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There dont need to be paid trolls to poison the discourse. All we need for that is modern america, where left and right don't share basic values anymore. Let them interact and you have what is referred to as trolling.
Besides, the benefits for paid trolling just arent that good.
Maybe not, but there are paid trolls out there. Especially during elections.
Those are different than the type of trolls discussed in depth in the article though.
One possibility, if there has been a slow uptick in trolling, is that when the Internet first came to be, its early users were more likely to be people who were more educated and tech savvy. That's not to say educated and tech savvy people can't be trolls, but read on to my theory...
As the Internet became more and more widespread and the masses started using it, the types of people who began using were more divergent in their education and skill levels, and more likely to spread, without question, rabid propaganda from dubious sources that hit one of their emotional nerves, passing that off as truth. That's especially true for hot button issues like politics and religion. Since the demographic of the average internet user has trended downward with more and more people, and different types of people getting access to it, there may also be an issue of people who see themselves as unsuccessful in other areas of life (even if only subconsciously) trying to win a fight, and overcompensate for their less than successful status in real life by being trolls.
It is freedom of speech until there is immediacy of intent. That is, if I stand 100 miles away from you and say "I am angry, I want to kill you" while I wave my hammer or sword, there is no immediacy of intent. That is, there is no viable threat. So, there is no means for you to claim a threat.
Now if I am in an immediacy or a proximity or through various obvious progressions of intent (ie I made that comment in one state, then flew to another shortly after where you live) then yes, you can establish my intent as a valid threat.
Fact is, if it is on the internet, there is no reasonable means to claim a person who calls you names, or lashing out in such language to proclaim harm is a threat. Only through their actions to which they meet the elements of immediacy of harm do such threats become valid.
If we are to jail the comments of those without the proper establishment of action, then we might as well throw away all legitimacy, all relevance of proper justice and just jail and kill any who "offend" us simply because.... they "offend" us.
So you know, governments love that idea, it gives them the absolute power they need and those who would give it to them, well... they deserve every abuse that comes with it.
So before you go and call for the lynching of the idiots who speak in their anonymity or in their distant shelters, realize, your call is the call for your own demise.
Did you read the full article?
Btw, I never advocated for adding new laws. I've been in trouble on the net for being offensive so many times I've lost count.
That said, when someone takes a photograph of your child and posts a threat- that to me is an immediate threat and should be pursued by law enforcement. If it was my kid, I'd find out who posted that, and he'd be very, very sorry that happened.
The only way to stop it would be to take away everyone's right to freely speak on the web.
Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
This is simply a price you pay for freedom; even idiots deserve the freedom to be idiots.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NLVgal
That said, when someone takes a photograph of your child and posts a threat- that to me is an immediate threat and should be pursued by law enforcement. If it was my kid, I'd find out who posted that, and he'd be very, very sorry that happened.
...so basically your solution would be to escalate the issue?
Take it from someone who had the police file an arrest warrant for a person making terrorist threats... escalation doesn't work, and will only send you to prison if you follow through.
One possibility, if there has been a slow uptick in trolling, is that when the Internet first came to be, its early users were more likely to be people who were more educated and tech savvy. That's not to say educated and tech savvy people can't be trolls, but read on to my theory...
As the Internet became more and more widespread and the masses started using it, the types of people who began using were more divergent in their education and skill levels, and more likely to spread, without question, rabid propaganda from dubious sources that hit one of their emotional nerves, passing that off as truth. That's especially true for hot button issues like politics and religion. Since the demographic of the average internet user has trended downward with more and more people, and different types of people getting access to it, there may also be an issue of people who see themselves as unsuccessful in other areas of life (even if only subconsciously) trying to win a fight, and overcompensate for their less than successful status in real life by being trolls.
I totally agree.
Add to the mix the 'fantasy' factor--that a person can be claim to be anyone..and thus empower their imagination to compensate for their lacks in the Real World..and there you have it...the Classic Troll..circa 2016. Walter Mitty gone rogue.
There is no solution. That's just the way it is and will always be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilEyeFleegle
Tough problem! You would think that the availability of terabytes of data would make for more accuracy..but just the opposite is proving true. People go looking for the one piece that supports their view..and post the link in their C-D post...as though that 'proves' something?
I've often said that the best thing about the internet is that it makes it easy for people to be as intelligent as they want to be - and the worst thing about it is that it makes it easy for people to be as stupid as they want to be. Guess which path most people choose?
If anything, follow trolls deep enough and there's a common pattern among them; they subscribe to alt-right politics, many get off on anime porn, on the Spectrum, and deeply racist
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Walter Mitty gone rogue.