This link has been bookmarked by 1 people . It was first bookmarked on 27 Apr 2007, by Wisely.
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27 Apr 07
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- Spamming troll: Posts to many newsgroups with the same verbatim post.
- Kooks: A regular member of a forum who habitually drops comments that have no basis on the topic or even in reality.
- Flamer: Does not contribute to the group except by making inflammatory comments.
- Hit-and-runner: Stops in, make one or two posts and move on.
- Psycho trolls: Has a psychological need to feel good by making others feel bad.
Woods categorizes trolls in the following ways:
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a troll is a person who posts with the intent to insult and provoke others
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What to do
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2. DFTT
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This is one of the more important acronyms in the blog world, meaning, "Don't feed the trolls." "Just like in-person bullies, trolls feed off your reaction," Tim says. "Under no circumstances should you acknowledge the behavior or repay it with anger or defensiveness. If you don't react, they'll get bored and go away."Even if ignoring the harasser doesn't get him to stop, at least you won't fan his flames, Wood says. "The more a person responds, the more they teach the stalker about themselves or divulge information they shouldn't," he says.
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3. Maintain your privacy
Don't publish any personal information, such as your address or phone number. If you need to, use a Post Office box number. Wood suggests asking your state's motor vehicles and voter registry to put a block on your address and phone number. "Otherwise, any person may obtain them just for inquiring," he says.Some longtime bloggers, such as Bray and his wife Lauren Wood, a senior technical program manager at Sun, refrain from posting photos of their children on their blogs.
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5. Keep a log
Be sure to keep a copy of anything you receive from the harasser, Lauren Wood suggests. If they contact you by phone rather than e-mail, take notes on what they say and how often they call, she says. "You'll need proof rather than, 'I think he was calling three times a day,'" she says. "You'll want a log that says, 'He called at 9:14 p.m."Above all, when you have an online presence, you need to prepare yourself for the possibility of becoming a target, Wood adds. "Just like in the real world, you need to realize which dark alleys you shouldn't enter at night, and if you do, have protection and know what you should do when," she says.
Adds Silverstein, "you're very vulnerable as a blogger. You're out there hanging on the line, and anyone can take a shot at you."
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