[Imc-web] Trolls Worth Watching

[Paul Bengt Riismandel]

I agree that his posts are starting to push it for the same reason you
cite -- they're numerous and more consistently off-topic, and clearly
intended only to provoke, to the point that he may be chasing people
away.

However, I do think at the moment I would be most comfortable with
taking this to the main IMC list and/or steering. This is because "Jack"
both purports to be local and because he walks that line between posting
on-topic, but obviously trolling for flames, and simply posting shit to
get people riled up. 

"Jack" is probably our most difficult case thus far, since he doesn't
spam the newswire like DAN or Bobby Meade -- he only comments -- and he
seems to know when to back off.

With both Meade and Larrabee we went through steering, and since Web and
Tech aren't really constituted, I see this as the only fair option,
since it's still a judgment call (Unlike DAN).  

My suggestion for action is: respond to him telling him to cool it or be
banned. Tell him that he is welcome to come to IMC steering to hash it
out with us in person if he feels our actions are unfair or in error. 

I'm sure he'll cry censorship and all that, but the answer is clear:
"come and work it out with us and we can find a compromise together.
Otherwise, it's our server."

Essentially, call it, then call his bluff.  Again, it's similar to how
we handled previous trolls/spammers and is consistent with our consensus
philosophy.

Then if he continues, we hide his ass. If he chills out (even for a
while), we win.

But, I do think that steering is the only venue for the decision right
now.

--Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: imc-web-admin at lists.cu.groogroo.com
[mailto:imc-web-admin at lists.cu.groogroo.com] On Behalf Of Mike Lehman
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 8:47 PM
To: UCIMC website work
Subject: [Imc-web] Trolls Worth Watching

I am starting to get pretty uncomforatble with the persistent trolling 
of Jack Ryan and his small court of admirers (who may simply be 
variations on his self-admiratory theme.) This thread in particular seem

indicative of this trend in trolling:
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/15359/index.php

I see nothing here except something that might be covered under this 
part of our policy:

Off-Topic Posts - this is perhaps the most difficult category of
inappropriate posts to judge, since the IMC Newswire intends to be a
forum
that is open to a broad range of topics and ideas. Nonetheless there are
posts that are baldly and clearly inappropriate, whose purpose seems
clearly
to be other than informing, educating or adding to a public discourse.
In
the worst cases their appearance on the IMC Newswire may indeed
discourage
other visitors from using the site. Isolated posts are typically not 
problematic,
and so the problem of off-topic posts is usually related to flooding or
spamming. Therefore the frequency of off-topic posts of a particular
type
should be considered when deciding whether to hide them.

Given both the frequency of Jack's desire to "mark" what he regards as 
his territory by posting this inane stuff, often with limited or no 
relevance to the original article, I'm thinking it's time to take a more

aggressive enforcement line on this phenomena. I wanted to ask how 
others felt, since this is in enough of a grey area to be a judgement 
call. In my judgement, these comments, and some other similar ones in 
other threads, are in violation and the frequency of their appearance 
throws they issue over the line for me.

I know we all know the old saw about ignoring trolls and they'll go 
away, but that seems to be a failing strategy. People have taken to 
mostly ignoring it, but this seems to have only increased the 
attention-seeking behavior in this case. Plus, I've noticed a general 
drop-off in the commenting by others, which leads me to conclude that 
Jack and his buddy's comments, ignored, are creating an uninviting 
atmopshere for other users.

What are people's thoughts on this?
Mike Lehman

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