Does trolling a social website fall somewhere on the violation spectrum?

Yes. And some seem far more predatory than others. I completely agree.

Particularly those that seem to be seeking to bait people into conversations of a sexual nature, which may not be clear. Think: unusual fantasies or fetishes that may be arousing to the person trolling, but not to the person responding. That’s manipulative and vile, in my opinion.

I don’t think I’d equate it with rape, but it’s certainly some kind of abuse. I freaking hate it.

I certainly don’t mean to suggest that it’s equivalent to physical rape/abuse, but I can see how someone who is duped into believing a troller could have very similar feelings of being violated and misused.

I loled at textual rape XD

The peopel who ar ebeing trolled need to stop giving a shit, the person is doing it for kicks, stop reacting and it won’t be a problem.

@XOIIO So you should consider yourself fortunate if you don’t end up with a Textually Transmitted Disease.

But we were talking about somebody more sophisticated than the average troll-y troll. Someone capable of communicating well, deliberately drawing others into a lie to get his (possibly obscured) kicks.

@XOIIO The problem is, we often don’t know we’re being trolled, in the beginning.

@augustlan True, I suppose it takes one to know one ;)

@Blueroses True, you can weave people around quite a bit I mean ahh err, yeah, those guys are horrible.

Oh c’mon I love trolling, don’t take away my right to troll (okay, so I only really do it on other forums) but trolling can be so fun! (and I’m an asshole anyway so there’s that too)

Could someone provide an example if this behavior for me? I’m a little fuzzy here.

Trolling doesn’t exist. It’s all in your heads. Only you have the power to turn someone into a troll. If you like, you can let them lead you places you don’t want to go. Except, you must actually want to go there, otherwise why would you let them lead you there.

I believe that people make accusations of trolling when they don’t want to take responsibility for their own behavior. People like to think that saying “no” is beyond their power. I have no idea why. I guess I think that people enjoy being trolled as a kind of guilty pleasure. They get to enjoy being led on, and then they get to enjoy complaining about it.

Trolling is part of the spectrum of self-delusion. It’s sad, but it really, really is not a problem. If you think you have this problem, I strongly urge you to get counseling and learn how to say “no.”

I think trolls are more like disgusting, time wasting, rude practical jokes. They add no value and end up looking like fools in the end, even if we (the Fluthers who are actually here to help or add something of value to a discussion) get caught up in trying to “help” someone who isn’t really here looking for help. Even when we, as Jellies, answer the troll’s questions, with the best intentions, our answers may help someone else even if the answer is of no interest/use to the troll. So It’s OK.

Once a troll is revealed it seems very difficult for some people to simply not respond anymore which doesn’t answer your question I know… I suppose I don’t really think of it as a violation just more of a nuisance than anything else and if I am honest, somewhat entertaining to begin with, after that it becomes rather boring, time to switch off.

I think it may fall on the spectrum, but only on the “annoying like a persistent bug” end. We are, after all, able to click away. People who do this IRL are much more difficult to avoid, and therefore farther along on the spectrum. I also think it’s rather naive for anyone to assume that trolls don’t exist, or people that perceive others to be so ”...don’t want to take responsibility for their own behavior.” I know people that behave like this in every human setting, be it virtual or real life, and they have been around as long as there have been people. They used to be called “agitators” and often persons with a political agenda would hire professionals to go into a circumstance and deliberately stir up the masses.