Do you notice less trolls nowadays on forums?

[Kale]

I noticed that there's a lot less trolling and trolls in general on forums these days. I think most likely moved onto social media nowadays, and forums tend to not have that issue anymore.

What do you all think?

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I think that is correct.

Social media is not as moderated so it's easy for people to be abusive. Some agree with social being less moderated but you get the worst of people when that happens.

I wouldn't want that on my forum.

Social media can have them

 

[Kale]

you get the worst of people when that happens.

Exactly. This is why I don't comment on anything on social media much especially Facebook.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Exactly. This is why I don't comment on anything on social media much especially Facebook.

I run a big page and a big group on Facebook.

But I moderate strictly, more so than most. I've given myself a name for my moderation because people tend to be respectful.

But I'm very locally niched down.

I even delete bad comments on Facebook. I don't give people a chance to troll that much.

 

[Cory]

I think the larger a site is the more likely you are to find trolls, that's why forums don't have as many trolls as they used to because forums are generally much smaller in comparison to social media and trolls don't get enough of the attention they want on forums.

 

[Kale]

I run a big page and a big group on Facebook.

But I moderate strictly, more so than most. I've given myself a name for my moderation because people tend to be respectful.

But I'm very locally niched down.

I even delete bad comments on Facebook. I don't give people a chance to troll that much.

I am a mod of a big group too and mostly approve people and handle reports. Hardly any issues shockingly.

 

[Arantor]

Trolls are all about getting a rise out of someone. It's about provoking a reaction.

Forums, these days, are perceived as too slow to get a reaction - why do it there and have to wait for potentially *hours* for a reaction when you can troll on the socials or Discord or similar, and get to bask in the fury and reaction almost immediately?

 

[Kale]

Trolls are all about getting a rise out of someone. It's about provoking a reaction.

Forums, these days, are perceived as too slow to get a reaction - why do it there and have to wait for potentially *hours* for a reaction when you can troll on the socials or Discord or similar, and get to bask in the fury and reaction almost immediately?

Exactly. I had a few join my server during pride month only to get banned right away. My server is inactive mostly and will not be putting it on any Discord directory again

 

[Shortie]

I remember back when I was running forums more so than I do now and I remember trolling accounts being so frequent on forums that some days you would have to sit and ban around 3 - 5 people if not more purely because of their purpose for being on the forum was to troll and cause problems.

I think social media has made a huge difference in how many trolls we get on forums now. With social media, it is a lot easier for trolls to able to go about their day doing what they do best and trolling people and causing trouble because the moderation of social media is not quite as good as the moderation of forums, they have the ability to get away with it more so than they would on forums. Not going to lie, you do still sometimes get the odd troll on forums still but it's definitely not as bad as it used to be at all.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

why do it there and have to wait for potentially *hours*

Especially in this day and age.

If it doesn't load in a micro-second, Karen or Kevin is triggered

 

[Kale]

With social media, it is a lot easier for trolls to able to go about their day doing what they do best and trolling people and causing trouble because the moderation of social media is not quite as good as the moderation of forums, they have the ability to get away with it more so than they would on forums. Not going to lie, you do still sometimes get the odd troll on forums still but it's definitely not as bad as it used to be at all.

Agree. The moderation on social media is terrible. I see why they want AI to get smarter and moderate since so many humans have gone through PTSD and other mental issues moderating on Facebook.

 

[Shortie]

Agree. The moderation on social media is terrible. I see why they want AI to get smarter and moderate since so many humans have gone through PTSD and other mental issues moderating on Facebook.

I very much agree with you. Even times when I have seen something on social media that is clearly against the guidelines and should be dealt with and I have reported it, the report in most cases comes back as if it was fine and not against the guidelines. When things like that happen, even by mistake it leads to the troll understanding that they can get away with it and so they continue. By now you would have thought we would have smarter AI but it seems like that is still a work in progress.

 

[Henrywrites]

I've been quite active on a couple of forums as a result of situations such as trolling that happens on social media sites. Twitter is the one that I mind my business most whenever I am there.

 

[Heatman]

Most of those users that enjoy trolling others on forum's have moved on completely to using social media sites. This is because most forums don't allow trolling other members in any way and as a result of that, they can't cope.

 

[Henrywrites]

Most of those users that enjoy trolling others on forum's have moved on completely to using social media sites. This is because most forums don't allow trolling other members in any way and as a result of that, they can't cope.

It is only a forum owner that doesn't want his or her forum to grow will allow trolls dominate on the forum. I don't like it and it is not what I recommend as well.

 

[Kale]

I've been quite active on a couple of forums as a result of situations such as trolling that happens on social media sites. Twitter is the one that I mind my business most whenever I am there.

I mind my business on Facebook a lot too. I never respond to anything unless it's in messenger or someone tags me.

 

[Heatman]

I mind my business on Facebook a lot too. I never respond to anything unless it's in messenger or someone tags me.

I got banned for 30 days on Facebook one time. I got into a war of words with a guy there and in the end, I was handed 30 days ban. According to Facebook support, their verdict was that I was a bully even when it was the guy who started the fight. I'm not sure if he got banned.

 

[Henrywrites]

I got banned for 30 days on Facebook one time. I got into a war of words with a guy there and in the end, I was handed 30 days ban. According to Facebook support, their verdict was that I was a bully even when it was the guy who started the fight. I'm not sure if he got banned.

There is a possibility that he reported you or something. Did you query their verdict or served the punishment without asking questions?

 

[Heatman]

There is a possibility that he reported you or something. Did you query their verdict or served the punishment without asking questions?

I declined to accept their verdict but they handed me the ban anyways.

It's why when I'm on Facebook now, I'm very cautious about getting into any sort of banter or war of words with anyone.

 

[Reverie]

I've noticed we typically don't have people who join forums just to join. There are the few that appear to do that, but mostly people join forums for a purpose and they want to participate. Most of us are at a age where we just can't care about others enough to troll them. Perhaps this is also maturity in the usergroups and participants of forums now.