On the Rise of Trolling, Slandering and Disrespect on ATS

I think it's safe to say the majority of us here appreciate ATS and the spectrum of viewpoints and knowledge it brings to the individual and the medium it gives us to communicate.

But in the past week especially, there has been a trend in many members resorting to Trolling, Slandering and Disrespecting others opinions and viewpoints.

Now don't get me wrong, everyone is welcome to their viewpoint, but the temperament of the communication has taken a trend for the worst.

ATS has become a cross between CNN, FOX and the few of us who appreciate each others respectful point of views, but understand the need an intelligent discussion to get anywhere.

Many are putting forth ungrounded remarks, enforced with slandering, name calling, and trolling in a manner as if one wishes to make an enemy of everyone.

Please if you have a problem with someones viewpoint, make a discussion out of it and put forth substance in a respectful manner to address what you believe. But please don't resort to being disrespectful!

This past week has caused me to click the ignore link on several members for the first time since I registered!

I ask that either everyone takes a step back and takes a few big breaths and start over, or that moderator scrutiny be increased.

Let there be less attacking and more debating!

Thankyou.

[edit on 2-4-2010 by Scarcer]

Although what you said may be true, this topic is made about...every week.
Doesn't really do much to change people's opinions sadly...

between flashblock/adblock/my companies firewall, plus my ignore list I see 1 post on ats

but yea ats is attack central especially for people posting in the religious section, anytime a christian posts they are savagely attacked it's stupid what ats became, looooong time ago trolls stayed out and went elsewhere. So like minded people could carry on a discussion, but now you got people that enter topics they hate just to troll

reply to post by Cito


It's not just religion, but other topics have seen a rise in disrespect more than I normally see. Especially topics regarding anything governmental.

reply to post by Scarcer


Im new here and im barely getting into the flow of things

So if any of my remarks were offtopic and uncalled for im sorry im use to people being rude and ignorant on the web

i've thought about this a lot lately.

and the only thing i can come up with is, we all have to hit a joint to prove we aren't cops.

who's first?

It's kinda more that when a Forum grows in popularity and more and more people are joining ATS, you will notice even more different opinions and viewpoints from all over the world, from different cultures, religions and political backgrounds, which imo we should welcome and it is exactly what makes this site so attractive.

However, this wider range of different views often cause many to feel "uncomfortable/frustrated" and even often believing it is "trolling" and or "disinformation" because of perspectives not concurring with your owns. If we can breath for 10 seconds and think for a few seconds from the other member's perspective, maybe it is less disturbing, and refer from accusing the other for spreading lies/trolling/derailing.....

Also the more people posting, it is inevitable that in average the quality of the posts are dragged down. Because of education level, mindsets openness level, tolerance level and or whatever other reasons. For example, get more used to bad English grammar and spelling from people like me who does not speak English as my first language. ....


[edit on 2-4-2010 by yiersan]

reply to post by Scarcer


I feel your pain and understand.
I started a thread recently and tried to be respectfully specific that if you had nothing to say or contribute to how the thread was hopefully going to go then please do not post. Well I guess that opened the flood gate I think out of the 4 pages of posts I had 15 replies from the topic.

Yeah! this gets posted weekly by somone, but youwould think the mods would pay attention, it's like dealing with a bunch of kids on ATS sometimes.

Solution:
Have a button that the thread author can hit for certain posters who just try to stir sh!t up to prevent them from posting in the thread.

reply to post by Cito


Discussions between like minded people tend to become one dimensional. I like it when things heat up.

reply to post by LurkerMan


I got nothing to hide lol.

But I'm seriously tired of all the bickering on here. ATS needs stricter trolling and attacking rules.

Not trying to be rude but all these threads being started over trolling seem to be kind of inefficient I guess you could say...I thought the best way to deal with forum trolls was to ignore them?

Show them that they receive this type of attention and we will probably have more trolls...I say stop even talking about them and giving them attention, never mind starting numerous threads daily about them.

We have mods here for a reason. I have reported trolls before and I can tell you that it works VERY well.

reply to post by Scarcer


I commend your efforts to make ATS a better site but would simply like to add:

I agree that as of late the bitterness seems to have escalated. However, I also see the “Troll” label over used. Especially towards another poster who simply has a differing view. And as my dear old Granmammy Kurious used to say, “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”

Admittedly my snarkyness has earned me such a label on more than a few occasions, what bothers me more is hypocrisy. So if you can make this thread with a clear conscience of having never been guilty of same then I commend you.

I've witnessed many pots calling kettle's black.

Regards...kk

[edit on 2-4-2010 by kinda kurious]

Well from a new person (relatively speaking-as starting to post) seems to me the biggest trollers are the older ones. They seem to have a pre-determined attitude towards some people-regardless of the subject mattter of the thread.

They'll come in, make or may not make a semi-good point and then write 1-2 paragraph derailing a threat and then pot it off with a demeaning comment(s). Yes trolling.

The real problem then is the stars that post gets-and not taken down by a MOD-as if they deserve more consideration for being who they are and not on what they posted. Now, being new, I don't want to start my history here on a complaint issue so I thought better of it and let it pass.

I didn't respond in the post. Just let it die. I just decided there are rude people everywhere you go-so be it. Don't respond is best.

Now, I suppose myself and most (if not all of us) have been guilty to some improper statement or whatever when you first join and began participating but, I feel (at least in my case) I have tried matured and think twice before going down the bad path and had assumed others had also.

I bet you we are discussing this same topic in month or two

Thanks for bring it up.