Troll (slang): Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

Article Images

Line 4:

In [[slang]], a '''troll''' is a person who posts deliberately offensive or provocative messages online<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-24 |title=TROLL English Definition and Meaning {{!}} Lexico.com |url=https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/troll |access-date=2024-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824211107/https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/troll |archive-date=24 August 2022 }}</ref> (such as in [[social media]], a [[newsgroup]], a [[internet forum|forum]], a [[chat room]], an [[Multiplayer video game|online video game]]) or who performs similar behaviors in real life. The methods and motivations of trolls can range from benign to sadistic. These messages can be inflammatory, [[insincerity|insincere]], [[digression|digressive]],<ref name=":5">{{cite web | title=Definition of troll | work=Collins English Dictionary | url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/troll | access-date=17 September 2012 }}</ref> [[wikt:extraneous#Adjective|extraneous]], or [[off-topic]], and may have the intent of provoking others into displaying [[emotion]]al responses,<ref name="PCMAG_def">{{Cite news |title=Definition of: trolling |work=PCMAG.COM |publisher=Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=trolling&i=53181,00.asp# |access-date=24 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501152034/https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=trolling&i=53181,00.asp |archive-date=2010-05-01}}</ref> or [[Psychological manipulation|manipulating]] others' perception, thus acting as a [[bullying|bully]] or a [[agent provocateur|provocateur]]. The behavior is typically for the troll's amusement, or to achieve a specific result such as disrupting a rival's online activities or purposefully causing confusion or harm to other people.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Buckels|first1=E.E.|last2=Trapnell|first2=P.D.|last3=Paulhus|first3=D.L.|date=2014|title=Trolls Just Want to Have Fun: (520722015-006)|url=http://doi.apa.org/get-pe-doi.cfm?doi=10.1037/e520722015-006 |website=APA PsycNet |language=en|doi=10.1037/e520722015-006}}</ref> Trolling behaviors involve tactical aggression to incite emotional responses, which can adversely affect the target's well-being.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Volkmer |first=Sara |date=March 2023 |title=Troll story: The dark tetrad and online trolling revisited with a glance at humor |journal=[[PLOS One]] |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=e0280271 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0280271 |doi-access=free|pmid=36897846 |pmc=10004561 |bibcode=2023PLoSO..1880271V |issn=1932-6203 }}</ref>

In this context, ~~both~~ the noun and the verb forms of "troll" are frequently associated with Internet discourse. ~~Media~~Recently, media attention ~~in recent years~~ has equated trolling with [[online harassment]]. ''[[The Courier-Mail]]'' and ''[[The Today Show]]'' have used "troll" to mean "a person who defaces [[Online memorial|Internet tribute sites]] with the aim of causing grief to families".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/police-charge-alleged-creator-of-facebook-hate-page-aimed-at-murder-victim/story-e6freoof-1225895789100 | title=Police charge alleged creator of Facebook hate page aimed at murder victim | date=22 July 2010 | publisher=The Courier Mail | location=Australia |first1=Jorja |last1=Orreal | access-date=27 July 2010 | archive-date=11 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811123013/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/police-charge-alleged-creator-of-facebook-hate-page-aimed-at-murder-victim/story-e6freoof-1225895789100 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=Trolling:TheTodayShowExplorestheDarkSideoftheInternet /> In addition, depictions of trolling have been included in popular fictional works, such as the [[HBO]] television program ''[[The Newsroom (U.S. TV series)|The Newsroom]]'', in which a main character encounters harassing persons online and tries to infiltrate their circles by posting negative sexual comments.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2012/08/the-newsroom-episode-9-review-and-recap-the-blackout-part-2-whither-the-mock-debate-240293/|title='The Newsroom' Episode 9 Review and Recap: 'The Blackout Part 2' — Whither the Mock Debate?|date=20 Aug 2012|author=Beth Hanna |website=IndieWire |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809233715/https://www.indiewire.com/2012/08/the-newsroom-episode-9-review-and-recap-the-blackout-part-2-whither-the-mock-debate-240293/ |archive-date= Aug 9, 2022 }}</ref>

== Usage ==

Line 15:

