Increase in trolls/trolling?

Has anyone else noticed an increase in the amount of trolls and trolling lately? I swear that in two different threads, I've seen people attacked just for expressing opinions on the subjects at hand.

For example, why do people post such gems as "No one cares! Move on! Wahhh!"? If you took the time to complain, then you DO care. I suggest avoiding a topic if you have nothing of substance.

In another thread, a newer member attacked a well-established member by deeming them ignorant when they were not expressing an ignorant viewpoint.

Just thought I would comment. I think the GLP trolls are invading again. I miss the days when you could have rational discussions with people even if you disagreed with them. Those days are long gone.

Ha!, You know it. I saw someone with 1 post, no flags or stars, just signed up to say

"Well this almost led me to deleting the whole site...i was promoting you all on twitter, facebook G+ and Digg but after this bull# i am about to delete you as ridiculous , disgusting and stupid."

to no one in particular.

reply to post by The Sword


Yeah, i have had threads ruined on numerous occasions. they complain about making it clear and expect you to sum 4 years of research up in a paragraph. My latest thread (which i wont link to because i will chance to get slated for that too)which i posted, although i clearly stated in the title DO NOT REPLY YET, was derailed before i even got the chance to finish.

Now in order to share what it is i would need to basically take people through step by step which involves reading and looking at the links. In fact i am going to link the thread and you will see yourself what i am talking about when trolls come into it.

Here is the link

Ultimately i gave up as people are not interested so although the Golden rule is significant, i have ultimately missed out the pieces leading to the end and just quickly finished it off with " Its only about the Golden Rule" which it is but i havent even touched on what i was trying to get across.

The Problems are:
1: It seems people are too lazy to even be bothered to read what others post in full.
2: They dont read threads in full before posting
3: They make stupid comments, skip links and try to have people ridicule you
4: You are asked to explain and produce the evidence, when you do they twist about too much text, too many links etc etc.

Last but not least MODS SHOULD BAN THEM AS ITS THE SAME MEMBERS TROLLING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I had one yesterday who only registered sometime at the latter part of 2011 griefing my thread Iridium......bearing in mind i have just had a posting ban overturned now which i was banned for over a year....so figure that one out.

As for your thread, YES i do know what you mean and YES i am sick of it.

MODS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER HAVING ATS MEMBERS USE THEIR REAL NAMES

It seems like the past 6-8 months or so the whole internet has become a "trollfest". I have even noticed it pouring out into real life. Getting kind of sad. What will the world be like in 20 years if this keeps up and becomes the norm?

In fact i think that if ATS members had to use their real names we would see a massive shift because anyone trolling is hiding behind a false identity.
MODERATORS SHOULD CONSIDER THIS

How do you change your user name? Are you allowed to use your real name? After all i have nothing to hide

reply to post by The Sword


Yeah, trolling does get kind of annoying. In one of the last thread's I posted someone was 'kind' enough to tell me that they didn't bother to read my opening post (after practically telling me that my posted theory was wrong), that I'm pretty much wasting my life (because I put some actual work into the thread) and that I should move on already because It wasn't a recent conspiracy case, instead one of the older conspiracy cases (one from the 60's) that I actually happen to find really interesting. I mean, that kind of attitude is just pathetic. How can someone complain that some actual effort has been put into something, that a conspiracy is being discussed in the "General Conspiracies" forum and on an actual conspiracy, regardless of It's age? It's just silly.

The really unfortunate thing is I see that kind of attitude all the time around here as well, particularly in more recent times. A lot of work can be put into a thread, you present a theory and most of the time you're going to get a couple of people who complain about you and try to put you off posting again. It's the truly unfortunate thing about the internet - It's anonymous, people can feel a little bit more brave with what they say to others. Because of that It's always going to keep happening, even on a site like ATS with stricter Terms and conditions. Sure, I still think this is one of the best places on the internet for civility and genuine discussion of these topics, but sadly trolling and very rude people will always be present. It's just not something I feel as though we can truly escape.

Either we learn to live with it and not let it bother us that much, or It get's too much and it forces you away.

Just my 2 cents..

reply to post by The Sword

Honestly I see a rise in frustration/attacking everywhere.

On 'reality' shows - On the streets - In homes - Between friends - Here, of course, and more.

Rage and hate seems to be permeating every nook and cranny of our lives. It doesn't 'seem' to be the way of the world at the moment but it is the way of the world at the moment. People are ready to rip out each others throats - because they're so helpless to do anything but.

The reasons WHY - would make a great thread. Why don't you take your thread, rework it and stick it in Social Issues because this is not just an issue of ATS but our lives in whole.

And yes, I've seen more trolling than ever - that NEED to be RIGHT is out of control! Here on ATS we're seeing a rise in the addiction of NEEDING to be RIGHT and while in the process of explaining what is RIGHT - putting the other opinion down. Insulting. Degrading. That part's the fear.

Like I said, this trend on ATS is only a reflection of our day to day lives where we have so few controlling so many - right down to the very core of our lives? What can the common man do to retaliate and to fight back?

We can chose to love.

Or, we can choose to 'beat up' everyone around us just like we perceive (and are) being 'beat up' by those in control over us.

