Twitter CEO vows to eliminate trolls

[poofyhairguy]

I have the internet. I understand if some people may think it's "funny" or "hilarious" to be dishonest and mean on the internet and anonymity is great, but it would be a much nicer place if there were no trolls.

There is no way to not have trolls, it is human nature. When someone says that you can't walk on the grass or you can't eat this one fruit then that is all we can think about. It is ingrained in us to compete, which means tearing other people down is just as natural as building ourselves up.

This isn't some internet created phenomenon, otherwise Cards Against Humanity wouldn't be so popular. In modern society entertainment value is almost equivalent to shock value, and the lowest hanging fruit on that is whatever people are sensitive about.

It is like the word retarded. It is actually a real term that dates back to 1426- long before modern times. In the 1950's it was basically a medical term. But today it is a cuss word. Why? Because people have taken the word and used it as an insult to people who aren't mentally disabled. So there are these big crusades to get rid of the "r-word" and to change it to mentally challenged, but that is just a cosmetic change. The reason the word retarded became a cuss word is still there- calling someone a less functional human being is considered to be a good insult by those who want to insult others. So now teenage boys call each other shortbus, or mentally disabled, and eventually they will have to move to ANOTHER word in a constant flee from the reality that people are crappy.

Twitter is facing the same problem. If they demonize the blatant trolls and run them off then soon we will have "code trolling" where completely common words begin to mean crappy things because of the connotation that will be given to them by necessity. Suddenly it will be harder to pick out a troll, just like it is harder in 2015 than 1950 to identify a racist, and the same crappy people will still be terrorizing the same thin skinned normals.

The solution is time. In 30 years every adult will have read Youtube comments and will be experienced to trolls. Everyone will have a little thicker skin because they will realize that is preferable than wasting a ton of time playing whack a mole with offensive phrases. The only reason we are dealing with this now is those Baby Boomers were a freak generation- they didn't have the coarseness of their parents nor the forced exposure to the worst of humanity like any 9 year old with an internet connection has. Once that generation dies off the PC thing will sort itself out.

 

[master_shake_]

isn't calling someone a troll, trolling?

trollception.

every time you point your finger at someone else there are 3 pointing back at you. -jesus?

 

[lupi]

Sounds stupid and unreasonable.

 

[OverVolt]

They are idiots for declaring war on trolls publically. This will instill the troll with enthusiasm and much vigor to fight and overcome. Twitter is going to get wrecked with trollness.

Ah yes nothing invigorates the troll more than a challenge.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Trolling is evil. I think you have to be a bad person in real life to be a troll. Why would somebody say things to purposely upset somebody they don't even know?

Good question.

Supposedly some research has shown that most people who do that on the Internet have some type of personality disorder. They display signs of sadism and/or psychopathy.

 

[GlacierFreeze]

isn't calling someone a troll, trolling?

What? lol

No.

Did I just get trolled?

 

[Jodell88]

What? lol

No.

Did I just get trolled?

No, you got master_shaken! :awe:

I'll let myself out...

 

[oobydoobydoo]

Good question.

Supposedly some research has shown that most people who do that on the Internet have some type of personality disorder. They display signs of sadism and/or psychopathy.

They are just mean people, I think. More research must be done, and I would love to see somebody open an "Institute of Trolling Studies" or something so we could study this issue. It is my theory that Trolls are a digital manifestation of some sort of collective mental illness society as a whole suffers from.


I think the US should create a virtual online police force to go after trolls, like the Syrians have with the Syrian Electronic Army. The war on trolling must be be fought in every home on earth, and the state supporters of trolling must be sanctioned as such, and prosecuted. North Korea needs to be sanctioned for Trolling.

 

[Jodell88]

They are just mean people, I think. More research must be done, and I would love to see somebody open an "Institute of Trolling Studies" or something so we could study this issue. It is my theory that Trolls are a digital manifestation of some sort of collective mental illness society as a whole suffers from.


I think the US should create a virtual online police force to go after trolls, like the Syrians have with the Syrian Electronic Army. The war on trolling must be be fought in every home on earth, and the state supporters of trolling must be sanctioned as such, and prosecuted. North Korea needs to be sanctioned for Trolling.

Ok, now I think you're trolling.

 

[shortylickens]

That would be about 3/4 of their user base.
So really he's saying he wants all the advertisers to leave, is that it?

 

[Atomic Playboy]

That's a new way to announce your company is closing.

 

[moonbogg]

Ah yes nothing invigorates the troll more than a challenge.

Well they are specifically telling people to NOT do something or there will be very serious and exciting consequences. It only follows that folks will jump at the opportunity.

 

[ultimatebob]

Funny, I thought that trolling was one of Twitter's key reasons for existance. Well, after celebrity gossip and social advertising, anyway.

 

[Jodell88]

Funny, I thought that trolling was one of Twitter's key reasons for existance. Well, after celebrity gossip and social advertising, anyway.

I use it as news aggregation. @BBCWorld Retweets from a bunch of other BBC twitter accounts and their journalist's personal accounts as well.

 

[clamum]

Good question.