The "[[Trollface]]" is an image occasionally used to indicate trolling in Internet culture.<ref>{{cite web |last=Prahl |first=Kyle |url=http://www.psu.com/a019344/Trollface-hack-strikes-PlayStation-3-PSU-community-member-reports-XMB-weirdness|title=Trollface hack strikes PlayStation 3? PSU community member reports XMB weirdness |work=PlayStation Universe |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=3 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515045805/https://www.psu.com/news/trollface-hack-strikes-playstation-3-psu-community-member-reports-xmb-weirdness/ |archive-date=15 May 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Valle |first=Mario |url=http://www.publimetro.cl/nota/cronica/pasta-y-masterdog-ya-son-parte-de-la-jerga-universitaria/xIQmef!22mBeJJLytl6U/|title="Pasta" y "MasterDog" ya son parte de la jerga universitaria |work=[[Publimetro]] |access-date=3 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719104602/https://www.publimetro.cl/nota/cronica/pasta-y-masterdog-ya-son-parte-de-la-jerga-universitaria/xIQmef!22mBeJJLytl6U/ |archive-date=19 July 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://yucatan.com.mx/imagen/forever-alone-y-ay-si-ay-si-entre-los-mas-populares | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202221424/http://yucatan.com.mx/imagen/forever-alone-y-ay-si-ay-si-entre-los-mas-populares | url-status=dead | archive-date=2 December 2013 | title="Forever Alone" y "Ay sí, ay sí", entre los más populares – el Diario… | access-date=17 May 2013 }}</ref>

~~At times, the~~The word is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to anyone with controversial, or differing, opinions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url = http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2012/12/i_m_not_a_troll_why_does_everyone_on_the_internet_keep_calling_me_one.html|title = Stop Calling Me a Troll|last = Manjoo|first = Farhad|date = 5 December 2012|work = Slate|access-date = 6 January 2015}}</ref> Such usage goes against the ordinary meaning of troll in multiple ways. While [[psychologist]]s have determined that [[Sadistic personality disorder|psychopathological sadism]], [[dark triad]], and [[dark tetrad]] [[Psychological trait|personality traits]] are common among Internet trolls,<ref name="Dynel 2016">{{cite journal |last=Dynel |first=Marta |date=September 2016 |title="Trolling is not stupid": Internet trolling as the art of deception serving entertainment |editor-last=Kecskés |editor-first=István |editor-link=István Kecskés (linguist) |journal=[[Intercultural Pragmatics]] |volume=13 |issue=3 |publisher=[[De Gruyter]] |location=[[Berlin]] |pages=353–381 |doi=10.1515/ip-2016-0015 |s2cid=151433921 |eissn=1613-365X |issn=1612-295X}}</ref><ref name="JournalofPersonality">{{cite journal |last1=Andjelovic |first1=Tamara |last2=Buckels |first2=Erin E. |last3=Paulhus |first3=Delroy L. |last4=Trapnell |first4=Paul D. |date=April 2019 |title=Internet trolling and everyday sadism: Parallel effects on pain perception and moral judgment |journal=[[Journal of Personality]] |volume=87 |issue=2 |pages=328–340 |publisher=[[Wiley-Blackwell]] |location=[[Chichester|Chichester, West Sussex]] |doi=10.1111/jopy.12393 |pmid=29663396 |s2cid=4955521}}</ref><ref name="Comput. Hum. Behav.">{{cite journal |last1=Navarro-Carrillo |first1=Ginés |last2=Torres-Marín |first2=Jorge |last3=Carretero-Dios |first3=Hugo |date=January 2021 |title=Do trolls just want to have fun? Assessing the role of humor-related traits in online trolling behavior |url=https://mobt3ath.com/uplode/books/book-99319.pdf |journal=[[Computers in Human Behavior]] |volume=114 |issue=106551 |page=106551 |publisher=[[Elsevier]] |location=[[Amsterdam]] |doi=10.1016/j.chb.2020.106551 |s2cid=225027966 |issn=0747-5632}}</ref><ref name="SPSP.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.spsp.org/news-center/blog/buckels-internet-trolls |title=Probing the Sadistic Minds of Internet Trolls |last=Buckels |first=Erin E. |date=7 June 2019 |website=www.spsp.org |publisher=[[Society for Personality and Social Psychology]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |access-date=31 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="Cyberpsychology">{{cite journal |last1=March |first1=Evita |last2=Steele |first2=Genevieve |date=July 2020 |title=High Esteem and Hurting Others Online: Trait Sadism Moderates the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Internet Trolling |journal=Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking |volume=23 |issue=7 |pages=441–446 |publisher=[[Mary Ann Liebert|Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.]] |doi=10.1089/cyber.2019.0652 |pmid=32364769 |doi-access=free }}</ref> some observers claim that trolls do not ~~actually~~ believe the controversial views they claim. [[Farhad Manjoo]] criticises this view, noting that if the person ~~really~~ is trolling, they are more intelligent than their critics would believe.<ref name=":0" />

== Responses ==

~~{{Tone|section|date=February 2024}}~~

[[File:DoNotFeedTroll.svg|thumb|The advice to [[:wikt:ignore|ignore]] rather than engage with a troll is sometimes phrased as "Please don't feed the trolls".]]

