Trolling vs. Cyber Bullying

United States
October 24, 2012 10:52pm CST
Do you believe that there's a difference? I can't help but think that throughout the past couple of years. Trolling has changed its meaning during that time, and I can't help but think that cyber-bullying is much worse than being trolled. Would anyone care to remind me on this? I do troll a bit myself, but perhaps I have a different meaning.. A troll in my opinion simply feels like an online prankster.. Thanks.
3 responses
@GemmaR (8517)
25 Oct 12
I think that the main difference is that bullying is aimed at another person, and it might be upsetting to them. I don't think that there is ever an excuse to post things that would upset somebody to this extent, because everybody has the right to be able to enjoy the internet as much as they possibly can without having to worry about what all of the other people are saying to them. Anybody who is a bully on the internet should be banned and not allowed to return until they have learned how to treat people in a proper and respectful way.
• United States
29 Oct 12
I understand where you're coming from, but since the internet is so widely used, wouldn't it be fun to play a couple of jokes? Of course, they don't harm the person to a severe extent, but to what extent, do you believe is a standard before it's too harmful?
@subhojit10 (7375)
• India
25 Oct 12
Thanks a ton for your response again. Yes u are absolutely right, there are so many differences between trolling and cyber bullying. Trolling is always meant to play pranks online and not to highlight anyone in a bad picture. Sometimes it shows the reality in a funny picture. But cyber bullying is a very inane activity that might hamper the mental condition and stability of a person very deeply as it is a scathing attack on someone. What say?
• United States
29 Oct 12
See, beforehand I thought that these two words were essentially interchangeable, but much to my understanding now, they're very different.. How does one however, know a distinct difference between the two?
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
27 Oct 12
Cyber bullying is a far more serious situation, I would have to agree with this. A troll really is someone who will just get on someone's nerves. However, it is really nothing personal towards a person. They tend to get underneath the skin of every single person online, in every forum that they end. At the end of the day, they don't really have any personal malice. It is just an attempt to get attention. Cyber bullying on the other end, it just seems to be something that is far more personal than trolling. It just seems to be far more predatory and one on one than trolling. It is an attempt to cause emotional harm to the potential victim. A cyber bully will likely focus on one person and make them their hobby, while a troll will have a wider net and will just poke at them lightly, without any emotional harm.