WARNING! Do not feed the trolls!

**Eris** · 03-03-2007 01:20 PM

I figured I'd take the initiative and post an informational post about trolls, seeing as how they seem to circle this board like buzzards as of late.

What is a troll/troller?
A troller is simply a deliberate spammer. To understand a troller, you need to understand their psychology. They want attention. They want to create a ruckus. They are like attention sick children. They are fully aware of the rules, and they don't care. Unlike regular spammers, they are not ignorant, they don't do this because they don't know any better. They are very aware of what they're doing. Understand that it is all a game for them, they don't care if you hate their guts, other than that it gives them attention and makes them happy.

What is a flamebait (also called a troll)?
A flamebait is essentially a trap. If you fall for it, the troller gets what he wants: A flamewar. Some examples of flamebaits:

Spam/pointless threads/cursing.
Shocking or inapproperiate posts. Pictures of dead babies, genitalia, etc.
Highly controversial, inflamatory, defamatory topics.
Deliberately factually erroneous posts.
Other disruptive content.

Sophistication varies from very simple where the troller just starts spamming the first thing he does, to advanced trolls that requires the troller to gain the trust of the board, then to turn around and start trolling (the case with a random fool).

Some trolls are extended, with the troller sticking around to create an even larger ruckus, others are hit-and-runs, consisting of one controversial post, whereupon the troller kicks back and watches the result.

How to handle a troller?
This is very important. You can not shout and cry a troller away. If you go hook, line & sinker, he gets what he wants (attention), and he will stick around for seconds. It can be appealing to go for it, but in the long run, this will have an adverse effect on the forum. Even if the troller is kicked off the board, if you gave him enough attention, he will come back using a proxy. Therefore, the only way to handle trollers is not to feed them. Don't give them attention. Just report the thread to the mods, and walk away.

**bttr** · 03-03-2007 01:34 PM

So your point is don't talk to trolls(example jin and his tread)just tell mods and walk away .alright then.

**Eris** · 03-03-2007 01:35 PM

Exactly, and if you see people falling for the flamebait, post a link to this thread to remind people.

**bttr** · 03-03-2007 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Eris

Exactly, and if you see people falling for the flamebait, post a link to this thread to remind people.

Yes sir/ma'am ill do as you wish .

**Spectre** · 03-03-2007 01:46 PM

Thaks for the advice....I'm gonna need it....

**Famahama** · 03-03-2007 02:17 PM

Understood!

**Khanxay** · 03-03-2007 02:21 PM

Congratulations Eris! You have now incited the "regular spammers" to stop trolls...by spamming!

**Ryth** · 03-03-2007 03:07 PM

Pin this kthxbai.

**Sakura Holic** · 03-03-2007 03:14 PM

Lol.
Mods should PIN this thread. I just read all 5 Pages of Jin's spam. XD
You guys are hillarious.

**Capernicus** · 03-03-2007 03:14 PM

lol I wish I had been around to post. I know that would make me a loser in the eyes of Klutz but bleh.

**Ayame_Sohma** · 03-03-2007 03:40 PM

Well i guess im loser in Klutz eyes ..but i wont let other people talk badly about my friends on here..

**shinobi dog** · 03-03-2007 03:43 PM

Alrighty then .

**Eris** · 03-03-2007 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by GaMeGoD

Congratulations Eris! You have now incited the "regular spammers" to stop trolls...by spamming!

Not to mention the irony of how much spam this thread attracts.

**Princess Hoshi** · 03-03-2007 03:48 PM

I can understand this. If I come across something like this, I'll be sure to just report the thread and walk away. =)

**(_YvOnSo_)** · 03-03-2007 05:32 PM

k thanks for the info

**Acnologia** · 03-03-2007 06:51 PM

Good thread, Trolls only post to upset people, and knowing that they are upsetting people just makes them worse.

**Tetsanosuke** · 03-03-2007 06:54 PM

Uhhh.. thank you for the very detailed explanation, I needed a full blown definition.

>.>''

<Spammed?>

**kyubichan** · 03-04-2007 06:58 AM

We can PM a mod OR we can always use that little REPORT BUTTON.

Yeah, the one that says REPORT POST.

Jin reminds me of Takashi. But Takashi was better at grammar. He was scarier.

EDIT:

By the way, there are worse people than him. I've seen one who was an outright racist. And he was "Asian". He was the only person on the internet to ever make me really angry.

**Asyuoli** · 03-04-2007 02:51 PM

okay thanks for the info

i'll make sure to report any thread that was like Jin's (that went on for too long!!)

**Grim Scythe** · 03-04-2007 03:28 PM

why do they come up with these names for specific types of people and their ways
why not make up a new word?

**MissBunBun** · 03-04-2007 03:44 PM

finally someone with a plan to do away the spammers. you know you got a point when you said that the trolls only want attention. it's pointless trying to yell at them. but even with this thread there still gonna be people who's gonna fuss back with them anyway though >_>