One common strategy for dealing with online trolls is to ignore them. This approach, known as "don't feed the trolls," is based on the idea that trolls seek attention and reactions. By withholding these, the troll may lose interest and stop their disruptive behavior.

One of the most common advice to counter online trolls is to ignore them. Known as "don't feed the trolls", it follows the logic that trolls will cease their behavior when they do not get the attention or reaction they want. However, some believe that ignoring online abuse is ineffective at deterring them because the troll usually considers the inattention from the target as a provocation and escalates the unwanted behavior to gain control. In some cases, the best way to deal with trolls is to report them to higher authority.<ref>{{cite web |last=Joel |first=William |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/12/17561768/dont-feed-the-trolls-online-harassment-abuse|title=Don't feed the trolls, and other hideous lies|website=The Verge|access-date=18 February 2019|date=12 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225190412/https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/12/17561768/dont-feed-the-trolls-online-harassment-abuse |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

However, ignoring trolls is not always effective. Some argue that trolls may interpret a lack of response as a weakness and escalate their harassment. Reporting the troll to the platform administrators may be necessary in such cases. Most online platforms have guidelines against harassment and abuse, and reporting the troll can lead to their account being suspended or banned.<ref>{{cite web |last=Joel |first=William |date=12 July 2018 |title=Don't feed the trolls, and other hideous lies |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/12/17561768/dont-feed-the-trolls-online-harassment-abuse |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225190412/https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/12/17561768/dont-feed-the-trolls-online-harassment-abuse |archive-date=25 December 2021 |access-date=18 February 2019 |website=The Verge}}</ref>

== Origin and etymology ==

Line 41 ⟶ 42:

In [[Chinese language|Chinese]], trolling is referred to as ''bái mù'' ({{zh|c=[[:zh:白目|白目]]|l=white eye}}), which can be straightforwardly explained as "eyes without pupils", in the sense that while the [[pupil]] of the eye is used for vision, the white section of the eye cannot see, and trolling involves blindly talking nonsense over the Internet, having total disregard to sensitivities or being oblivious to the situation at hand, akin to having eyes without pupils. An alternative term is ''bái làn'' ({{zh|c=白爛|l=white rot}}), which describes a post completely nonsensical and full of folly made to upset others, and derives from a Taiwanese slang term for the [[Human male genitalia|male genitalia]], where genitalia that is pale white in color represents that someone is young, and thus foolish. Both terms originate from [[Taiwan]], and are also used in [[Hong Kong]] and [[mainland China]]. Another term, ''xiǎo bái'' ({{zh|c=小白|l=little white}}), is a derogatory term for both ''bái mù'' and ''bái làn'' that is used on anonymous posting Internet forums. Another common term for a troll used in mainland China is ''pēn zi'' ({{zh|c=噴子|l=sprayer, spurter}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Language Log » The toll of the trolls |url=https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=42191 |access-date=2022-04-14}}</ref>

In [[Hebrew]] the word {{lang|he|טרול}} refers both to internet trolls, who engage in disruptive behavior on social media and online platforms, or to the mythical creatures similar to trolls found in European mythology.<ref>{{Cite web |title=מה זה טרול - מילון עברי עברי - מילוג |url=https://milog.co.il/%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9C |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=milog.co.il}}</ref> The word is also inflected into a verb form, {{lang|he|להטריל}}, which means to engage in trolling behavior on the internet or social media.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-07-10 |title=כתב פוסטים מרושעים בפייסבוק ונשלח לכלא לשנתיים |url=https://www.mako.co.il/nexter-internet/social-networks-facebook/Article-196123906f8cf31006.htm |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=mako}}</ref>

In [[Japanese language|Japanese]], {{nihongo|''[[wikt:en:tsuri#Japanese|tsuri]]''|[[wikt:en:釣り#Japanese|釣り]]}} means "fishing" and refers to intentionally misleading posts whose only purpose is to get the readers to react, i.e. get trolled. {{nihongo|''[[wikt:en:arashi#Japanese|Arashi]]''|[[wikt:en:荒らし#Japanese|荒らし]]}} means "laying waste" and can also be used to refer to simple [[spam (electronic)|spamming]].▼

