Stormfront and trolling

Salthillwarrior · 03-05-2007 03:38PM #1

Debate this.

If a person decided to go onto a site like Stormfront or some american right wing site and started posting up things that were completely against the opinions of the average user of that site, would the be trolling? Even if they were debating reasonably? To post in a topic or place where you know you are going to get up peoples noses just because your opinions are so far removed from theirs. Is that trolling?

biko · 03-05-2007 03:45PM

a troll is someone who intentionally posts derogatory or otherwise inflammatory messages about sensitive topics in an established online community such as an online discussion forum to bait users into responding

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll

Salthillwarrior · 03-05-2007 03:50PM

Well thats just a wiki definition of it. By that definition you should not post anything which may be inflammatory to avoid being classed as a troll. That doesnt take account for different opinions though? So would you consider my example trolling?

I;ve been accused of it in one of the topics here and I jsut thought it was out of line.

tc20 · 03-05-2007 03:55PM

Salthillwarrior wrote:

started posting up things that were completely against the opinions of the average user of that site, would the be trolling? Even if they were debating reasonably?

Seeing as your previous thread was locked, im gonna rise to your bait (i shouldn't, but i will)
Theres a huge difference in what you're saynig there and what you actually post.
How do you have the nerve or the intelligence to say that you were debating reasonably?

stuff this,Im going for a coffee

dlofnep · 03-05-2007 03:58PM

Salthillwarrior wrote:

Debate this.

If a person decided to go onto a site like Stormfront or some american right wing site and started posting up things that were completely against the opinions of the average user of that site, would the be trolling? Even if they were debating reasonably? To post in a topic or place where you know you are going to get up peoples noses just because your opinions are so far removed from theirs. Is that trolling?

You'd have to look at their motives in the first place.

1. Why would they post on a website that is completely alienated from their opinion and probably won't ever see their views when they could just continue to post on their own forums with people who take their views onboard.

2. Look at the trend of their posts, if everyone of them is getting up people's noses - chances are, their intentions are to get up people's noses.

If you think someone is a troll, it's probably because they are.

Ruu_Old · 03-05-2007 04:00PM

Duplicate from troll account, sitebanned. Smithers, release the hounds.

edit: oooooo the boards ghost!

humanji · 03-05-2007 04:00PM

Salthillwarrior wrote:

Well thats just a wiki definition of it. By that definition you should not post anything which may be inflammatory to avoid being classed as a troll. That doesnt take account for different opinions though? So would you consider my example trolling?

I;ve been accused of it in one of the topics here and I jsut thought it was out of line.

It counts as trolling when you post with the sole purpose of pissing off the locals. The best thing to do is realise that the internet is best taken with a pinch of salt and not get up in arms when people argue with you.

Stormfront and trolling

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