How To Keep Hostile Jerks From Taking Over Your Online Community

[RetroLounge]

Interesting article...

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199600005

The Internet Tough Guy is a feature in all Internet social forums. These are people who poison discussions with anger, hatred, and threats. Some are malicious. Some are crazy. Some are just afflicted with a rotten sense of humor. Whatever their motives, they're a scourge. It takes precious little trolling to sour a message-board. A "troll" -- someone who comes onto an online community looking to pick fights -- has two victory conditions: Either everyone ends up talking about him, or no one talks at all. And where two or more trolls gather, they'll egg each other on, seeing who can anger and disrupt the regular message-board posters the most.

It can be distressing. If you're part of a nice little community of hamster-fanciers, Trekkers, or Volkswagen enthusiasts, it's easy to slip into a kind of camaraderie, a social setting in which everyone talks about life, aspirations, family problems, personal triumphs. In some ways, it doesn't matter what brought you together -- the fact that you're together is what matters.

Then, almost without warning, your community goes toxic. Someone in your group undergoes a radical personality shift and begins picking fights, or someone new comes to the party with an agenda. Or, worst of all: Your little clubhouse achieves some small measure of fame and is overrun by newcomers who don't know that Liza is a little bit touchy on the subject of hamster balls, or that old Fred gets into a froth anytime someone asks about retrofitting a bud vase into a vintage Beetle, or that everyone here actually kind of knows Wil Wheaton from reading his blog and he's a total mensch, so jokes about shoving Wesley out the airlock are frowned upon.

Sometimes, you rebound. More often, you tumble. Things get worse. The crowds get bigger, the fights get hotter. Pathologically angry (but often funny) people show up and challenge each other to new levels of vitriol.


RL

[Richardo]

1. You're a total bastard for posting that...

:P

Thanks, RL, it IS great reading.... :thumbsup:

[kay1864]

2. GODDAMMIT RL, DID YOU HAVE TO BRING UP HAMSTER BALLS AGAIN??

Why do you hate DU? :cry:

[BarenakedLady]

3. Sorry

I'll try to behave better from now on...

:yoiks:

[DS1]

4. Hi! Hope you're having a good day!

Try not to get into any fist-fights at the book store

[Doubtful Optimist]

5. Aww, poor widdle baby.

:D

[JVS]

6. keep a lid on that shit.

[patricia92243]

7. Do other sites not have something equivalent to our "Tombstoning?" That seems to me all that would

be needed.

[Deep13]

8. "Liza is a little bit touchy on the subject of hamster balls"

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Damn you for exposing my juvenile sense of humor. :evilgrin:

[RetroLounge]

9. Can you say "Touchy" and "Balls" in the same sentence?

:rofl:

RL

[Debi]

10. Do you have to take that TONE?

Such a bully :yoiks:

[Debi]

11. Does Call Me Wesley know he's going to be shoved out the airlock?

Should somebody tell him? :shrug:

[RetroLounge]

12. We'll blame it on his garden gnome...

:D

RL

[Debi]

13. Pretty pissed off little sucker 'eh?

Don't let the smile fool ya!

Wonder if he's friends with this guy??

[hunter]

14. Poor Jerry Falwell, he can't get no rest.

Pathologically angry (but often funny) people showing up everywhere and challenging each other to new levels of vitriol.

:woohoo: :party: :woohoo:

[RetroLounge]

15. ...

:rofl:

RL

[no name no slogan]

16. ITG