When did trolls/idiots online become such a big deal for everyone?

Trolling was once an art form, and it certainly did NOT involve wrecking people's sites. It was subtle, and amusing when done properly, and generally speaking reasonably good natured (within the boundaries of what they were trying to do). Done well, it was a craft you could admire. Albeit from a distance, and wearing sunglasses and a false beard.

Flooding sites, DDoS'ing sites, bullying people, driving members away and the general all-out attempts to completely destroy sites by hook or by crook, are far from "trolling".

Filthy abuse posted at celebrities (and other people) on Twitter is not "trolling" either.

The media have taken the word and misappropriated it for dramatic purposes.

 

I think you can add to that attempts by admins and those who have the "buttons" to attempt to destroy peoples reputations by stifling genuine comments and posting defamatory untrue comments for their own gratification.

 

Mark, to me, the difference just sounds like which side of the trolling you are on.

Trolling, yes, it's fun and I'm sure there is a skill to doing it well (whatever that means)... but to the person on the receiving end of it, it often is taken as bullying, abusive. And to the bully, the victim is being over-dramatic. Get over yourself, right?

Maybe I'm not seeing the same things you guys are, but to me, it's the same thing. It just depends who's involved and how far they are willing to go to make their point. Whether you have access to Twitter, a server farm, or a large rock, the intent is the same.

 

Well written short story of how trolling transformed itself.... Nothing to be added here.....

 

The best trolling is actually when it's troll-on-troll.

Then, there's what used to be called "reverse trolling", where someone who was NOT a troll, would lay a "honeypot" trap, and watch the actual trolls all dive on it. You used to see this years ago on the old BBS/usenet groups but it's largely died out now. The question was always, by turning the tables on a troll, did you become a troll yourself? There's never a satisfactory answer to that.

 

Yeah, reminds me of the term flaimbait. I don't hear it much anymore though.

Regardless, what kills me is when two trolls take over good discussions on a forum and make it entirely about themselves. We've seen that here a few times recently.

I think the trick is to channel their opposing forces into more structured discussions rather than having them destroy everything else they touch. Do many forums put try and organize debates nowadays? I know I'd be interested in reading them at least.

 

Oh come on.....its crystal clear. Once you start trolling you become a troll.... Thats it

 

Well... you are an *expert* on the subject.

 

Trolls ruin the online experience for the honest people. It's horrible to have genuine and important conversations ruined by people who are just out to make jokes and disrupt real communication.

 

Totally agree with this. In fact that is why I ban trolls immediately.