Trolling

Contents

• What is trolling?
• What is the purpose of trolling?
• Types of trolling
• How trolling can be beneficial
• How to combat trolling on the internet

What is trolling?

Trolling refers to behavior aimed at provoking an emotional reaction from other participants in communication. This phenomenon is based on the intentional violation of internet etiquette norms. Trolling is often expressed through provocative, aggressive, or ironic comments and posts, with the goal of creating disputes, conflicts, or simply irritating other users.

Trolling can manifest on various platforms, including forums, social networks, news sites, blogs, and messengers. Trolls often use anonymity to avoid accountability for their actions. However, trolling is not always linked to negativity. For example, the company MailChimp utilized trolling for self-promotion, creating humorous videos and banners about the misspelling of their name.

What is the purpose of trolling?

At first glance, trolling may seem like an exclusively negative phenomenon, but in reality, the reasons why people engage in trolling can be diverse:

• Attracting attention: Many trolls engage in this behavior to draw attention to themselves and gain a sense of control.
• Entertainment and boredom: For some people, trolling is simply a game that provides amusement, especially in the context of anonymity.
• Psychological benefit: Trolling may be linked to internal dissatisfaction when people attempt to compensate for a lack of recognition.
• Ideological goals: Anonymity allows individuals to express opinions they would not dare to voice in real life.
• Commercial objectives: Trolling can be used in competitive battles, where negative comments are directed against competitors.

Types of trolling

There are several types of trolling based on goals and methods:

By nature

• Offensive: Aimed at humiliating other participants in the discussion and can lead to conflicts.
• Ironical: Typically perceived as a joke, causing no serious harm, but can be unpleasant for some users.

By objectives

• Personal: Insulting a specific user or group of users for personal reasons.
• Corporate: Used to damage the reputation of a competitor.
• Political: Creating conflicts around political topics to undermine trust in figures or ideas.

How trolling can be beneficial

Despite its negative perception, trolling can have positive aspects, especially in the context of marketing:

• Attracting attention to the brand: Provocative content can generate interest and draw an audience.
• Increasing engagement: Controversial posts can stimulate active discussions among users.
• Creating viral content: Provocative materials are more likely to be shared and discussed, increasing reach.
• Response to negative reviews: Brands can use trolling to respond to criticism, creating the impression of lively communication.

How to combat trolling on the internet

There are many ways to combat trolling, and they depend on the platform:

• Ignoring: One of the most effective methods is simply not to respond to trolls.
• Moderation: Implementing strict behavioral rules and managers to enforce them.
• Content filtering: Using filters to remove offensive comments.
• Blocking and banning: Temporarily or permanently blocking troll accounts.
• User education: Teaching users to recognize trolls and remain calm in discussions.