In [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]], ''[[wikt:en:þurs#Icelandic|þurs]]'' (a [[Jötunn|thurs]]) or ''[[wikt:en:tröll#Icelandic|tröll]]'' (a [[troll]]) may refer to trolls, the verbs ''þursa'' (to troll) or ''þursast'' (to be trolling, to troll about) may be used.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-22 |title=Troll Politics |url=https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/04/22/troll-politics/ |access-date=2022-03-17 |website=Georgetown Journal of International Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=August 2022}}

▲In [[Japanese language|Japanese]], {{nihongo|''[[wikt:en:tsuri#Japanese|tsuri]]''|[[wikt:en:釣り#Japanese|釣り]]}} means "fishing" and refers to intentionally misleading posts whose only purpose is to get the readers to react, i.e. get trolled. {{nihongo|''[[wikt:en:arashi#Japanese|Arashi]]''|[[wikt:en:荒らし#Japanese|荒らし]]}} means "laying waste" and can also be used to refer to simple [[spam (electronic)|spamming]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

In [[Korean language|Korean]], ''nak-si'' (낚시) means "fishing" and refers to Internet trolling attempts, as well as purposely misleading post titles. A person who recognizes the troll after having responded (or, in case of a post title, ''nak-si'', having read the actual post) would often refer to themselves as a caught fish.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ybmallinall.com/stylev2/index.asp?menumode=today_hot&param=3566|script-title=ko:관심을 바라는 사람, 영어로 뭐라고 해요?|access-date=January 15, 2021|language=ko}}</ref>

In [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], more commonly in its [[Brazilian Portuguese|Brazilian]] variant, [[:pt:Troll|troll]] (pronounced {{IPA-|pt|ˈtɾɔw|}} in most of Brazil as [[spelling pronunciation]]) is the usual term to denote Internet trolls (examples of common derivate terms are ''trollismo'' or ''trollagem'', "trolling", and the verb ''trollar'', "to troll", which entered popular use), but an older expression, used by those which want to avoid [[anglicism]]s or [[slang]]s, is ''[[:pt:Complexo do pombo enxadrista|complexo do pombo enxadrista]]'' to denote trolling behavior, and ''pombos enxadristas'' (literally, "chessplayer pigeons") or simply ''pombos'' are the terms used to name the trolls. The terms are explained by an [[adage]] or popular saying: "Arguing with ''[[Placeholder names in different languages#Portuguese|fulano]]'' (i.e., [[John Doe]]) is the same as playing [[chess]] with a [[pigeon]]: it defecates on the table, drops the pieces and simply flies off, claiming victory."{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}

In [[Thai language|Thai]], the term ''krian'' ([[:wikt:เกรียน|เกรียน]]) has been adopted to address Internet trolls. According to the [[Royal Institute of Thailand]], the term, which literally refers to a closely cropped hairstyle worn by schoolboys in Thailand, is from the behaviour of these schoolboys who usually gather to play online games and, during which, make annoying, disruptive, impolite, or unreasonable expressions.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Photchananukrom Kham Mai Lem Song Chabap Ratchabandittayasathan|last = Royal Institute of Thailand|publisher = Royal Institute of Thailand|year = 2009|isbn = 9786167073040|location = Bangkok|pages = 11|script-title = th:พจนานุกรมคำใหม่ เล่ม ๒ ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสถาน|trans-title = Royal Institute Dictionary of New Words, Volume 2|language=th|author-link = Royal Society of Thailand}}</ref>

Line 125 ⟶ 128:

