
Troll slang has a rich history, with origins dating back to the early days of the internet. The term "troll" was first used in the 1980s to describe people who would post inflammatory comments online.
Trolls often engage in behaviors that are designed to provoke a reaction, such as posting hurtful or off-topic comments. This can be a way for them to get attention or to disrupt online communities.
In the 1990s, the term "troll" became more widely used, particularly in online forums and chat rooms. During this time, trolls began to use their behavior to manipulate and control online interactions.
Trolls often use their behavior to hide their true intentions, making it difficult to identify and address the issue.
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What is Trolling?
Trolling is a form of online behavior where individuals intentionally try to instigate conflict or arguments in online communities.
A troll is someone who uses inflammatory messages to provoke emotional responses from others, often disrupting civil discussions.
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Trolls can be found in various online platforms, including YouTube comment sections, forums, and chat rooms.
Their goal is to cause chaos and stir up trouble, rather than engaging in respectful and meaningful conversations.
Trolls often target areas where people can freely post their thoughts and opinions, making online communities vulnerable to their actions.
By posting inflammatory messages, trolls aim to elicit strong emotional reactions from others, which can lead to heated arguments and conflict.
Types of Trolls
Trolling behaviors can be classified into distinct kinds, including playtime, tactical, strategic, and domination trolling. These categories are not mutually exclusive, and trolls may exhibit characteristics from multiple types.
Playtime trolling is often seen as harmless, but it can still cause disruption and annoyance. It's like being the class clown, but online.
Tactical trolling involves deliberate attempts to provoke emotional responses from others, often through inflammatory or insincere messages. This type of trolling can be particularly damaging, as it can lead to real-world harm or harassment.
Strategic trolling is a more calculated approach, where the troll tries to manipulate others' perception or achieve a specific result, such as disrupting a rival's online activities. It's like a game of cat and mouse, but with real-world consequences.
Domination trolling is the most aggressive type, involving sadistic behavior and a desire to cause harm or confusion to others. This type of trolling can be particularly challenging to deal with, as it often requires a strong emotional response to counteract.
Troll Behavior
Trolls are people who like to cause mischief and suffering, along with the attention that entails. They have higher levels of negative social potency.
Trolls often try to attack something you like or are in favor of, and they'll frequently insult your tastes directly. If someone is bashing the topic of a forum or post, you probably have a troll on your hands.
Trolls are known for their persistence, and they won't stop until they've gotten their victim sufficiently riled up. They love the attention and will keep pushing until they get a reaction.
Trolls often make ridiculous statements about the subject at hand, expecting to get an emotional response out of people. They won't necessarily believe the outrageous claims they make, but their goal is to convince you that they do believe it.
Some trolls are motivated by a desire for attention, while others may be motivated by a desire to cause harm. In either case, ignoring them is often the best course of action.
Trolls can be identified by their outlandish and outrageous claims, as well as their persistence in getting a reaction from others. They often thrive in online spaces where anonymity is allowed.
Ignoring a troll is often the best way to deal with them, as it takes away their attention and power. Don't engage with them in an argument or discussion, as this is exactly what they feed off of.
Troll Detection and Handling
Trolls will frequently try to attack something you have revealed you like or are in favor of, and if someone is trying to insult your tastes directly, you probably have a troll on your hands.
Ignoring the troll is often the best course of action, as they feed off of attention and engagement.
Trolls are known for their persistence, and they usually won't stop until they've gotten their victim sufficiently riled up.
Don't engage with the troll, as it's exactly what they're looking for.
Trolls are also known for making outlandish and outrageous claims, often with the expectation of getting an emotional response out of people.
Trolls won't necessarily believe the outrageous claims they make, but their goal is to convince you that they do believe it.
On well-moderated forums, an administrator should catch trolling early and ban the offending user or delete trolling comments, depending on how offensive they are.
If the trolling is abusive or offensive, you should be able to report trolls who have made themselves known, usually by clicking a Report button or using a site's Contact Us link to send an email.
Troll Impact and Controversy
Trolling can have a significant impact on people's well-being, with tactics like tactical aggression and inciting emotional responses causing adverse effects.
The media has focused on the willingness of some Internet users to participate in organized psychological harassment, highlighting the severity of the issue.
Handling trolls can be intricate, with tactics varying from disregarding them to direct interaction, based on personal choices and the situation.
Concern
Concern trolls are a type of troll that can be particularly sneaky and insidious. They pretend to be sympathetic to a certain point of view, but are actually critical of it. A concern troll will often declare an interest in joining or allying with a certain cause, while subtly ridiculing it.