Yeah, TheSword - I really suggest you take this thread, rework it a bit and then re-post it in 'Social Issues'. If you don't let me know - I just might.

peace

reply to post by The Sword

star and flag for you. what a very important philosophical question!
congratulation!
but surely the skeptical, rational minded people can learn to live with a few apparent trolls.
surely an intelligent person can use their critical thinking skills to combat arrogance.
and when tactics are used, to slide the argument into another area, pointing this out, is itself the very definition of critical thinking, whilst, the sliding effect is trolling itself.
i see it too all the time.
appeal to authority,appeal to having been around longer, judgmental attitude, fear, character assassinations, all the building block of trolling.
the world is changing.
prevailing attitudes are questioned, it is the RIGHT of each and every generation to do so.
not providing answers and appealing to WHOMEVER is not the skeptics way, it is the path of the gullible.
In conclusion, we should all assume we do not KNOW everything. If something bothers us, we have the tools of critical thinking and intelligence to put forth our views. If we slide the argument to another area entirely, one should not be surprised it is ignored. It is in fact the correct assumption. That which has nothing to do with the proposition, should BE IGNORED. That is the best we can do. Trolls will be trolls, you aint gonna change them overnight, its like a religion and zeal of being correct.
"when facts change, I change my opinion", something you cannot get the trolls to do, so it should be taken into consideration. trolls being a very emotional "special" type of person. we should all treat them as such: special people. now, who would ban, special people? really, they should be the source of immense inner amusement, at their gullibility.

reply to post by The Sword


I think this is to be expected whenever there is a war looming over us. They come here rant and lie and discredit people who are here always, that is, the real ATS community.

They are nameless cowards that set up multiple dummy accounts and greatly reduce the quality of the content.
The positions like, if you are against American interventionism, you are an anti- American
If you are against abuses of the Catholics you must be a Muslim, if you are against the Israeli government, you are an anti-Semite, etc. These extremes are used to make us fall into a class of enemies, when really the ones attacking everyone and insulting them are the instigators of any conflict that arises.

We must persist and ban together and use them against their purpose. They need to use extremes to dissuade us from showing our numbers.

An attack on you by your enemy is an opportunity to strike at him back. A lie told is only a flag for truth hidden.

Use them and make them the tools of your truth.

They must speak lies and it is a challenge with no real reward, We speak truth and it is a pleasure with rewards in every word of our virtue.

cary on

reply to post by jazz10

In fact i think that if ATS members had to use their real names we would see a massive shift because anyone trolling is hiding behind a false identity.

i'm far too paranoid to use my real name.
so no..

bad bad idea....

give the alpabet agencies some work, if they can figure out who we are by just reading our screenname all the fun is gone

reply to post by The Sword


I have noticed also. Along with occurring Baiting threads that borderline the T&C so they get away with it. I normally alert when it's too obvious and moderators do a good job at following up.

There is also a significant increase in aggressiveness and insults. I do avoid threads or forums where the venom is deliberately thrown left, right and center.

And sometimes...I really do miss the "ignore" button...

reply to post by The Sword


Waah, NO ONE CARES!!!!!

Originally posted by Naptown317
reply to post by The Sword

 

Waah, NO ONE CARES!!!!!

false.

i do.

but seriously.

ATS isn't what it used to be.

I've been coming here for a while now. In the past I've thoroughly enjoyed reading posts that have pros/cons, prove/disprove comments. But recently it seems posts tend to lose sight of the original topic and focus on measuring eachothers hooha's.
Some posts get quite venemous.
I find myself losing interest in following topic once people are attacking(for lack of a better word) eachother.
It's a shame to see an interesting topic being taken over by insults.
So, yes I have noticed an increase in "baiting" and trolling recently.

Must go play Skyrim
Toodles

yes we have trolls here and i suspect some work for ATS !

Someone here posted about getting a virus from the add-servers on ATS and a stroll stepped in and told him it must be his internet cache needs cleaning so did Bill sign in to come out with that crap or will they listen to what people are saying and put saftey of the members before profit.

I agree and its all wrapped up as though they are merely correcting your foolish posts. in fact, as i write this, the thread below me [cia nimd control] is a good example.

reply to post by jazz10

Yeah, i have had threads ruined on numerous occasions. they complain about making it clear and expect you to sum 4 years of research up in a paragraph. My latest thread (which i wont link to because i will chance to get slated for that too)which i posted, although i clearly stated in the title DO NOT REPLY YET, was derailed before i even got the chance to finish.

Don't confuse people giving you feedback with "trolling." Put thought into your post before posting. You should be able to reduce your research into a simple thesis. Begin your post with that thesis, then present your evidence. People will respond to your thesis and evidence as they see fit. There is no point in shouting "DO NOT REPLY YET." If you can't explain yourself in the first post, you need to go back and think it through again. Boil your ideas down to a simple concept and state it as your topic sentence. Once you have expressed yourself succinctly, be prepared to defend your theory, but forget about trying to control what other people say.

I see no reason for anyone to get their panties in a wad over trolling.
It is all part of the territory we are in.

Some people just weren't raised right and don't know how to be civilized.

Yes, I agree, the trolling has became rampant in here sometimes. People will call you out over nothing, and make it clear they read only the first few lines or the title of the thread before hitting the reply button. I think people are scared, for one thing, and it seem to me there are paid shills here for several big business agendas. I too miss the old days. Some days there is just nothing intelligent to discuss here.

I am sick of people with their new found term "trolls"...

i have been called a troll here more times than I can count...

troll on ats = someone with a different opinion...

personally, i think the end of it all, would be to BAN the term troll...

the very term troll itself has been used is to not have in depth conversations...
the posters that constantly use the term troll, use it when they cannot win an argument as they are incorrect...

troll is the new 'shill'

"omg, this person doesn't believe the far out crazy stuff that I do, they must be a troll/shill" - random ats poster