Some Internet utopians predicted that the internet would bring a world with communication without barriers, where information can spread around the globe free from any restrictions but some details of this exciting new world were not mentioned, the ability for hate and harassment increases also.
Although It is easy to dismiss a person spewing vitriol as a loser the reality is a bit more complex. Altho some trolls do indeed fit that stereotype, some are normal people that get a sadistic joy causing grief to others eg trolling people that have just lost a loved one or harassing people with mental health problems. Others are defending their ideological beliefs eg the book covers a left wing troll that trolls right wingers AND moderate left wingers. (and another troll who is right wing and hates women and jews). Or maybe the troll just likes upsetting people for fun. Psychopathy, Machiavellianism and sadism have been found to be common characteristics of trolls.
So not only are trolls not just losers neither are they ignorant, some are well read and skilled at cherry picking and misrepresentation facts to suit their arguments.
Trolls often believe the victim deserved it (a classic case of blaming the victim) and that words never hurt anybody, and that people that get upset are just special snowflakes. Constant abusive messages, rape and death threats, smearing a person's reputation destroying employment opportunities, putting people's name and address online so they can be victimised(doxing), stalking them in real life (including killing their pets) causes the victim real harm including mental health problems and suicide.
Freedom of speech is a important belief for the trolls altho they don't seem to take into account that spewing hate at people for disagreeing with them causes people to not speak freely effectively censoring their speech.
The internet giants such as facebook and google pay lip service to stopping trolls but alas when you ban their account the trolls just make another.
If you think that you can stay reasonable and calm around such people, good luck, the human mind is very poor at multitasking, just trying to stay calm with such abuse will hamper your reasoning abilities as your constantly been distracted with insults. (this is not in the book but as the victim tries to follow the troll's terrible logic they become confused, this makes the trolls insults far more hurtful because confused people are more suggestible )
The line between trolling and pranking can be a blurred one, the twitter accounts of SANDYLOOTCREW claiming to be African Americas bragging about looting during Hurricane Sandy was reported in the media causing much embarrassment when it turned out to be fake. There can also be trolls that protect people from other trolls by trolling other trolls. "Good" trolls, "bad" trolls, psychopaths, fanatics, pranksters and sadists, trolling is complex because people are complex.
What does this say about our society that we produce people that behave in such an appalling manner?
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