http://www.rferl.mobi/a/how-to-guide-russian-trolling-trolls/26919999.html
Keep something he says in mind, and keep some of TOL's regulars in mind at the same time. Consider what he says about the goal: continuously making the same points, no matter how absurd they are or how idiotic the attempts to make them. Also consider how some trolls here, when cornered, seem to have backup miraculously arrive to flack for them. Then ask yourself...might we have them here?
Not saying professional, salaried trolls necessarily, but unintelligent, agenda-driven drones who want nothing to do with discussion because they're sent here only to make scripted points (scripted by others or by themselves, doesn't really matter) from which they never stray. Or simply to sow discord among brethren. Either way, they're here to do a job.
Possible?
lol,most definitely!,,,I began following christian chat forums back when aolchristianchat. was about the only forum online. Now some things I didn't notice at first but over time as other christian chat rooms emerged and I read their postings and realized the "screen name X" was the same person at another site using screen name Y.(Phrases they used they worded the same,they answered questions using the same words they answered them with on another site.)
You would think this would be rare cases(I did for a long time). As time went on and the computer age took off the issue came up in a few groups/Churches I frequented as to how to best teach the youth's when it came time for them to interact with people from different denominations if an "open Christian Chat forum",,,but how do you do that?
The one Church was already meeting with their youths on youth night and they would go to chat forum x and choose a subject thread and examine all of the post and discuss why one group felt one way based on the topic and then examine the other group and why they felt the way they did. Then they would have a discussion and give their own scripture/reasoning why they felt one was more correct back and forth(at times they didn't agree with either),,,this is something I would suggest to any Church to do (set something like this up for their youth groups),it has been a very "eye opening learning experience".
I say that because the adults began with the thought that they would be doing a service to these children,but in all reality the children actually pointed out things to the adults(even me) that we did not even think to look for. I'll give a brief description,,,
First the children made a list of screen names from a certain chat forum site,set up files on each screen name and followed the post they made. if they said I am s.d.a. they put it in their file,if they said they believed (any example) they would put it in their file. then they would pull another file,same example(if they were baptist,Pentecostal,Presbyterian ect.ect and their stance on doctrine ect.,,,
The thing is their files then began to grow and grow because as they began to go from one site to another they would identify "screen name x" from one chat room as "screen name Y" form another and noticed that "they were one denomination in chat room A,but in chat room B they were from a different denomination".
This would make you stop and scratch your head at first trying to figure out what they were doing. This is what they found,,,there are groups who are as you state Troll's(better definition required). There are group's who as it seems have become frustrated arguing their positions with other denominations and that pretend to be from two apposing faiths, they are sitting at their computers and 2 or 3 of them are pretending to be denomination A and the other 4 or 5 are pretending to be denomination B and they begin to discuss an issue but the plan from the beginning is to debate and at the end of the debate make the denomination they do not like look incorrect and their faith look correct(it's easy to win a debate if who they are debating is actually on their side).
As you can imagine they have many other files "true trolls/being disruptive". They have a file they call the "strong drink?" file where they put the screen names that seem to be just someone getting drunk/drugs and playing on the computer ect. They have files I would have never thought of,lol.
At times I seem to be "hit and miss" at having long discussions here(I apologize) if I seem that way. I am writing this to you mine own self,but there are times when as we(youth group's) are following the threads here and they ask "whitestone, what if you posted this and this and then see if it has any bearing on the discussion?",,,
Well there are others(group files) but space is limited so I'll not mention them all I myself like to be outside but I have two terminal illnesses and so I try to get out and move around as much as I can(if I sit at the computer all day my health will fall off quicker),so I apologize again if you respond and it is tonight or tomorrow when I read a response. At most times I notice there are about 300 visitors some of these are the youths I am speaking of.
