Rule 1: Do Not Respond to Internet Trolls

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   Dr Billy Kiddposted 12 years ago

   Internet Trolls bastardize every comment section in which they respond. The trick they pull is to cut down the author and to attack the person of those who have commented already. Interrnet Trolls do this without posting any facts that are actually relevant to the original discussion. Rather they simply name call, i.e. “you’re a liberal slut.."
   
   Sometimes Internet Trolls even write articles and headline them with attacks on other interest groups. For example, an article on the fiscal cliff might be headlined: “Liberal Wackos Screw Up the Economic Future.” The article, of course, cannot support this. That’s because Internet Trolls have no relevant facts, just attacks on other people.
   
   That is why I’m proposing Rule 1: Do not respond to Internet Trolls. The idea is to be dignified or relaxed and not let authoritarian reactionaries press your buttons with their diversions. Rather, just keep talking the facts, regardless of how many times an Internet Troll has called you an “Obama Whore,” “a tax-and-spend idiot,” a “turd ball,” a “slut,” or a “fool, who doesn’t know anything.”
   
   Wadaya think? Should we all not respond to Internet Trolls?

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I got kicked off for 17 hours because I responded "inappropriately" to some trolls. If you let them get to you, YOU will reap the consequences. How come THEY don't reap any?

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         Express10posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         My thoughts exactly. They can be quite frustrating. They aim to cause ill will, not to discuss or only state their opinion or experience and disagree respectfully if need be. I dislike them so much, I've stopped reading comments on other websites in great part because of people bashing others rather than discussing the topic.

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            Dr Billy Kiddposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Express10...Yes, I understand. I sometime just glance at the comments. If they seem like they've been hijacked by a comment troll, I feel like I will learn nothing. So I skip them, too.

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      Giselle Maineposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, in fact I avoid whole sections of the forums, esp religious and politics, because people resort to name-calling.  The funny thing is, trolls seem to not realize that this behavior then weakens their argument and will lose them respect not only from the recipient of the name-calling, but other readers too!
      
      I haven't had anyone actually harrass me personally through my hub comments.  I have had comments on my hubs of an unnecessarily rude tone, but they were one-offs and were not from stalker-type trolls. 
      
      I have tried to respond in the past in the forums to forum-type trolls, but only in a way that states my position on the issue and why I have it, and also by clarifying that others will have their own (likely different) position on it and that people will just have to 'agree to disagree' on the issue.  Perhaps not surprisingly, internet trolls are immune to being reasonable! They think that other people are not allowed to have a point of view that is different to theirs!   (but they still claim to uphold freedom of speech!!)
      
      So then I just decided that (after politely and respectfully stating one's point of view), then silence is the best response to any personal attacks or name-calling.  I actually feel like I do 'win' in those types of situations because a) I have the satisfaction of knowing within myself that I have handled it well - whereas the other person is probably full of negative feelings and resentment and b) they (through name-calling, intolerance etc) are the ones who make themselves look bad to other readers, not me. and c) they ultimately weaken their side of the argument with this behavior.
      
      So yeah, silence is the way to go, but it doesn't hurt to re-state your position briefly, politely, and respectfully first (making it clear that everyone will have different points of view on the issue).  Also, another way to avoid frustration is to just laugh at how ridiculous some trolls can be. I just laugh and laugh at how they can possibily think that their own rude words will cause anyone to espouse their viewpoint!

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         Dr Billy Kiddposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, I've seen that, where someone reponds with something funny and it makes me feel better at least! On my own blogs, I've learned  that some people appear to simply read the title and then comment without reading the article. I just let it go. It's not about me or my writing.

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      CoffeeandJazzposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      As some one who used to be an internet troll and that used to frequent the homeland of the trolls 4****, I can tell you the one way to knock the wind out of the sails of any internet trolls is simply not to respond. When you do not respond to an internet troll they will get bored and move on and move on to an easier target like some forum espousing extreme view points.

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   Kathryn L Hillposted 12 years ago

   They mostly attack those of us with reasonable viewpoints.  That's their game. It's power-trippy and purposefully destructive of what is right and decent.  That's my experience. Thanks for bringing this up. (Especially so soon after I was put in the corner wearing the dunce hat for 17 hours by HubPages! )
   It's best to refuse to respond to them. Why put yourself on the chopping block? Actually, the forums are for friendly and respectful debate according to the HP rules. To not respond, enforces the rules.

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      Dr Billy Kiddposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I understand, Kathryn. I got the dunce hat for a day, and it was because I responded to a Troll's Post. So, I guess that was the final lesson. Why even bother to repond to those who attack your person and whose facts are from some alternative universe.

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   Marisa Wrightposted 12 years ago

   There are three rules.
   
   1.  If you see a new forum thread that is obviously designed to be challenging or insulting, don't post in it.  If no one posts on the thread, it will quickly drop out of sight, where it belongs.
   
   2.  If a troll joins an existing thread, ignore their posts.  Keep talking to the intelligent people in the thread and pretend the troll doesn't exist.  Laughing at them is tempting, but it's still giving them attention, which is what they want - so best not.
   
   3.  AND THIS IS THE IMPORTANT ONE:  report offensive posts using the "Report" button on the post.  Too many people fail to do this!   HubPages staff cannot possibly monitor every single forum thread, every minute of every day. 
   
   I've seen some Hubbers say they don't think it's their job to report an offensive post.  So does that mean if you're walking down the street and see a mugger beating someone up, you wouldn't call the police?   We are all citizens of HubPages and we have a civic duty to do our bit for our community!

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, MW!

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   Bring on the trolls...
   
   I wish to play.
   
   Trust me.

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