Our nascent board's recent experience with a damn troll made me think about what it is we were dealing with and how we should have dealt with it.
Trolls come in flavors.
1) Attention whore. It contradicts and insults people just to annoy and get some attention.
2) Saboteur. It is malicious and spreads misinformation designed to cause trusting people harm.
3) Poker player. It lies outrageously. Somebody will give it sought after attention and call its bluff.
Types 1, 2, & 3 are not mutually exclusive.
4) Your obnoxious relative, in-law, co-worker, etc.
Some people don't know when to shut up. This person doesn't know how.
This troll is completely out of control. It's mouth is a perpetual motion machine cranking out a 24/7 filibuster. These senators will compulsively interrupt, put words in other people's mouths, and lecture.
This troll will go postal if you interrupt it or try to tell it anything.
5) Chameletroll (Chameleon-troll)
This sneaky pest will occasionally make an appropriate, useful post to disguise the fact that it's really a troll.
Trolls can be delusional.
I've known a few in this category. All had been fired for good reason and all had trouble with the "for good reason" part of the experience. Some got ugly and attacked pretty much everybody and didn't always make much sense. This troll is extremely dangerous.
What to do with a troll?
Don't talk to it. You might as well be arguing with a drunk, and quite possibly would be.
Get rid of it.
If it appears to be a type 1, 2, or 3, cut it loose immediately.
If it literally cannot shut up, find another forum/job/home/spouse.
If it appears to be insane, it needs to handled with kid gloves or it will lash out from other forums.
Blacklist
I wish it were possible to create a registry with names and IP addresses of offenders to stop them from posting at all.
Trolls come in flavors.
1) Attention whore. It contradicts and insults people just to annoy and get some attention.
2) Saboteur. It is malicious and spreads misinformation designed to cause trusting people harm.
3) Poker player. It lies outrageously. Somebody will give it sought after attention and call its bluff.
Types 1, 2, & 3 are not mutually exclusive.
4) Your obnoxious relative, in-law, co-worker, etc.
Some people don't know when to shut up. This person doesn't know how.
This troll is completely out of control. It's mouth is a perpetual motion machine cranking out a 24/7 filibuster. These senators will compulsively interrupt, put words in other people's mouths, and lecture.
This troll will go postal if you interrupt it or try to tell it anything.
5) Chameletroll (Chameleon-troll)
This sneaky pest will occasionally make an appropriate, useful post to disguise the fact that it's really a troll.
Trolls can be delusional.
I've known a few in this category. All had been fired for good reason and all had trouble with the "for good reason" part of the experience. Some got ugly and attacked pretty much everybody and didn't always make much sense. This troll is extremely dangerous.
What to do with a troll?
Don't talk to it. You might as well be arguing with a drunk, and quite possibly would be.
Get rid of it.
If it appears to be a type 1, 2, or 3, cut it loose immediately.
If it literally cannot shut up, find another forum/job/home/spouse.
If it appears to be insane, it needs to handled with kid gloves or it will lash out from other forums.
Blacklist
I wish it were possible to create a registry with names and IP addresses of offenders to stop them from posting at all.