“They stand out like big sore thumbs.”
Actually, the real trolls don’t stand out at all. They are very low key and it’s really easy to pass them by. It’s insidious. MadisonChristian posted for several months before being disappeared. And don’t think he/she isn’t still posting under another four or five names, either.
Good Call. I’ve encountered trolls exactly like “MadisonChristian” on other threads. The writing is too pat and forced.
They worm their way in slowly and quietly pretending to be one of us, glad to be here and ask lots of questions. They’re quick with praise and kind words “glad to meet you!” “tell me more!” —to lure in others to their side.
When they do drop their facade and show their true colors, they have a following and people who are loyal to them — then BOOM the troll gets us to turn on one another by calling other posters “closet lefties” or “shills” or some other such thing - the posters the trolls has cultivated over a period of months now back troll. Before you know it, people are at each other’s throats. I know one site that closed commenting permanently after this sort of attack, another site that had to shut down commentary for about 3 months before the mods could untangle the mess and another forum where I caught the SAME troll doing the same thing.
One long time poster was pouring out his heart to this troll, who had just showed up out of nowhere — I think he was about to hand over his credit card information and everything, he was so taken in by the flattery of this troll. I recognized the troll and outted him — he left cussing and screaming and calling me all kinds of names but those duped were completely embarrassed that they’d been taken in.
Bottom line: Don’t let your guard down when someone shows up out of nowhere with oozing praise and flattery, asks to learn all about us, says he’s glad he found a home where he’s comfortable with like-minded people, and asks too many personal questions.
And, no, I’m not (one of the) FReep trolls.
Never saw that handle. I also don’t keep lists. If I am reading a thread and there is an anomalous post, I will normally just skim right over it.
I was mostly referencing posts I’ve seen in Comments on mainstream media sites. The posts are usually full of ad hominems, insults and even threats, usually against anyone disputing the government line. Ugly. Obvious. Legions of other posters will respond against them.
FR trolls have to survive Mods as well as other FReepers. Often, I’ll open a thread to see posts that have been removed. Other times, threads are simply disappeared in their entirety.
It’s difficult to change a FReeper’s mind, IMO.