They post in web forums devoted to their declared point of view, attempting to sway the group's actions or opinions while claiming to share their goals, but with professed "concerns". This can be done to sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt within the group, sometimes by appealing to outrage culture.
A concern troll's goal is to make you question your own views and motivations, often by making you feel like you're being too extreme or radical. They might say something like, "I'm just worried about the potential consequences of this action", when in reality they're trying to discredit the idea altogether.
Concern trolls can be found both online and offline, and their tactics can be just as effective in person as they are online. A notable example of concern trolling in politics occurred in 2006 when a member of staff for then-Congressman Charles Bass (R-N.H.) was caught posing as a "concerned" supporter of Bass's opponent on several liberal New Hampshire blogs.
It's worth noting that concern trolls often use language that's designed to make you doubt yourself, such as saying "I agree with your ends but not your means." This phrase is actually a quote from Saul Alinsky, who described it as a tactic used by "Do-Nothings" to discourage effective action for change.
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Media and Controversy
Mainstream media outlets have focused their attention on the willingness of some Internet users to go to extreme lengths to participate in organized psychological harassment.
The media coverage of online harassment has sparked a lot of controversy, with many people debating the severity of the issue and the best ways to address it.
Some people are shocked by the extreme lengths that trolls will go to, while others are more skeptical about the impact of online harassment.
The willingness of some Internet users to engage in organized psychological harassment has been a major focus of mainstream media outlets.
This has led to a lot of discussion about the role of social media in facilitating online harassment and the need for greater accountability from platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
The controversy surrounding online harassment has also highlighted the need for greater awareness and education about the issue, as well as the importance of promoting kindness and empathy online.
The media coverage of online harassment has sparked a lot of debate about the best ways to address the issue, with some people calling for greater regulation of social media and others advocating for more education and awareness campaigns.
Take a look at this: Rede Nacional De Ensino E Pesquisa
Examples and Case Studies
The term "troll" has been used in various contexts, including online communities and social media.
Some notable examples of trolls include the "Troll Factory" in St. Petersburg, Russia, which was used to spread propaganda and disinformation.
Trolls can be found in many different forms, from online commenters to individuals who engage in hate speech.
The "Troll Bridge" in Norway, a popular tourist destination, has been a subject of fascination and curiosity for many visitors.
Troll Sites
Troll sites like TOTSE, created in 1997, are considered early trolling communities that predated 4chan by several years.
These sites, including 4chan's infamous /b/ board, are notorious for being online hotspots where trolls gather to cause trouble. The New York Times described 4chan as "one of the Internet's most infamous and active trolling hotspots".
Trolls often use these sites as a base to troll against sites they can't normally post on, feeding off the reactions of their victims.
4chan, Reddit, and other anonymous message boards are prime real-estate for online trolls, who can post inflammatory content without being held accountable.
The French group Ligue du LOL has been accused of organized harassment and described as a troll group, highlighting the destructive potential of these online communities.
Examples
Examples can be incredibly powerful learning tools.
Take the example of a company that increased its sales by 25% after implementing a new marketing strategy based on customer feedback.
In another instance, a small business owner was able to reduce its energy costs by 30% after switching to energy-efficient lighting.
The key takeaway from these examples is that small changes can lead to big results.
A study found that 80% of businesses that use customer feedback to inform their decisions see an increase in sales.
For more insights, see: Keyword Research for Small Business
Academic and Debate
Academic and debate are crucial aspects of understanding the concept of trolling. Research has shown that internet trolls are often narcissists, psychopaths, and sadists, according to Jennifer Golbeck for Psychology Today in 2014.
Studies have explored the phenomenon of trolling, with one notable example being "Searching for Safety Online: Managing 'Trolling' in a Feminist Forum." This research highlights the importance of online safety and how to effectively manage trolls.
The term "trolling" has been studied in various contexts, including culture jamming, cyberbullying, and internet terminology. It's essential to understand these concepts to effectively address online harassment.
Trolling has been compared to monsters, with the New York Times Magazine referring to it as "Malwebolence" in 2008. This metaphor emphasizes the destructive nature of trolling.
Here are some key terms related to trolling:
- Internet trolling
- Culture jamming
- Cyberbullying
- Internet terminology
- Pejorative terms for people
- 1990s neologisms
- Internet memes introduced in the 1990s
- Metaphors referring to monsters
Usage and Responses
The term troll is subjective, and some people may see a post as trolling while others see it as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if it's controversial.
Psychologists have found that Internet trolls often exhibit psychopathological sadism, dark triad, and dark tetrad personality traits. This suggests that trolls may not be just ordinary people with differing opinions, but rather individuals with specific characteristics.
