5 easy ways to tell if someone is an internet troll, according to science

[Jazzy]

In a scientific breakthrough a bit like Minority Report’s Department of Pre-Crime, scientists have worked out how to spot internet trolls… before they strike.

Some of the marks of the troll are obvious – such as a habit of having posts deleted.

Others are less so, such as a reluctance to use full stops and commas.

Cornell and Stanford University researchers found that they could spot trolls with around 80% accuracy simply from looking at the language they used.

The team studied comments on three sites – CNN, right-wing news site Breitbart and gaming site IGN – and looked for patterns.

Trolls aren’t keen on full stops or capitals
Generally speaking, trolls tend to shun punctuation, swear more and make comments which are less readable, the researchers found.

Trolls tend to bang on and on about the same topic
The researchers found that users who went on to be banned tended to restrict themselves to a few comment threads, and on provoking people into responding to them there.

Trolls tend to sound a bit different from everyone else
Trolls use slightly different language from other users – they tend not to fit exactly into the technical jargon of sites such as IGN, and use more negative words.

Trolls will not let it drop
One of the most reliable ways to spot trolls is that they keep posting replies once they’ve got someone interested.

Users who went on to be banned tended to post repeatedly in the same comments threat, replying again and again.

Trolls don’t care if posts are deleted
If you’re wondering whether someone is a troll, have a look at their comment history.

Many sites are slow to block trolls – and trolls tend to have dozens of comments deleted before they are finally blocked.

If you are dealing with someone a bit troll-ish, it’s a good way to spot them.

Source

Have you ever met a troll on a forum? If so, what did you do?

 

[michonne]

LMAO


Do trolls tend to have mullets?

 

[mrldii]

Interesting research. Lately, there's been a movement to change the meaning of "a troll" to mean someone who simply doesn't agree with OPs who post the same topic over and over and over and over again, and is able to clearly and effectively articulate that disagreement, making the OP appear [even more] foolish.

Nice to see actual research on the matter.

 

[Wonko]

290.jpg

 

[Nebulous]

Interesting research. Lately, there's been a movement to change the meaning of "a troll" to mean someone who simply doesn't agree with OPs who post the same topic over and over and over and over again, and is able to clearly and effectively articulate that disagreement, making the OP appear [even more] foolish.

Nice to see actual research on the matter.

Indeed. Seems the smallest disagreement can earn you the title of "troll" these days.

 

[+paradox]

Indeed. Seems the smallest disagreement can earn you the title of "troll" these days.

also, people enjoy degrading someone they dislike or disagree with as a troll to make themselves feel better about themselves, but who's really the troll then?

 

[Nebulous]

also, people enjoy degrading someone they dislike or disagree with as a troll to make themselves feel better about themselves, but who's really the troll then?

The people who troll the trolls are also trolls themselves, they just don't realize it.

 

[+paradox]

and this is really science in it's finest, if you really think about it...

but i'm not going to waste my time with it...

 

[Sariki]

Oh troll's we can't live with out them can't live with them.