Trolling on the internet

[Debbie]

Everyone will have their own opinion about trolls on the internet. Some will say have a tough skin, get over it, ignore them, call them out, put them on your ignore list etc.

My way of thinking about internet trolling has always been if you feel trolls are really getting to you then you could use the little x at the top of your page or turn off your computer and go spend some time with your friends/ family or your pet.

Recently I was reading a sad news story about another teenager being bullied online and taking their own lives. This always saddens me. A young life cut short seemingly because of trolls on the net.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hannah-smith-suicide-teenager-used-2184385


But I think the problem runs deeper than that. In the sense that most people who take their own lives it is usually more than just one thing that makes them feel life isn't worth living.


There are claims that Hannah may have been trolling herself some of the time.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rolled-say-Latvian-website-chiefs-Ask-fm.html

I think this was a huge cry for attention and the poor girl needed help.


It is interesting how one of her trolls is now concerned there might be repercussions for his behaviour.


"A vile internet troll who mercilessly bullied teenager Hannah Smith into killing herself has told how he is now terrified he might go to jail.
The 16-year-old, from the historical city of Tongeren in Belgium, is being tracked by police after revealing himself on another social network, the Sunday Mirror reports.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, posted his fears on mobile messaging app Kik."




Do you think internet trolls should be held accountable for their actions?

If so, how? Prosecution? Banned from the internet?

Or do you believe trolls and bullies are a part of life and we are personally responsible for how we deal with those people.

 

[Recidiva]

Words are wind.

George R. R. Martin has the right of it in his Game of Thrones saying.

People are going to say vile things, but what matters is whether or not you take it into your heart and allow someone to pull you down to their level.

The main thing that a troll can do on the internet or reality is to infect you with their level of stupid and make it appear that they have much more power than they do.

If you agree with or stoop to what they're doing, it's like being bitten by a rabid dog.

If your immune system isn't strong enough to fend off rabies, you have all my sympathy. But there the simile ends. You don't "choose" to get rabies. You do choose to be bullied if it's strictly verbal.

Life doesn't owe you friends and not everybody is going to like you, and if you're all alone in the world, be the best company to yourself you can be.

And if you can, make fun of them effectively and embarrass the crap out of them.

There are many people without the wit or the strength or the gall or whatever it takes to tell people to go politely fuck themselves with a pine cone. That isn't technically stooping, but it is funny. Funny is good.

 

[tactful]

Sometimes, trolling does get bigger fish, other times, not so much, depends on the lure.

 

[Recidiva]

Sometimes, trolling does get bigger fish, other times, not so much, depends on the lure.

Would you provide an example?

 

[tactful]

Would you provide an example?

I got a bite, yea!

Drat, I forgot to include a smart ass emote.

 

[Recidiva]

I got a bite, yea!

You're right, it is effective!

 

[Recidiva]

:smart ass emote:

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Fifteen years ago a troll was a rude kid who used naughty words in chat rooms, a troll was someone who posted links to sex sites or posted nekkid jpgs, a troll posted spam, trolls pulled pranks.

The difference between then and now is, the 1990s troll assaulted the whole board with pranks and goofs. Todays troll posts opinions liberals oppose.

 

[tactful]

Of course, some bites you just have to throw back.

 

[Recidiva]

Fifteen years ago a troll was a rude kid who used naughty words in chat rooms, a troll was someone who posted links to sex sites or posted nekkid jpgs, a troll posted spam, trolls pulled pranks.

The difference between then and now is, the 1990s troll assaulted the whole board with pranks and goofs. Todays troll posts opinions liberals oppose.

I think in high school it's much more "your mom's a whore" than "I disagree with your politics you ignorant slut"

 

[tactful]

I think in high school it's much more "your mom's a whore" than "I disagree with your politics you ignorant slut"

What the hell, using the slut word must be the in-thing, lately, where's the Ivory Soap, when you need it.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I think in high school it's much more "your mom's a whore" than "I disagree with your politics you ignorant slut"

I grew up at a time when bullying and discounting was officially sanctioned. The BMOCs and Great Gals had perfect immunity to do as they pleased, and victims were admonished to get a sense of humor. What fascinates me is how almost all of those kids ended up wrecked-lives. Life took one bad-ass revenge on them.

 

[Recidiva]

I grew up at a time when bullying and discounting was officially sanctioned. The BMOCs and Great Gals had perfect immunity to do as they pleased, and victims were admonished to get a sense of humor. What fascinates me is how almost all of those kids ended up wrecked-lives. Life took one bad-ass revenge on them.

I'm terrified to ask but curiosity compels me. What's a BMOC?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm terrified to ask but curiosity compels me. What's a BMOC?

BIG MEN ON CAMPUS.

Great Gals are their female partners.

 

[Recidiva]

BIG MEN ON CAMPUS.

Great Gals are their female partners.

Oh.

Yeah, I remember things like girls being punished for being bullied and sexually harassed. This is not me personally, but in historical anecdote.

"Boys cannot control their bodies so girls must."

WTF?

So if a boy is the bully, they get a pass because boys will be boys. He pushed a girl up against a wall and forced her to expose herself to his buddies. She gets punished for being an exhibitionist slut. Oh well. No, I happen to believe that men can control their bodies. Some of them, anyway.

 

[subdued_passion]

Oh.

Yeah, I remember things like girls being punished for being bullied and sexually harassed. This is not me personally, but in historical anecdote.