== Troll sites ==

The online forum [[TOTSE]], as created in 1997, is considered one of the earliest trolling communities, predating 4chan by several years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Phillips |first1=Whitney |title=This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture |date=20 March 2015 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=978-0-262-32900-2 |page=20 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B4weBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA20 |language=en}}</ref> A ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' article discussed troll activity at [[4chan]] and at [[Encyclopedia Dramatica]], which it described as "an online compendium of troll humor and troll lore".<ref name="nyt" /> 4chan's /b/ board is recognized as "one of the Internet's most infamous and active trolling hotspots".<ref>{{Cite web|title = Internet Troll Sub-Culture's Savage Spoofing of Mainstream Media [Excerpt]|url = http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/internet-troll-sub-culture-s-savage-spoofing-of-mainstream-media-excerpt/|website = Scientific American|access-date = 24 February 2016|first = Whitney|last = Phillips}}</ref> This site and others are often used as a base to troll against sites that their members ~~can not~~cannot normally post on. These trolls feed off the reactions of their victims because "their agenda is to take delight in causing trouble".<ref name="foxsp">{{cite web |url = http://community.foxsports.com/dwilliams/blog/2007/10/25/how_to_be_a_great_internet_troll |title = How to be a Great Internet Troll |work = Fox Sports |access-date = 13 December 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100821232014/http://community.foxsports.com/dwilliams/blog/2007/10/25/how_to_be_a_great_internet_troll |archive-date = 21 August 2010 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> Places like Reddit, 4chan, and other anonymous message boards are prime real-estate for online trolls. Because there is no easy way of tracing who someone is, trolls can post very inflammatory content without repercussion.<ref name="Vicente"/>

The online French group [[Ligue du LOL]] has been accused of organized harassment and described as a troll group.<ref>{{cite news|title=The #ligueduLOL cyberbullying case is the French media's day of reckoning | Cécile Guerin | Opinion | The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/12/liguedulol-cyberbullying-case-french-media-reckoning-trolls|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 February 2019|last1=Guerin|first1=Cécile}}</ref>

Line 156 ⟶ 159:

Trolls of the testimonial page of Georgia Varley faced no prosecution due to misunderstandings of the legal system in the wake of the term trolling being popularized.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/01/14/georgia-varley-inspired-trolling-law-is-waste-of-time-says-internet-campaigner-100252-30120150/ |title=Georgia Varley-inspired trolling law is waste of time says internet campaigner|work=Liverpool Echo |access-date=2 February 2012|date=14 January 2012}}</ref> In October 2012, a twenty-year-old man was jailed for twelve weeks for posting offensive jokes to a support group for friends and family of [[Murder of April Jones|April Jones]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/08/man_jailed_for_12_weeks_over_april_jones_facebook_posts/|title=Lancashire man JAILED over April Jones Facebook posts|work=[[The Register]]|date=8 October 2012|access-date=11 December 2012}}</ref>

Between 2008 and 2017, 5,332 people in London were arrested and charged for behavior on social media deemed in violation of Communications Act 2003.<ref>[https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/crimes-social-media Crimes Social Media]. ''www.london.gov.uk''. Accessed 6 Aug 2024.</ref>

=== United States ===

Line 169 ⟶ 174:

The [[2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries|2020 Democratic]] presidential candidate [[Bernie Sanders]] has faced criticism for the behavior of some of his supporters online, but has deflected such criticism, suggesting that "Russians" were impersonating people claiming to be "[[Bernie Bro]]" supporters.<ref>{{cite news |title=Experts Say There's 'No Evidence' for Bernie's Russian Bot Claim |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/experts-call-bs-on-bernies-russian-bot-theory |work=The Daily Beast |date=February 21, 2020}}</ref> Twitter rejected Sanders' suggestion that Russia could be responsible for the bad reputation of his supporters. A Twitter spokesperson told [[CNBC]]: "Using technology and human review in concert, we proactively monitor Twitter to identify attempts at platform manipulation and mitigate them. As is standard, if we have reasonable evidence of state-backed information operations, we'll disclose them following our thorough investigation to our public archive — the largest of its kind in the industry."<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter knocks down Bernie Sanders' suggestion that Russian trolls are behind online attacks from his supporters |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/20/twitter-knocks-down-sanders-suggestion-russian-trolls-behind-supporters.html |work=CNBC |date=February 20, 2020}}</ref> Twitter had suspended 70 troll accounts that posted content in support of [[Michael Bloomberg]]'s [[Michael Bloomberg 2020 presidential campaign|presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Twitter is suspending 70 pro-Bloomberg accounts, citing 'platform manipulation' |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-02-21/twitter-suspends-bloomberg-accounts |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 21, 2020}}</ref>

The 45th ~~American~~[[President of the United States|U.S. president,]] [[Donald J. Trump|Donald Trump]], infamously used Twitter to denigrate his political opponents and spread misinformation for which he earned the moniker "Troll-In-Chief" by [[The New Yorker]].<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Donald Trump will go down in history as the Troll-in-Chief |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/donald-trump-will-go-down-in-history-as-the-troll-in-chief |magazine=The New Yorker |date=January 29, 2021}}</ref>

