Can you spot a troll?

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Celestial Sailor says the moderators here go easy on trolls. I may be biased, here, being a mod, but our policy is to let it go on long enough to where there is a clear pattern established.

The mods are all volunteers, some with very limited time for it, scattered all over the world, and decisions are made collectively. I'm sure that CS's perception is partly due to how long it takes to come to consensus. It frustrates me, too.

What will help most, is earlier notification, by you guys. We take a look at them as we find the reported posts. Usually someone responds within 24 hours. It can take up to 2 weeks to get to consensus. That's just how it is. We do our best, and consensus takes time.

When is what appears to be a troll not a troll?, can be a real puzzle. For me, I have to look at a whole bunch of the person's posts [which is time consuming, and may take a day or two of time here and there to do] to see their pattern of behavior in a thread. Someone else's suspicion is enough to get me to look, but not rubber stamp. I don't know about the other mods. We're all different. And some are way more social media adept than me. They're probably faster than me.

Ann

Hi Ann...the mods do a great job. Far better than in the past. Generally I feel this forum is somewhat self-governing. True, a few members get out of hand with some of their responses. For me, it's not until I see some true under-handed behavior going on that I "click the triangle". But usually I reserve that for the Classified section with someone with one post selling a Monitor windvane for $500.
What I meant about moderators going easy on trolls is, when a thread is going nowhere from a person possibly trolling and mayhem occurs is to simply shut the thread down with a general warning as to why.

I have never had a run in with Jim or yourself and your way of approaching a bad situation is to redirect and not treat members with "punishment" which I've always seen as childish.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Who cares. Most trolls are proclaimed that by others, and those proclaiming tend to be repeat offenders. If you don't like what posters have written, move onto the next discussion.

And if you want to gripe, gripe about the self appointed thread police that seem rife on here at times.

Post of the year

[sailingabe41ds]

Originally Posted by StuM

I find the most annoying ones are the ones who come here with no experience , ask a question and then refuse to understand or accept the answers they are given no matter how many times different forum members tell them the same thing.
(Sailing upwind anyone? )

Second that...not to mention they are thin skinned and get bent out of shape when the answers do not conform to their expectations. One day on this forum...and they are experts.

Abe

[LLCoolDave]

One of the lesser known forum features is you can click on a users name and see the last time they logged in. Some silly, naive, and outrageous questions get asked but look at the user history and decide if you want to respond. They often don't log in after the initial post.

Worse than trolls are about a dozen long term sailors that are so abrasive that any response they offer they are calling everyone idiots. There are another six that pride themselves on being contrarian and comment on many posts without furthering the discussion.

[kayakerChuck]

I didn't read the thread.

Trolls no longer have an easy life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7v_TdLviUE

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Celestial Sailor says the moderators here go easy on trolls. I may be biased, here, being a mod, but our policy is to let it go on long enough to where there is a clear pattern established.

The mods are all volunteers, some with very limited time for it, scattered all over the world, and decisions are made collectively. I'm sure that CS's perception is partly due to how long it takes to come to consensus. It frustrates me, too.

What will help most, is earlier notification, by you guys. We take a look at them as we find the reported posts. Usually someone responds within 24 hours. It can take up to 2 weeks to get to consensus. That's just how it is. We do our best, and consensus takes time.

When is what appears to be a troll not a troll?, can be a real puzzle. For me, I have to look at a whole bunch of the person's posts [which is time consuming, and may take a day or two of time here and there to do] to see their pattern of behavior in a thread. Someone else's suspicion is enough to get me to look, but not rubber stamp. I don't know about the other mods. We're all different. And some are way more social media adept than me. They're probably faster than me.

Ann

I respect and support the mods. My poll in no way is a reflection of any mistrust in their (volunteer) work.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Too much fun... I guess Knot won't see this, but I don't even know who this person is. Sorry I somehow offended him so. Someone give him my love .

What? You're not going to take the bait Mike! Darn, I was hoping it'd come to fisticuffs!
Good onya Mike!

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Don C L

What? You're not going to take the bait Mike! Darn, I was hoping it'd come to fisticuffs!
Good onya Mike!

I was going to block Mike because he didn't vote option one.

But the way he responded to that guy made me a better person.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Knot Safety

Mike can’t help himself. He feels a compulsive need to chime in on nearly every thread. Wonder when he finds time to go sailing.

I blocked him long ago. And still have to read the endless drivel when others quote him.

Like a dog. Barking in the background. That never shuts up. I think he is related to a poodle.

Maybe it is a simple matter of more fiber in your diet...,I'm just sayin...

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

I'm curious.

As a gullible person who is very susceptible to trolling, I had to learn the hard way that there are people who go on the internet and just post egregiously confounding stuff to watch people twist themselves in knots trying to respond.

I've sussed out one or two on this forum, but I've been wrong about one or two, too.

(Because of my profession—quasi-public figure—and where I lived much of my adult life—Russia—it was a constant part of life.)

How well can you recognize a troll? How often do you realize that you've been goaded into a circular argument by one?

Generally long term observation of how they post. Occasionally there will be somebody that’s over the top right from the start and is obvious about it but generally it’s more subtle.

Frankly it can be hard to tell the difference between somebody that just insists on being right or having the last word and is not actually a troll out to stir things up.

And then there are the folks that troll unconsciously, they’re just so used to turmoil in their life they unintentionally cause strife.

[sea2ocean]

In the modern internet when people complain about trolls its typically just people with whom they disagree.

Copernicus would have been a troll in his day he didn't have the majority opinion that the sun revolved around the earth.

[Don C L]

On this forum at least, there is a definition of trolling we refer to when the issue arises. In case anyone missed it, here it is:

Trolling and cyberstalking are NOT allowed and are grounds for account restriction or banishment. Trolling on this board includes posting controversial and often irrelevant or off-topic messages with the intention of (or anticipated result of) baiting other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal, harmonious on-topic discussion, especially when a pattern of such posting is apparent.

[sea2ocean]

In general, what is controversial though? Someone pointing out that La Vagabonde seem to have been lying about their boat situation? That could be controversial and reaching for emotion but such a thread exists. Off-topic? That would not include anything related to sailing given the forum. Bring up what one boat is best for bluewater cruising or mono vs multi and you won't have harmonious discussion.

[sailorboy1]

[QUOTE=Celestialsailor;3360296
What I meant about moderators going easy on trolls is, when a thread is going nowhere from a person possibly trolling and mayhem occurs is to simply shut the thread down with a general warning as to why.
.[/QUOTE]

Where is the fun in that? No one makes the trolls and responders keep at it. People acturally only keep reading the thread for the battle entertainment. Those threads go on longer now because the current "be nice" doesn't allow for more direct responses that used to smarsh the troll down (except by certain people of course).

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Where is the fun in that? No one makes the trolls and responders keep at it. People acturally only keep reading the thread for the battle entertainment. Those threads go on longer now because the current "be nice" doesn't allow for more direct responses that used to smarsh the troll down (except by certain people of course).

I'm just really happy that someone finally voted option 1.