they like to cause so much trouble.
@tehsnipes (45)
• United States
8 Feb 09
haha. great writing. To be honest, I'm a troll on online games such as counter-strike and cod4. It really is just so funny to get people so worked up about the internet or an online game. It's heartwarming.
1 person likes this
