"Trolls" and the Internet (Time article)

[Robert]

Until I started using the internet, a troll for me was an ugly creature lurking under a bridge and waiting for the billy goats Gruff to turn up.

[Pcdunn]

The terms they are a'changin'

Until I started using the internet, a troll for me was an ugly creature lurking under a bridge and waiting for the billy goats Gruff to turn up.

Nothing wrong with being "Old School", Robert-- or are you just a Billy Goat Gruff?

[jason_c]

Trolling has both positive and negative aspects. It can be boring & harmful. However, it can also burst the bubble of self-important tw*ts. I prefer free speech over censorship. I always give the benefit of any doubt towards free speech. I largely welcome the service trolls do for society.

[caz]

Hi Jason,

The good thing about free speech over censorship is that it allows for us to hear what a troll, or bigot, or self-important tw*t is really thinking, so we know exactly what kind of person he/she is. That can be quite useful, although less so if they air their views under the protection of anonymity.

Love,

Caz
X

[jason_c]

Hi Jason,

The good thing about free speech over censorship is that it allows for us to hear what a troll, or bigot, or self-important tw*t is really thinking, so we know exactly what kind of person he/she is. That can be quite useful, although less so if they air their views under the protection of anonymity.

Love,

Caz
X

Anonymity has it's uses. We live in a world of censorship, we always have. Anything that undermines this censorship is good news, even if it requires anonymity to bypass this censorship. Some of the greatest political tracts have required anonymity. Why would you really need to know the personal information of a troll? The fact you wish to know a trolls identity suggests you wish to censor or punish them. I have no interest in your identity, and you should have no interest in my identity.

Im not sure that trolling really tells us what people are thinking. Trolling is by and large dominated by people undermining individuals and groups. It is invariably an act of criticism or negativity.

[Ginger]

I don't really consider Time Magazine to be a credible commentator on the internet.

[caz]

Why would you really need to know the personal information of a troll?

Hi Jason,

It's not so much a 'need' to know; I would just prefer to know what is on a specific individual's mind, however nasty or negative that might be, rather than have censorship preventing them from showing their hand, as it were. You can censor the spoken or written word (legally in certain circumstances) but that won't change the person behind it, or modify strongly held personal opinions. I'd sooner have those opinions out in the open, under a real identity, so we know the nature of the person we are dealing with and can ignore or engage with them accordingly. But if that person is hiding behind a mask of anonymity it implies they don't have the courage of their convictions and what they say may as well be disregarded.

The fact you wish to know a trolls identity suggests you wish to censor or punish them.

Quite the opposite - see above.

Im not sure that trolling really tells us what people are thinking. Trolling is by and large dominated by people undermining individuals and groups. It is invariably an act of criticism or negativity.

Sorry, but that makes no sense. Behind every word is a thought, however primitive or incoherent it might be. If you set out to undermine, insult or criticise, you have to think of doing so first. Censorship taken to the extreme would rob us of the means to judge who holds extreme views and who doesn't. We'd all end up talking or writing in platitudes. It can be useful to know one's enemies.

Love,

Caz
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