[Air-l] Doctorow on Dealing With Trolls

[Ted M Coopman]

All,

In the absence of direct dictated and enforced rules on list behavior or some sort of filter, as in the CRTNET list for the National Communication Assoc., list norms are emergent and negotiated by participants. Research shows these emerge over time (taking longer than f2f) but are resilient in mixed f2f2/cmc groups.

In my experience in activist and academic lists, troll behavior is defined on the fly and can only be mitigated by group consensus that the behavior is unwarranted or disruptive. As lists have become more popularized (less geeky) and/or larger and/or populated with participants who lack long term interaction experience in that particular forum, troll behavior becomes harder to communally police. List members complain to the admin instead of taking action themselves.

The Reid episode was a perfect example of this and having an admin step in always invites charges of censorship.

As another example, I had emailed someone off (an activist) list to tell them that calling another participant a "f*cking idiot" was not productive. He responded by stating he had known that person for years and he then not to take the comment personally. The context and community norms are everything.

The old axiom of "not wrestling with pigs because you get dirty and it annoys the pig" fits the troll issue. In the past many communities have simply refused to respond to any posts or added the troll to their bozo filter (as I did with the Reid spam after my second unsub attempt).

IMO, what a list needs to do these days (and we should do) once it gets to be large is to have a process observer. Concerns about behavior should not be voiced in private emails but publicly by the PO. The PO can also recommend a time-out (act like a 6 year old and get treated as one). Normally, this role is taken by a senior list member who commands everyone's respect. Again, the larger this list, the less effective this traditional control becomes.

Just my thoughts,

-TED

Ted M. Coopman
Department of Communication
University of Washington

On Thu, 17 May 2007, Jeremy Hunsinger wrote:

> I think that you are now trolling.
> i did not present him as malevolent, i presented my interpretations
> of his situation.   I personally think there is going to be a
> difference between his portrayal of his actions and his perceived
> actions.  I am just skeptical of his position given prior actions.  I
> am sure that everyone would agree that he is attempting to do
> something, and where we might disagree is how to interpret that.
>
> again, phrases such as 'true scholarship' might be considered
> derogatory.
>
>
> My sole point was to say to fellow members of the list that you
> should investigate the situation more fully before you commit to
> working with someone.  If they do investigate this situation more
> fully, I expect they will come to worrysome conclusions.  That is my
> opinion of people who I suspect have a well developed capacity for
> judgment.  It is not scholarship, they can do that on their own.
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