"Boys cannot control their bodies so girls must."

WTF?

So if a boy is the bully, they get a pass because boys will be boys. He pushed a girl up against a wall and forced her to expose herself to his buddies. She gets punished for being an exhibitionist slut. Oh well. No, I happen to believe that men can control their bodies. Some of them, anyway.

Oh yeah. The girl bears the responsibility- this is the mentality here. My mum used to tell us, girls are like cotton and boys are like fire... So if you get burned, it's because you got close to the fire.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Oh.

Yeah, I remember things like girls being punished for being bullied and sexually harassed. This is not me personally, but in historical anecdote.

"Boys cannot control their bodies so girls must."

WTF?

So if a boy is the bully, they get a pass because boys will be boys. He pushed a girl up against a wall and forced her to expose herself to his buddies. She gets punished for being an exhibitionist slut. Oh well. No, I happen to believe that men can control their bodies. Some of them, anyway.

I'm wondering where in fuck your snark came from.

Now! What I personally observed was this: We lived way the fuck outside of town, And most Friday nights the high school kids used the orange groves to park in after the big game. And quite often some weeping sad sack found her way to our house after her BMOC tossed her outta his car for not putting out. It was common. Fortunately, we were about as crude as the Beverly Hillbillies, but kind and hospitable to the girls.

 

[Recidiva]

I'm wondering where in fuck your snark came from.

Now! What I personally observed was this: We lived way the fuck outside of town, And most Friday nights the high school kids used the orange groves to park in after the big game. And quite often some weeping sad sack found her way to our house after her BMOC tossed her outta his car for not putting out. It was common. Fortunately, we were about as crude as the Beverly Hillbillies, but kind and hospitable to the girls.

The snark fairy. Duh.

 

[LiFeNdEaTh]

interesting...

 

[BotanyBoy]

"A vile internet troll who mercilessly bullied teenager Hannah Smith into killing herself

HAHAHAHA jesus christ...killed herself b/c of what some twat on the interwebs said....she really wasn't meant for this world was she??

has told how he is now terrified he might go to jail.

Must live in a bat shit liburhul state that has the "Big meannie" division at the state PD.

Do you think internet trolls should be held accountable for their actions?

How do you hold someone accountable for talking shit????

Better yet how do you plan on enforcing it and where do you draw the line between talking shit and free speech??

If so, how? Prosecution? Banned from the internet?

Are you fucking kidding me??? There are real mother fuckin' crimes happening out there that need the attention of investigators....people that have been forcefully violated.

Or do you believe trolls and bullies are a part of life and we are personally responsible for how we deal with those people.

Duh.....welcome to being a fully functioning human being.

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

You should have known that Botany would show up in a thread about trolls. It was inevitable.

You are missing a few though.

 

[BotanyBoy]

You should have known that Botany would show up in a thread about trolls. It was inevitable.

You are missing a few though.

You just think I'm a troll b/c I spank your bleeding heart, meanie police, nerf the world, and piss in everyone's post fuckin' toasties for sake of all the dumbest fuckin idiots in a given society......*deep breat* bullshit you push.

Now.......go put your rubber helmet on you fuckin' douche....before you hurt yourself.

 

[Recidiva]

You should have known that Botany would show up in a thread about trolls. It was inevitable.

You are missing a few though.

Sometimes they scatter when the lights go on. Or is that roaches?

 

[Joeybagadonuts]

Everyone will have their own opinion about trolls on the internet. Some will say have a tough skin, get over it, ignore them, call them out, put them on your ignore list etc.

My way of thinking about internet trolling has always been if you feel trolls are really getting to you then you could use the little x at the top of your page or turn off your computer and go spend some time with your friends/ family or your pet.

Recently I was reading a sad news story about another teenager being bullied online and taking their own lives. This always saddens me. A young life cut short seemingly because of trolls on the net.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hannah-smith-suicide-teenager-used-2184385


But I think the problem runs deeper than that. In the sense that most people who take their own lives it is usually more than just one thing that makes them feel life isn't worth living.


There are claims that Hannah may have been trolling herself some of the time.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rolled-say-Latvian-website-chiefs-Ask-fm.html

I think this was a huge cry for attention and the poor girl needed help.


It is interesting how one of her trolls is now concerned there might be repercussions for his behaviour.


"A vile internet troll who mercilessly bullied teenager Hannah Smith into killing herself has told how he is now terrified he might go to jail.
The 16-year-old, from the historical city of Tongeren in Belgium, is being tracked by police after revealing himself on another social network, the Sunday Mirror reports.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, posted his fears on mobile messaging app Kik."




Do you think internet trolls should be held accountable for their actions?

If so, how? Prosecution? Banned from the internet?

Or do you believe trolls and bullies are a part of life and we are personally responsible for how we deal with those people.

It bothers the hell out of me too when I hear of some kid being cyber bullied until they hang up. The teen years are always tough on some kids but I can't imagine what they go through these days when their tormentors have the internet as a weapon.

As for trolling on the GB, I learned long ago not to take anything too seriously. But we all come here looking for something different. I'm here for fun and not necessarily to make friends. I don't expect to cyber with , phone or meet anyone. It's easy for me to consider everyone as little cyber beings that live in my computer. I can shut it down and walk away.

As for those looking for something else I suggest float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

 

[mamasota]

Si, I am truly moved