Trolling, commonly referred to in the internet and technology world, is the practice of instigating negative attention or disruptive behavior online, often through the use of provocative statements or inflammatory remarks intended to get a reaction from people. Depending on the publication and context, trolling can range from relatively harmless disruption or playful banter to outright malicious acts such as cyberbullying and online harassment.
Trolling is often seen as a form of cyberbullying, as it can be used to bully or harass people, and is similar to trolling in other mediums, such as in online forums. It can take many forms, from posting inflammatory or offensive comments online, purposely spreading misinformation, posting false or inappropriate content, impersonating other people, and instigating arguments on message boards or in chat rooms.
Trolls will typically use tactics such as distraction, disruption, baiting, and flaming to try to get other online users to react, making it a challenge to deal with them effectively. Common countermeasures to trolling online include ignoring them and flagging their comments and posts, as well as reporting them to the appropriate moderators and administrators.
In recent years, trolling has become so pervasive that the term has been adopted to refer to any online activity which is seen as negative or disruptive. In some cases, trolling can even extend to real life situations, with “trolls” harassing people in person or vandalizing property.
Trolling is a major issue in the online world, and it can be particularly difficult to combat without the right measures in place. Many websites have policies and guidelines in place to help protect their users from trolling, and it is important to understand these policies and take them seriously.
