How do you define trolling?

Adam Howard

Well-known member
Without naming any members or using any past examples from here...

How do you clearly define what is trolling?

I suspect we have A LOT of members who disagree on this and I would like to see their points of views. But I'll add a small twist into this... Can you define trolling without any double standards?
 
People will become very defensive on this one.
Some troll to promote their forum using meaningless threads.
Others troll because they have an agenda and contribute nothing viable.
Common point, trollers bring nothing to the forum.
 
A post with deliberately provocative content to elicit a responce or put forward an opinion that attempts to derail the discussion for which the thread was originally created.
 
Duplicate ?
:)
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/7-ways-to-become-a-great-forum-troll.10302/
I think obvious trolling is obvious.
TROLL.jpg


Trolling is sh-t disturbing ? Stirring the pot ?
 
A post with deliberately provocative content to elicit a responce or put forward an opinion that attempts to derail the discussion for which the thread was originally created.

And how would you define a disruptions; compared to what maybe someone's point of view, which may simply be radically different from your own and that of the majority?
 

Didn't know about that thread, sorry. But having gone through it... Was more of a general comment thread to the OP and not define of the term

Trolling is sh-t disturbing ? Stirring the pot ?

Same question...

And how would you define a disruptions; compared to what maybe someone's point of view, which may simply be radically different from your own and that of the majority?
 
And how would you define a disruptions; compared to what maybe someone's point of view, which may simply be radically different from your own and that of the majority?
Well ... it always comes down to judgement ...
Always posts on the same conflicting topic.
Rarely posts on other topics. Rarely starts topics other than the same conflicting topic.
Posts on the conflicting topic alot. Bumps the topic, to keep it going.
When prompted to change posting behavior by a moderator, warnings are ignored ?
Tends to not support positions with ideas, but just attacks others without supporting ideas why.

I think the reputation addons could help sort out trolls, but it would require reputation participation by a wide range of members (which I dont think often happens).

Problem: No one wants a troll infestation.
Solution: The Ban Hammer
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Some trolls are instant trolls ... you know (based on your years of experience running your forum, and knowing your topic well) that this person is posting to wind everyone up.

Some a returning trolls (and sometimes it takes a while to clearly identify their posting style) ... who come back time and again, year on year, to pick and poke at you for once upon a time telling them (grown-ups that is) what to do [which would, in all likelihood, have been a polite and simple request to stop winding people up and being disruptive].

Some are sleeper trolls ... who post like everyone else for a while and then, slowly, but surely, start to pick and poke at your membership and at your admin/mod team, building to a great flouncing/banning crescendo and going out in a blaze of glory calling everyone all manner of choice things on the way out.

Whilst I agree that in the longer term, trolls add nothing of value, but in the shorter term they do add a small form of entertainment for the regulars and break up some of the monotony.

Cheers,
Shaun :D
 
A good example of trolling would be alot of the posting in the Licensed-Customer-Feedback forum at vBulletin.com
Especially the most popular thread which required a part1 and part2. !
Many familiar names in that thread !
 
Misinformation Troll: this is someone who doesn't really have a clue what they're talking about, however they feel that their input (no matter how wrong) should be provided. This often causes issues with other members who have to correct him (or her) and degrade into conflict.

Off-topic Troll: someone who cannot remain on topic, even when they've gotten either polite suggestions to do so (from staff), or outright warnings to remain on topic. This can either be intentional, or not depending on the troll.

Familiar Troll: someone who uses their familiarity with the site to do what they wish, expecting leniency from the staff. They use trolling methods covered by the other definitions in this post (generally all of them).

Conflict Troll: someone who either baits people, or outright starts a confrontation.

Image Troll: someone who posts images (generally memes) in place of an actual post. Can often be a spam troll.

Spam Troll: someone who spams.

Passive Troll: someone who trolls in a way that often wouldn't be considered trolling, until you take a look at their posting history.

Fed-up Troll: someone who trolls because they are fedup with someone else, more often or not another troll.

Fyi, all forum administrators are trolls in some way or another.
 
I don't really know, but I have been called a "troll" by people whose opinions I don't agree with or take seriously.
 
I never understood how my thread "I promise you will love this thread." came off as a troll. Never intended for it to be a troll thread. :-/
 
Misinformation Troll: this is someone who doesn't really have a clue what they're talking about, however they feel that their input (no matter how wrong) should be provided. This often causes issues with other members who have to correct him (or her) and degrade into conflict.

Off-topic Troll: someone who cannot remain on topic, even when they've gotten either polite suggestions to do so (from staff), or outright warnings to remain on topic. This can either be intentional, or not depending on the troll.

Familiar Troll: someone who uses their familiarity with the site to do what they wish, expecting leniency from the staff. They use trolling methods covered by the other definitions in this post (generally all of them).

Conflict Troll: someone who either baits people, or outright starts a confrontation.

Image Troll: someone who posts images (generally memes) in place of an actual post. Can often be a spam troll.

Spam Troll: someone who spams.

Passive Troll: someone who trolls in a way that often wouldn't be considered trolling, until you take a look at their posting history.

Fed-up Troll: someone who trolls because they are fedup with someone else, more often or not another troll.

Fyi, all forum administrators are trolls in some way or another.

so, in other words ... we're all trolls?
 
Misinformation Troll: this is someone who doesn't really have a clue what they're talking about, however they feel that their input (no matter how wrong) should be provided. This often causes issues with other members who have to correct him (or her) and degrade into conflict.

Off-topic Troll: someone who cannot remain on topic, even when they've gotten either polite suggestions to do so (from staff), or outright warnings to remain on topic. This can either be intentional, or not depending on the troll.

Familiar Troll: someone who uses their familiarity with the site to do what they wish, expecting leniency from the staff. They use trolling methods covered by the other definitions in this post (generally all of them).

Conflict Troll: someone who either baits people, or outright starts a confrontation.

Image Troll: someone who posts images (generally memes) in place of an actual post. Can often be a spam troll.

Spam Troll: someone who spams.

Passive Troll: someone who trolls in a way that often wouldn't be considered trolling, until you take a look at their posting history.

Fed-up Troll: someone who trolls because they are fedup with someone else, more often or not another troll.

Fyi, all forum administrators are trolls in some way or another.
Staff Troll: these buggers are the worst. They troll around in threads, get the last say in, lock the thread, and then cower behind their authority. These trolls bring out the worst in the Fed-up and Conflict Trolls, which starts an all-out Battle Troll-ale.

:D
 
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