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Research draft

troll

vr.tr.troll · SOC.PER

Let an agent explain the internet troll, relay the behaviour and its effects from reference sources factually and without endorsement, distinguish trolling from good-faith disagreement and from harassment, and separate it from the folklore creature.

Thing Registry Society, people and institutions

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain the internet troll, relay the behaviour and its effects from reference sources factually and without endorsement, distinguish trolling from good-faith disagreement and from harassment, and separate it from the folklore creature.

In internet culture, a troll is a person who deliberately posts provocative, off-topic or inflammatory messages online to upset others, draw reactions or disrupt discussion; the registry aliases name related behaviours such as griefing and some named online groups. Trolling is understood as a disruptive online behaviour rather than a debating style, and the entry describes it factually without endorsing it, noting that it overlaps with harassment when it targets and harms people. In folklore, troll separately means a mythical creature, a different sense.

What it is for: Not applicable; a description of a disruptive online behaviour.

It can be explain the behaviour; relay its effects factually; distinguish it from disagreement and harassment; separate it from the folklore sense.

Distinguishing features

Deliberately provocative

Seeks reactions

Disrupts discussion

Can overlap with harassment

What it looks like

Not a visible object; a pattern of provocative online posting.

Physical character

setting: online note

intent: to provoke or disrupt note

registry parents: internet user, prankster note

How it is recognised

A person who posts to provoke and disrupt online

Griefing and some named online groups

Good-faith disagreement argues sincerely; harassment targets and harms; the folklore troll is a mythical creature

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

internet user

is contrasted with -

good-faith disagreement

overlaps with -

harassment

is contrasted with -

the folklore troll

In practice

Families and kinds

provocateur troll

griefer

coordinated trolling

Standards and regulation

Platform conduct rules

harassment law where applicable

Failure modes and hazards

Endorsing or coaching trolling

Treating harassment as harmless

Confusing with the folklore creature

Also called

grieferGroypersTradsAK Trolls

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.troll

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What an internet troll is.

Attribution.

Definition

Definition.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is an internet troll, and how does it differ from good-faith disagreement and from the folklore creature? definition
  2. Does the behaviour cross into harassment that targets a person? boundary

Behaviours

Related behaviours.

Behaviours

Behaviours.

  1. What are griefing and coordinated trolling? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific behaviour? action
Behaviour Behaviour.

Sources.

Motives

Motives.

Motives

Motives.

  1. Why do people troll, as sources describe? provenance
  2. Is the account non-endorsing? boundary

Effects

Effects.

Effects

Effects.

  1. What effects does trolling have on discussion and people? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
Response Response.

Attribution.

Moderation

Moderation.

Moderation

Moderation.

  1. How do platforms address trolling? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance

Harm

Harm and harassment.

Harm

Harm.

  1. When does trolling become harassment, and where should that be reported? provenance
  2. Where should targeted harm be reported? action
Context Context.

Attribution.

Culture

Online culture.

Culture

Culture.

  1. How is trolling discussed in internet culture? provenance
  2. Is the presentation neutral and non-endorsing? boundary

Folklore

Folklore sense.

Folklore

Folklore.

  1. What is the separate folklore meaning of troll? provenance
  2. Is the sense correctly identified? boundary

What the second pass must settle

  • Should coordinated trolling be a separate entry?
  • How should the harassment overlap be handled?
  • How should the folklore sense be signposted?