Trolling: Who does it and why? - An internet "troll" has been jailed for mocking dead teenagers

[pampango]

on various websites. Public figures, including Stephen Fry and Miranda Hart, have also been victims of trolling. So what is it and why do people do it?

Trolling is a phenomenon that has swept across websites in recent years. Online forums, Facebook pages and newspaper comment forms are bombarded with insults, provocations or threats. Supporters argue it's about humour, mischief and freedom of speech. But for many the ferocity and personal nature of the abuse verges on hate speech.

In its most extreme form it is a criminal offence. On Tuesday Sean Duffy was jailed for 18 weeks after posting offensive messages and videos on tribute pages about young people who had died. One of those he targeted was 15-year-old Natasha MacBryde, who had been killed by a train. "I fell asleep on the track lolz" was one of the messages he left on a Facebook page set up by her family.

Online people feel anonymous and disinhibited," says Prof Mark Griffiths, director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University. "They lower their emotional guard and in the heat of the moment may troll either reactively or proactively."

Most trolling is not criminal - it's about having a laugh, says Rob Manuel, co-founder of the website B3ta, which specialises in altering photographs for comic effect. "Trolling taps into people's desire to poke fun, make trouble and cause annoyance," he says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14898564

[MilesColtrane]

1. Better headline: Research Reveals Some People Are Assholes

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. +1

[sufrommich]

12. Yep, the only difference is the exposure that new

technology allows combined with anonymity.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I'm not defending trolls, but I think that jail time is a little excessive.

[WinkyDink]

4. The UK ain't the US.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. There are entire message board sites devoted to this sort of thing.

The citrus mambo was the wankie wanker. Ledo's was the giveaway.

[HughBeaumont]

6. Sheeit, you'd be arresting half of Yahoo's posters.

Yahoo's band of inbreds make The TeaHad look like Noam Chomsky.

[sufrommich]

15. Same with Youtube, the ignorance is stunning. nt

[blogslut]

7. in recent years?

Good god. Has that BBC writer been living under a rock since 1995?

[Ohio Joe]

10. heh, thats exactly what I thought

Trolling is by no means something new.

[quinnox]

8. I was reading about this subject recently, some "people" troll memorial

sites, such as sites that memorialize dead children, and make sick jokes about them and insults to their loved ones. Yes, there really are scum as low as this on this planet.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. I have a blog stalker that enjoys posting ridiculous stuff on my page.

In my case, I think it's more personal (a DUer scorned) but it's still indicative of the need for mental help. I have no idea why people do this, even with the shield of a computer screen.

[quinnox]

18. They must be sadists or mentally disturbed

but whatever their problem, its people like that who deserve to go to a hell if there is one, and I would put them on a level right above the pedophiles in hell. Their continual punishment would be bad, but not as bad as the child molesters would be for all eternity.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[snooper2]

14. I've never been on a troll, but might have to try it some time

:rofl:

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. Welcome to DU

:toast:

[snooper2]

13. Trolling YouTube is a good pastime

:P

Sometime the comments are fucking hilarious...

Video's like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RW6Q5vBSek&feature=related

($2.19 for gas :rofl: )

or this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JYxrBScd-o&feature=related

or this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14jEEV4-HKs

[Lint Head]

17. Maybe we should start throwing a curve when DU is trolled.

Maybe treat them with kindness. When a troll is identified we could just say we understand their compulsion and want to help them come around to the good and positive side of political thought and discussion.

Just a suggestion. :smoke:

[Fumesucker]

19. Welcome to DU..

I hope you enjoy your stay!

:hi:

Been doing that for years..

:evilgrin:

[d_r]

20. people lost track of what trolling was

it didn't start out that a "troll" was like a troll under the bridge going around saying nasty things. It started that "trolling" was like "fishing." Somebody would say something on usenet that was so outlandish or wrong, just to try to get people to respond. It was like saying "Florida state university is going to win the SEC this year, write it down!" and then people would "bite" and say "You idiot, FSU isn't even in the SEC they are in the ACC" when the point all along was that FSU was going to beat UF and that UF would win the SEC. That sort of thing. People who had been around a long time got the "joke" but newbies bit on it and provided some entertainment for the "in-crowd." It was like hazing. The word "trolling" meant as in fishing, not as in a grumpy old troll. It has come to mean just being a jerk or an asshole to try to get reactions out of people. Mean people suck.