What is a troll? We've all met them and we've all had to deal with them. Some, more than others, to be sure. lol... Now it's important to note, I don't see any trolls at Pegasus. This isn't the sort of story I'd post among real ones. It would just encourage the lot, like throwing bacon strips to a pack of vicious predators. Never wise....even when bored.
Lets see what may be of real concern here though?
QuoteLondon (AFP) - The death of a British woman accused of a vicious campaign of online abuse against the parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann has ignited debate over the growing scourge of Internet "trolls".
Brenda Leyland was found dead in a hotel room earlier this month after being confronted by Sky News over her alleged trolling of Kate and Gerry McCann, whose three-year-old daughter went missing in Portugal in 2007.
The story notes that she turned out to be a 63 year old woman, but had been the author of thousands of vicious and hateful things directed personally at the parents. She embodied that particular species of troll that some honestly don't believe exist. People who don't feel good unless others feel miserable. England has about had their fill of it though, by the sound of it. (The trolling to suicide of a teenage girl years back is what did a lot here in Missouri).
QuoteBritain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has instructed lawyers that messages sent via social media could be a criminal offence if they contain "credible threats of violence" or target an individual in a way that "may constitute harassment or stalking".
"Grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or false" messages could also amount to a crime if a "public interest" case can be made.
Personally, I don't think Government has any place in the directions required to police this issue. It gets too much into thought police and enforcement of subjective crime. If left no choice, it's clear they will. Peer pressure and outright lack of tolerance for it among people on the net would do wonders before that became necessary though.
On a closing note......
QuoteA study by Canadian researchers cited in Psychology Today linked trolling to sadism.
"Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun... and the Internet is their playground!" it said.
Source (http://news.yahoo.com/death-british-troll-sparks-debate-over-internet-bile-133700371.html;_ylt=AwrBEiRa9TtU40oAoEnQtDMD)
I'm sincere when I say this isn't a clever way to insult anyone. It's not... The level of trollery that has licensed and practicing doctors defining it as similar to sadism is a special kind of critter. Rare, perhaps...but seen in groups as often as not and downright dangerous to approach. Use Caution! Authority is coming to focus on it.
Some have tried to troll Me... Had two on twitter. Both times, when They came at Me making rude, untrue, ugly remarks...this is what I typed:
Yup. You're right. Have a nice life.
Never heard from either One again. If You show that You really don't care WHAT They say, and even agree, Their fun is spoiled and They go off trying to find someOne that will rile at Their comments.
What I fear is that these incidents will be used to "control" the interweb all the more. The best solution is to spread awareness of this simple way to get rid of 'em.
Quote from: Amaterasu on October 14, 2014, 05:52:03 AM
Some have tried to troll Me... Had two on twitter. Both times, when They came at Me making rude, untrue, ugly remarks...this is what I typed:
Yup. You're right. Have a nice life.
Never heard from either One again. If You show that You really don't care WHAT They say, and even agree, Their fun is spoiled and They go off trying to find someOne that will rile at Their comments.
What I fear is that these incidents will be used to "control" the interweb all the more. The best solution is to spread awareness of this simple way to get rid of 'em.
Exactly the point. Trolling becomes a problem due to oversensitive teenagers committing suicide, which psychopathic politicians like David Cameron and his ilk immediately seize upon, as an excuse to enact yet more fascist legislation.
Understand: Cameron and his kind are not your friends. The one thing that they crave is complete, total control; purely for said control's own sake. They get off on being paternalistic "authorities," and the idea that nobody can do anything at all, without their authorisation.
They will claim that they are doing it to protect you, but the reality is that they will say literally anything which will persuade you to allow whatever changes they want to make. To them, your life is completely expendable.
I understand how the don't let it bother you or don't challenge them strategy can work with trolls. In some cases though they post things that are difficult to ignore.
When a missing child, Madeleine McCann's parents were blamed for her disappearance, I imagine it is difficult for grieving parents to leave the comments unchallenged. I think sometimes it is best to prosecute, especially when a matter is the subject of a criminal investigation.
Not being on Twitter helps avoid many trolls. ;)
Quote from: Pimander on October 14, 2014, 11:04:29 AMWhen a missing child, Madeleine McCann's parents were blamed for her disappearance, I imagine it is difficult for grieving parents to leave the comments unchallenged. I think sometimes it is best to prosecute, especially when a matter is the subject of a criminal investigation.
I think you are right about there being lines that, once crossed, cannot be ignored or let slide. When some loser in momma's basement decides he now has the 'right' to hound and harass other people because they've declared themselves expert enough to do it? The time has come to see intervention into the troubled kids life.
What happens when the loser isn't a kid in his parents basement but a 63 year old woman writing
thousands of messages over time to harass and generally pour misery onto victims and, no small matter here either, INTO a criminal investigation? Prison is probably about the only solution.
When a human being turns bad and goes predator, we call them violent threats to society as a whole and remove them from it. Often for life, and without parole, once they'd identified themselves as being an incurable source of misery to all around them. Likewise, it may well be time the trolls and trash that make their day about ruining that of others.....see consequences for it. (I just wish the apathy of those capable of response...didn't force it to become a State/Government mandated response where it doesn't need to be)
The destruction of quality of life for others should and, in real terms DOES, constitute a crime. If done in real life, it's a felony crime of stalking or aggressive harassment. Online, FAR FAR too many still pretend it doesn't exist at all, or prefer to play like ignoring it will improve matters and not just encourage the problems that cause it. The approach represents night/day differences of philosophy and outcome....with the outcome being pretty poor so far. Ask some of the high profile victim families of recent crime. They know all about misery where it didn't need more company added, by despicable little people with more problems of their own than anyone they tear down.