Apparently they attacked Mensa once?

Question

What Is A Troll?
Why do trolls do it?
Recognizing trolls
Who is at risk?
When should you be concerned?
Eradication


An Introduction To Dross
The object of this page is to bring together a definitive document to cover the utter sadness of the Internet troll. Usually, a troll is nothing more than a passing nuisance, but, as this page will show, they can be a worry (stalkers). However, it is almost invariably an inadequate individual who can be safely ignored.

This page will define the activity, and help with early recognition; once acknowledged, trolls can take up residence, and, like athlete's foot, can be difficult to shift. And when you've finished here, I recommend this fairly comprehensive guide to managing sad thirteen year olds loose on Mom's computer.

What Is A Troll?
The term derives from "trolling", a style of fishing which involves trailing bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The troll posts a message, often in response to an honest question, that is intended to upset, disrupt or simply insult the group.

Usually, it will fail, as the troll rarely bothers to match the tone or style of the group, and usually its ignorance shows.

Why do trolls do it?
I believe that most trolls are sad people, living their lonely lives vicariously through those they see as strong and successful.

Disrupting a stable newsgroup gives the illusion of power, just as for a few, stalking a strong person allows them to think they are strong, too.

For trolls, any response is 'recognition'; they are unable to distinguish between irritation and admiration; their ego grows directly in proportion to the response, regardless of the form or content of that response.

Trolls, rather surprisingly, dispute this, claiming that it's a game or joke; this merely confirms the diagnosis; how sad do you have to be to find such mind-numbingly trivial timewasting to be funny?

Remember that trolls are cowards; they'll usually post just enough to get an argument going, then sit back and count the responses (Yes, that's what they do!).


How can troll posts be recognised?
No Imagination - Most are frighteningly obvious; sexist comments on nurses' groups, blasphemy on religious groups .. I kid you not.
Pedantic in the Extreme - Many trolls' preparation is so thorough, that while they waste time, they appear so ludicrous from the start that they elicit sympathetic mail - the danger is that once the group takes sides, the damage is done.
False Identity - Because they are cowards, trolls virtually never write over their own name, and often reveal their trolliness (and lack of imagination) in the chosen ID. As so many folk these days use false ID, this is not a strong indicator on its own!
Crossposting - Any post that is crossposted to several groups should be viewed as suspicious, particularly if unrelated or of opposing perspective. Why would someone do that?
Off-topic posting - Often genuine errors, but, if from an 'outsider' they deserve matter-of-fact response; if genuine, a brief apposite response is simply netiquette; if it's a troll post, you have denied it its reward.
Repetition of a question or statement is either a troll - or a pedant; either way, treatment as a troll is effective.
Missing The Point - Trolls rarely answer a direct question - they cannot, if asked to justify their twaddle - so they develop a fine line in missing the point.
Thick or Sad - Trolls are usually sad, lonely folk, with few social skills; they rarely make what most people would consider intelligent conversation. However, they frequently have an obsession with their IQ and feel the need to tell everyone. This is so frequent, that it is diagnostic! Somewhere on the web there must be an Intelligence Test for Trolls - rigged to always say "above 150"

Who is at risk?
Any newsgroup, bulletin board, forum or chatroom can attract trolls, but they don't have the brains to attack nuclear physicists, and they are drawn to the quick response where sex, religion and race are found; so politics is easy prey.

One troll famously tried to infiltrate a mensa group; the results read like 100 trolls and one regular, it didn't have a chance - but it was stupid enough to persist until removed.


When Should You Be Concerned?
Usually, no, though fractured funny bones and occasional waves of nausea have been reported.

When a troll become persistent and personal, you may need to consider the possibility that it has fermented into an Internet Stalker - equally pathetic, if not more so - but sometimes requiring weedkiller. Find Out More

Trolls - if they had brains, they just might be dangerous!

Answer 1

-Maybe this question should be posted once every 10 minutes 24 hours a day, I loved seeing the responses, you already know who the trolls are and aren't by their response!

-Ignoring troll questions is good (hard to do sometimes), and
-they're right about when you answer a troll question, they love it when you show anger and irritation;
-but I wonder how they feel when you just state the facts calmly when answering questions (I often do that, because I'm not upset, but like to see if it irritates other trolls, not the troll asker, lol), and
-other times I answer the question and point out I know it's a stereotype, so the newbies are aware they're just yanking their chain

I enjoy mocking troll posts, that seems to work sometimes, since quite a few have blocked me. I block people if I think they're stupid or crazy or boring, but I definitely must get to a few of them, since they still find it necessary to answer my questions, even when they're blocked.

But they're right in the info you stated in your question, trolls love it if you try to disprove their question, but I do that sometimes for the uninformed, not the trolls, I know the trolls are a hopeless lot.

Answer 2

Yes, it fits this 'place' to a "T". I just wanted to nod in agreement with the following excerpt:

'When a troll become persistent and personal, you may need to consider the possibility that it has fermented into an Internet Stalker...".

We have a number of stalkers here too.

They rage at the world using G&WS as a conduit for their aggression. The women on this forum provide them with a handy target.

Answer 3

"An intelligence test for trolls..." ha! Yeah, I've seen some them claiming "genius" IQs, when they can barely string a coherent sentence together. Funny.

And methinks the trolls protest WAY too much. So, are we to extrapolate exactly who the trolls are by their response to this post? Yet another litmus test! Lol...

Answer 4

Thanks for making my night. I loved your question and I agree with it 100 percent. We should all follow the advice. I am afraid there are a lot of gullible people who do fall for the attack but quoting from your statement, "if they had brains ....". This does describe the pet Happy Troll spot on.

Answer 5

WOW!!

I have read some articles about trolls, but this is the best until now. Thanks, it doesn't even need a comment!!

Advise: Copy this question, as I am sure it will be reported, trolls don't like any kind of criticism ;-)

Answer 6

As soon as you read a trolls post then you have already lost. As soon as you respond to a trolls post then you have already lost. Trolls do it for amusement and your anger and irritation fuels them.

Answer 7

trolls can be ideintified from their questions and indeed can refrain or can be given bullet answers

Answer 8

Interesting. Much of it is drivel, and meant to insult and denigrate certain people, but still interesting nonetheless.

Answer 9

That's funny. I are Mensan, and I doesn't rember reyding that.

Answer 10

Me thinks ye protest too much.