Are Trolls Winning Battle for Internet? Former Reddit CEO Thinks So

[NationalTitles18]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...b1a2d2-2b17-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

I have just endured one of the largest trolling attacks in history. And I have just been blessed with the most astonishing human responses to that attack.


What happened to me while head of the popular online forum Reddit for the past eight months is important to consider as we confront the ways in which the Internet is evolving. Here’s why:


The Internet started as a bastion for free expression. It encouraged broad engagement and a diversity of ideas. Over time, however, that openness has enabled the harassment of people for their views, experiences, appearances or demographic backgrounds. Balancing free expression with privacy and the protection of participants has always been a challenge for open-content platforms on the Internet. But that balancing act is getting harder. The trolls are winning.

Another big thanks to TideFans' management team and moderators for keeping this a safe place. I know here on non-sports we get a little more leeway, but we all know that when and if we cross a line we will be dealt with fairly and swiftly.

My opinion: I (almost) never read the comments sections of news articles, youtube videos, or the like. I rarely visit poorly or unmoderated forums and then usually only once. It's just not worth it.

So, I am curious if you think the trolls are winning. Either way, do trolls affect your internet experience, good or bad.

Or maybe trolls are just misunderstood? Do they serve a vital role? Just an annoyance? Or truly dangerous to their targets and/or society in general?

What should be done about the problem? Government or private solution? Grow up and deal with it? Should ISP's cut off access for them like RIAA violators?

Just wondering what everyone thinks. Not sure if I am ready for the trolling comments to come.

 

[2003TIDE]

Everyone should go do a little research on Ellen Pao before they feel sorry for her.

 

[CajunCrimson]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...b1a2d2-2b17-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html




Another big thanks to TideFans' management team and moderators for keeping this a safe place. I know here on non-sports we get a little more leeway, but we all know that when and if we cross a line we will be dealt with fairly and swiftly.

My opinion: I (almost) never read the comments sections of news articles, youtube videos, or the like. I rarely visit poorly or unmoderated forums and then usually only once. It's just not worth it.

So, I am curious if you think the trolls are winning. Either way, do trolls affect your internet experience, good or bad.

Or maybe trolls are just misunderstood? Do they serve a vital role? Just an annoyance? Or truly dangerous to their targets and/or society in general?

What should be done about the problem? Government or private solution? Grow up and deal with it? Should ISP's cut off access for them like RIAA violators?

Just wondering what everyone thinks. Not sure if I am ready for the trolling comments to come.

Trolls are definitely winning. And NS is a great example. TAke a look at the last poll I posted. Look at who voted compared to who posts frequently. If you just read the posts you would think that the majority of our readers were left of center. When you look at the poll results you see a much different answer.

Those with the loudest thoughts tend to push away those that are comfortable with their beliefs but just don't want to argue.

Here on tidefans, the low end trolls are kept away.....so thank The mods for that. Somehow being net savvy has given confidence to some that they are of a more supreme intellect which also pushes many away.

So yes, they have taken over. 10 people with an agenda and no job can destroy any website.

 

[92tide]

i think it is the perpetual self-pitying victims who are winning the internet

 

[CajunCrimson]

i think it is the perpetual self-pitying victims who are winning the internet

I figured you felt that way......

 

[92tide]

I figured you felt that way......

its part of my push to make the ns board appear like a self-reinforcing lefty haven

 

[CajunCrimson]

its part of my push to make the ns board appear like a self-reinforcing lefty haven

"Good is a point of view, Anakin. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. "

 

[2003TIDE]

i think it is the perpetual self-pitying victims who are winning the internet

In this case I believe that to be 100% true. Claims sexism on the internet while ignoring the fact that Reddit melted down only after she fired another woman. I think this will all be used as "evidence" in the appeal of her "gender discrimination" lawsuit that got tossed. BTW that lawsuit it for the exact dollar amount that her crooked husband owes after he bankrupted his hedge fund (he has also had a racial discrimination lawsuit against an employer that was tossed.) All and all 2 outstanding people we are talking about here.

 

[92tide]

In this case I believe that to be 100% true. Claims sexism on the internet while ignoring the fact that Reddit melted down only after she fired another woman. I think this will all be used as "evidence" in the appeal of her "gender discrimination" lawsuit that got tossed. BTW that lawsuit it for the exact dollar amount that her crooked husband owes after he bankrupted his hedge fund (he has also had a racial discrimination lawsuit against an employer that was tossed.) All and all 2 outstanding people we are talking about here.

yeah, it sure seems like it.

i did a quick perusal about this and actually found a mcmegan article that didn't make me involuntarily retch after the first sentence.

the lady (pao, not mcmegan) seems like one of those special snowflakes that can do no wrong and can only be wronged and will go to great lengths to make sure we know that.

 

[Tide1986]

i think it is the perpetual self-pitying victims who are winning the internet

For example, like all of those who are stigmatized by Confederate memorials and symbols?

 

[Jon]

as 2003 said she was run out for the firing of an incredibly well liked woman with no notice to the dozens of individual sub-reddit moderators that depended on her. But she was already hated. And how she was treated on Reddit was indeed pathetic but the trolls aren't winning, they're just the loudest and most visible. Pao is trying to gain victim status while neglecting to inform her audience that she was more liked than not hired to be a scapegoat. Many feel that way including her immediate predecessor, former CEO Yishan Wong

http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/15/8...n-wong-ellen-pao-steve-huffman-alexis-ohanian

The truth is that the Net allows people to say semi-anonymously what they can't in real life. Most of the time, that is a great thing, sometimes not so much.

I'd also like to thank the mods here for doing a great job.

 

[2003TIDE]

she was more liked than not hired to be a scapegoat.

Probably. Scapegoat/ Sacrificial Lamb. There is no way to monetize that company without making a large percentage of their user and moderator base angry. Historically that is bad for sites like that. Users just fold up shop and head to another site. I don't know how they are going to make money without un-redditing Reddit. Someone had to come in and make unpopular decisions.

 

[NationalTitles18]

I knew there was scuttlebutt at reddit but I frankly don't know much about it. I did figure some of her comments were self serving but I'm sure we've all had times where it seems trolls are taking over. As I said there are many places I just don't venture.

 

[Jon]

Probably. Scapegoat/ Sacrificial Lamb. There is no way to monetize that company without making a large percentage of their user and moderator base angry. Historically that is bad for sites like that. Users just fold up shop and head to another site. I don't know how they are going to make money without un-redditing Reddit. Someone had to come in and make unpopular decisions.

agreed, it had to happen. Free speech is an absolutely wonderful thing, until it isn't

 

[TIDE-HSV]

LOL! What I'm taking away from this is that some people here think that anyone who disagrees with them on any issue is automatically a troll...

 

[CrimsonNagus]

It's not that trolls are winning, it's that you normal people are invading our territory. We nerdy bbs trolls were the first users of the internet (back when it was just DOS like text), y'all are just getting in our way.

 

[CajunCrimson]

LOL! What I'm taking away from this is that some people here think that anyone who disagrees with them on any issue is automatically a troll...

Perhaps.....but maybe there is a difference in debate.....and snark.....it's the snark that turns most people off.....

 

[Tide1986]

Perhaps.....but maybe there is a difference in debate.....and snark.....it's the snark that turns most people off.....

Fortunately, there's no snarking around here.

 

[2003TIDE]

I'm still going on the theory that NYBF was a troll acct started by the Mods to troll us on NS.

 

[92tide]

Fortunately, there's no sparking around here.

it only takes a spark to get a fire going