Don't feed the trolls: a guide to who they are and why they do it

28 Oct 2010

They hide under the bridges of online anonymity, ready to pounce on unsuspecting forums, chat rooms, news sites and blogs. They can ruin a lively debate with one well-placed comment. They do not care about contributing. Often they don't even believe what they type. Their only desire is to provoke you - they are the Internet trolls.

We've all come across a troll at some time. They post obviously incorrect information ("Next time I go to Africa I'm visiting our troops in Afghanistan"), or are completely off-topic ("Does anyone support the Sharks?" "No, this is a movie forum.") Unfortunately, trolls also use bigotry, racism and misogyny to elicit a response.

When dealing with these ugly beasts, the most important thing to remember is: DO NOT ENGAGE.

Read the full story on www.memeburn.com.

For more:

Journalism.co.za: What's that you say? Web eds tackle the highs, lows of commenting

For more link added at 12.21pm on 2 November 2010.

About Amanda Sevasti Whitehouse

Amanda Sevasti is a geek wife and lover of all things gadget. After working as a copywriter in the advertising industry for eight years, she now freelances for various publications, writes online copy and creates social media content. As a self-professed iWhore, she will one day be buried with her MacBook and iPhone.

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Don't feed the trolls: a guide to who they are and why they do it - 28 Oct 2010

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