Supposedly some research has shown that most people who do that on the Internet have some type of personality disorder. They display signs of sadism and/or psychopathy.

I think I read something like that. Makes sense to me; serious trolls have mental issues.

 

[motsm]

Trolling is evil. I think you have to be a bad person in real life to be a troll. Why would somebody say things to purposely upset somebody they don't even know?

I think an intelligently constructed troll can be great in the right context. I also think it says just as much, or even more about the victim, as it does about the troll. If a person is so ready to fly off the handle with internet rage over some anonymous fabricated opinion, then they are an ass. There is a line where it crosses into useless harassment of course, but I enjoy seeing random troll statements out in the wild. Not being able to distinguish if it's a sincere opinion, or simply bait. Not that I bother to participate, but I can appreciate seeing it expose all the raging idiots who will jump at the chance to vent their garbage all over the net.

 

[rudeguy]

They are idiots for declaring war on trolls publically. This will instill the troll with enthusiasm and much vigor to fight and overcome. Twitter is going to get wrecked with trollness.

I'm waiting for Twitter to mess with Anon. lulz will be found.

 

[jagec]

The world sucks, people suck, and Twitter would reflect that. If anything people need to grow thicker skins. Right now in the public sphere there is a huge push for PCisms and "tolerance" (read backlash/censorship), while on the internet the vitriol has never been more intense. No one is connecting the two but I have a feeling that internet trolling becomes an outlet when shitty people can't be shitty in public. You take it off of Twitter and you just reduce the relevance of Twitter as the media will just go to the next platform (Reddit?) that support the digs or hate they want to include to give the news some spice.

Yeah, flame wars don't really bother me, that's just the human condition. What bothers me about the internet is the echo chamber phenomenon. Granted, that has also always been a part of the human condition (see: all politics and religion, forever), but the internet can let some REALLY weird people find each other and start believing that their insane ideas are acceptable.

Supposedly some research has shown that most people who do that on the Internet have some type of personality disorder. They display signs of sadism and/or psychopathy.

 

[Mayne]

Trolls are ruining it for everyone.

 

[DrPizza]

They won't be able to get rid of 100% of the trolls - never gonna happen. But, it won't be too difficult to get rid of a large percentage of them, and through a fairly automated process (in addition to users reporting the trolls). Look for offensive language - "fuck you" types of things. Maybe let one or two slide, but if a user consistently posts a lot of particular phrases, close their account. If a new account opens with that IP address, throw in a 1 week block of that IP address.

Yes, you can get around having your IP address blocked rather easily - easily for the members here who generally represent a much higher than average tech ability - but not possible for 90% of the people online. With dynamic addresses, of course, people will be able to make a new account after a few days or perhaps next time they reset their modem. But, eventually, people are going to find it a lot more hassle than it's worth it - "I wanted to say "fuck you" to 3 people today, but then I'd have to reboot my modem and make a new account - too much trouble."

 

[SagaLore]

I bet most trollies are male.

A surprising number are female.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Too bad for them that when the trollin' get tough, the trolls get trollin'.

Seriously though, how do they realistically expect to deal with this? And the definition of harassment and abuse has become so obscenely liberal lately everyone who posits the slightest bit of criticism, disagreement, etc. against anyone is going to get banned. People need to fucking remember that it's not that hard to just block people on Twitter. If something upsets you, just walk away and stop reading it. And block the person. All the trolls and harassers are huge assholes and a true scourge, but there's a fair bit of personal responsibility that needs to be taken on the part of the user to just deal with it.

And Lindy West is your catalyst for this? I guess some trolls are more equal than others?

 

[ImpulsE69]

But but! I should be able to post anything I want, but you can't!! ....see the issue here?

Maybe they should just quit using Twitter, it is nothing more than a podium for narcissists when you really get down to it. Hey, look at me and what I say!"

(yes, I know, forums are more or less the same thing, but it is a much more focused crowd).

 

[BoberFett]

They won't be able to get rid of 100% of the trolls - never gonna happen. But, it won't be too difficult to get rid of a large percentage of them, and through a fairly automated process (in addition to users reporting the trolls). Look for offensive language - "fuck you" types of things. Maybe let one or two slide, but if a user consistently posts a lot of particular phrases, close their account. If a new account opens with that IP address, throw in a 1 week block of that IP address.

Yes, you can get around having your IP address blocked rather easily - easily for the members here who generally represent a much higher than average tech ability - but not possible for 90% of the people online. With dynamic addresses, of course, people will be able to make a new account after a few days or perhaps next time they reset their modem. But, eventually, people are going to find it a lot more hassle than it's worth it - "I wanted to say "fuck you" to 3 people today, but then I'd have to reboot my modem and make a new account - too much trouble."

Fuck you is probably one of the nicer things somebody could say to insult you on Twitter. I can't imagine the number of phrases that would have to be watched for to catch trolls with simple text matching.

I think you vastly underestimate the task this CEO just committed his company to.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Rather than getting rid of trolls, maybe Twitter should try getting rid of slacktivism campaigns and "outrage".

lol brilliant


My friend pointed out your sig and suggested you might be an O&A fan?