== Examples ==

Line 184 ⟶ 189:

Ken McCarthy, going by the online pseudonym "Ken M", is considered one of the greatest internet trolls of all time.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Phil |date=2016-05-06 |title=The world's greatest internet troll explains his craft |url=https://www.vox.com/2016/5/6/11597960/ken-m-internet-troll |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref> Ken M is known for trolling forums and comment sections by playing a "well-meaning moron" online. McCarthy compared his trolling to a comedy routine, where strangers who responded to his comments became unwitting "straight men". Ken M would reply with increasingly absurd statements until his ruse was discovered.<ref name=":6" />

In 2012, after feminist [[Anita Sarkeesian]] started a Kickstarter campaign to fund a series of YouTube videos chronicling misogyny in video games, she received bomb threats at speaking engagements, [[doxing]] threats, rape threats, and an unwanted starring role in a video game called Beat Up Anita Sarkeesian.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4457110/internet-trolls/|title=How Trolls Are Ruining the Internet|magazine=Time|language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref>

In 2018 the Russian government was accused of using sockpuppet armies, consisting of 13 Russians and about three Russian companies, including Concord Management, to alter the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=2018-04-11|title=Russian company indicted by Mueller hires Washington lawyers|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-concord-idUSKBN1HI2DR|access-date=2021-05-25}}</ref> With the aim of ensuring that the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, emerged victorious, the sockpuppets allegedly pushed various criminal conspiracies, political rallies, and disparaging comments about Trump's major opponent, Hillary Clinton, on social media.<ref name=":2" /> Initially only Twitter and Facebook detected the campaign but other reports suggest that YouTube, Tumblr, Google+, PayPal, and Instagram were used.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2018-02-16|title=The tactics of a Russian troll farm|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43093390|access-date=2021-05-25}}</ref> Donald Trump denied plotting with the Russian government to run the propaganda and the Russian Government vehemently denied ties to the companies indicted.

In 2020, the official [[Discord (software)|Discord]] server and [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] channel for the [[U.S. Army Esports]] team became a target of trolling, as people sent anti-U.S. Army messages, memes, and references to [[United States war crimes|war crimes committed by the United States]] to both.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hernandez|first=Patricia|date=2020-07-01|title=The US Army is losing the war in Discord|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/7/1/21310282/us-army-discord-esports-uwu-ban-speedrun-trolling|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Polygon|language=en}}</ref> When the team started banning users from their Twitch channel for trolling, they were accused of violating the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution]] by the [[ACLU]] and Knight First Amendment Institute at [[Columbia University]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S. Army Esports Team May Have Violated the First Amendment on Twitch|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5dz58z/us-army-esports-team-may-have-violated-the-first-amendment-on-twitch|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Vice |first1=Matthew |last1=Gault |date=16 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S. Army and Navy Must Stop Banning Speech About War Crimes from Their Twitch Channels, Knight Institute Says in Demand Letter|url=https://knightcolumbia.org/content/us-army-and-navy-must-stop-banning-speech-about-war-crimes-from-their-twitch-channels-knight-institute-says-in-demand-letter |date=July 22, 2020 |access-date=2020-07-25|website=Knight First Amendment Institute |language=en}}</ref> The team has since denied these allegations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Venhuizen|first=Harm|date=2020-07-20|title=Army esports team denies accusations of violating First Amendment, offering fake giveaways|url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/07/20/army-esports-team-denies-accusations-of-violating-first-amendment-offering-fake-giveaways/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Army Times|language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231214212924/https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/07/20/army-esports-team-denies-accusations-of-violating-first-amendment-offering-fake-giveaways/ |archive-date= 14 December 2023 }}</ref>

Line 195 ⟶ 196:

== See also ==

{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

* [[Cancel culture]]

* [[Catfishing]]

* [[Fascism]]

* [[Flame war]]▼

* [[Fake news website]]

▲* [[Flame war]]

* [[Griefer]]

* [[Heckler]]

Line 223 ⟶ 225:

== External links ==

~~{{Commons category|Trolls (Internet)}}~~

=== Trolling advocacy and safety ===

Line 232 ⟶ 233:

=== Background and definitions ===

* {{Curlie|Computers/Internet/Abuse/Usenet_and_Bulletin_Board_Abuse|Usenet and Bulletin Board Abuse}}

* [http://www.netlingo.com/word/troll.php NetLingo definition]