Ignoring trolls is a common strategy for dealing with them, and it's considered the best way to stop trolling by psychologists. This is based on the idea that trolls feed on attention and reactions, so withholding them may cause them to lose interest and stop their disruptive behavior.
Additional reading: People Search Engine Website
Origin of Internet Slang
The origin of internet slang is fascinating, and it's amazing how quickly the English language changes. The word "troll" has a rich history, and it's interesting to note that it originally had a completely different meaning in the early days of the internet.
In Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore, a troll is a supernatural being that lives under a bridge and surprises or threatens to harm people. However, due to a lack of knowledge found online, the word "troll" was confused with the word "trolling".
The term "trolling" was actually an intelligently derived term used to describe people online who were just looking to start an argument. A troller or someone that trolls is someone that casts a line out in the Internet world in hopes of hooking someone into an argument.
It's amusing to think that being called a troll should be a compliment, as it refers to the mythological creature. However, in internet slang, it's often used to describe someone who starts arguments or upsets people online.
On a similar theme: Text Messages Abbreviations List
Corporate Interest Sponsored

Corporate interests often sponsor research that supports their own agendas. This can lead to biased results that favor their interests.
In the context of social media, corporate interests can sponsor posts that promote their products or services. A study found that 75% of online ads are sponsored by corporations.
The goal of corporate-sponsored research is often to influence public opinion and policy decisions. This can be seen in the tobacco industry's past efforts to downplay the health risks of smoking.
A notable example is the pharmaceutical industry's sponsorship of research on vaccines. In some cases, this has led to over-promotion of vaccines as a solution to public health issues.
Corporate interests can also influence the way research is conducted and reported. This can result in flawed methodologies and selective data presentation.
The pharmaceutical industry has a history of sponsoring research that promotes their products. In one case, a study found that 80% of research on a particular medication was sponsored by the company that manufactured it.
In the end, it's essential to be aware of corporate interests and their potential impact on research and public opinion. This can help us make more informed decisions and critically evaluate the information we consume.
United States

The United States has seen its fair share of online harassment, particularly in the form of organized psychological harassment. This type of behavior was evident in the 2010 case of Alexis Pilkington, a high school student who was subjected to cruel comments and graphic images on her Facebook memorial page.
Anonymous posters on various message boards referred to Pilkington as a "suicidal slut" and posted disturbing content, showing a lack of empathy and respect for the grieving family. The incident highlights the need for online communities to take responsibility for their actions.
In 2007, a user named Pickwick on TOTSE posted fake pictures of a drug called Jenkem, which was purportedly made of human waste. Major news corporations such as Fox News Channel reported the story, warning parents about the alleged dangers of this fictional drug.
The media was fooled by the fake pictures, demonstrating the potential for misinformation to spread quickly online. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information before sharing it.
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The HBO series The Newsroom featured a character who encountered harassing individuals online and attempted to infiltrate their inner circles by posting negative comments. This portrayal sparked debate among media reviewers, highlighting the complex issue of online harassment.
In 2019, it was alleged that progressive Democrats created a fake Facebook page to misrepresent the political stance of Roy Moore, a Republican candidate. The New York Times exposed the scam, revealing a report that boasted of the fabrications.
The incident raises questions about the ethics of online manipulation and the potential for fake news to influence public opinion.
Usage
The term troll is subjective, and some readers may view a post as trolling while others see it as a legitimate contribution to the discussion.
Application of the term Internet troll has also been used to describe information warfare, hate speech, and even political activism.
The term is sometimes misused to refer to anyone with controversial or differing opinions, which goes against the ordinary meaning of troll.
Psychologists have found that Internet trolls often exhibit psychopathological sadism, dark triad, and dark tetrad personality traits.
However, some observers claim that trolls don't actually believe the views they claim, and Farhad Manjoo criticizes this view, noting that trolls may be more intelligent than critics think.
Responses
Ignoring online trolls is a common strategy, and it's based on the idea that they feed on attention and reactions. This approach, known as "don't feed the trolls", is considered the best way to stop trolling by psychologists.
After ceasing contact, disruption may occur in greater frequency due to an extinction burst. This is a natural response, but it's not a reason to engage with the troll again.
Trolling has evolved over time, and the news media now refers to the creation of any content that targets another person as trolling. This is a broader definition than the early incidents of trolling, which were considered the same as flaming.
There are four grades of trolling, according to NetLingo: playtime trolling, tactical trolling, strategic trolling, and domination trolling.
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