SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Bloomberg is covering a report from the Institute for the Future (IFTF) on an attempt to describe the phenomenon of state-sponsored trolling from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. While partially conflating trolling with astroturfing in the body of the report, the IFTF defines online trolling as deliberately targeting an individual for "hate" and harassment. Since it is only occasionally possible to attribute the attacks, the IFTF's aim with the report is to empower individuals, researchers, and policy makers to spot the phenomenon in the wild and at least attempt to combat it.
The report itself is entitled, State-Sponsored Trolling: How Governments Are Deploying Disinformation as Part of Broader Digital Harassment Campaigns (warning for PDF)
Ed: How accurate does the report appear to be and are the suggested countermeasures harmful or helpful or both?
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:39PM (1 child)
That's a great explanation, all of it, thanks. I fully agree.
Regarding troll example- you've made me realize I have many trolls in my life, sadly including my dear old dad. Sigh.
As I've stated elsewhere, ianal, but sometimes have to play one, and your troll example question reminds me of "objection your honor, question assumes facts which are not in evidence."
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 26 2018, @07:53PM
As I've posted elsewhere in this discussion, effective trolling is about pushing the right buttons. If you feel offended and obligated to defend your honor to some rando associating you with Hitler and questioning your loyalty to the soil under your feet, you seem pretty easy to troll. Let me try it :>
Last night, I fucked your mom while wearing a swastika cape. Also I'm Mexican!!!11