Troll-friendly: Difference between revisions

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    (more detail on what tactics are so unfriendly as to destroy the integrity of a purposed wiki)
    (delinking, to avoid involving this important concept with issues that are at least rather controversial and speculative, and have gotten quite personal.)
     
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    A '''[[troll]]-friendly''' [[system]] or [[social software]]-based service (like the [[opinion wiki]] or this [[R&D wiki]]) assumes that [[built trust]] is very low, [[found trust]] is very high, and that [[grown trust]] will not happen unless a degree of [[politics as usual]] is allowed to apply in that system.
    An internet discussion forum is considered '''troll-friendly''' if it does not take steps to discourage [[trolling]].  Troll-friendly policies include:
    *not banning or moderating accused [[trolls]],
    *not preventing the forum being accessed from [[open proxy|open proxies]],
    *allowing [[anonymous post]]ing or allowing easy creation of new accounts,
    *not permitting deletions of materials based solely on accusation of authorship
    Being troll-friendly implies also controls on the [[sysop power structure]] such as to prevent or restrict any [[sysop]] acting alone from:
    *redefining trolling as [[vandalism]] arbitrarily
    *selecting its own political labels on controversial topics
    *subverting [[due process]] for any cases of [[outing]] or [[alleged and collective identity]] confusion, in particular, banning all "user X is user Y" class of comments as irrelevant or biasing


    For consumerium, this means [[sysop]]s should not push their luck or assume they are in charge of every [[faction]] or can resolve [[political dispute]] when people devote their lives to that in the real world and fail. In the long term it means that the [[Consumerium social club]] shouldn't over-ride [[consensus]] rules. But it also means that the consensus has to form on the basis of strict [[due process]] that in the long term will support a reliable [[Consumerium buying signal]]. Low-integrity editors must be "driven off":
    Because controversies on these issues are common, usage of this phrase has also become very common:
    *"We also have troll friendly proxies," - [http://brawl-hall.com/pages/index2.php brawl-hall.com]
    *"VT is definitely a troll-friendly environment, but I make a habit
    of using the report option when they get too far out of line." - [http://www.funmac.com/showthread.php?t=6971 re: VersionTracker]
    *" Fanhome is a Troll friendly environment. ... Yet here you are. Like I said,
    Fanhome is Troll-friendly." - [http://mb3.theinsiders.com/fvancouvercanucksfrm1.showMessageRange?topicID=2963.topic&start=21&stop=31 Vancouver Canucks "FanHome" site]


    When someone has actively participated in building a [[sysop power structure]] that engages in [[ad hominem revert]], [[ad hominem delete]], [[witch-hunt]], [[inquisitor]], [[psychiatry]], [[libel]] and [[echo chamber]] tactics, under the same identity, they ''should'' be ''actively'' [[driven off by trolls]], and good riddance.  If they wish this not to happen, they should make a new identity, and change their behaviour under the old one on any [[large public wiki]] where they are known for this inexcusable [[sysop vandalism]] - probably also giving up any position in the [[sysop power structure]] as well.  If they do all this and become an advocate for true [[soft security]] at least in cases other than [[simple vandalism]], and become widely known for changing their spots, at that point, it is the obligation of any '''troll-friendly''' wiki to not only accept them back, but honour their conversion to the ways of trolls...
    Some services say as explicit matter of policy that they are '''not troll-friendly'''.  For instance, [[Wikipedia]] goes on [[wiki witchhunt]]s against presumed trolls who question its [[sysop power structure]].  The term troll-friendly is quite common:
    *"We are not Troll friendly.  Postings that have been placed on the boards to disrupt the flow of conversation will be removed..." - [http://www.cruise-addicts.com/forumguide.html CruiseAddicts.com forum guidelines]
     
    === '''troll-friendly''' [[politics as usual]] ===
     
    Troll-friendly [[wiki management]] [[Wiki best practices|practices]] are designed to accomodate the [[New Troll point of view]] as much as possible. Rather than attempting to classify, categorize, restrict and challenge what [[trolls]] do, it attempts instead to engage them using [[political virtues]]:
     
    *prudence,
    *conciliation,
    *compromise,
    *variety,
    *adaptability, and
    *liveliness.
     
    These democratic values were listed by [[Bernard Crick]] as alternatives to [[ideology]] or any "absolute-sounding [[ethic]]".
     
    Very tellingly, [[w:political virtues|the article that is supposed to explain this is a mere stub]] at [[Wikipedia]].  This will not surprise anyone familiar with their [[GodKing]] or [[sysop power structure]], which lacks very considerably in these virtues.
     
    === trolling, trusting, process and forgiving ===
     
    Any '''[[troll]]-friendly''' [[system]] or [[social software]]-based service assumes that [[built trust]] is very low, [[found trust]] is very high.  It further assumes that [[grown trust]] will not happen unless a degree of [[politics as usual]] is allowed to apply in that system. ''This seems to be one motivation for proposing explicit [[faction]] support.''
     
    The main motive for troll-friendly policy is that consensus has to form on the basis of strict [[due process]].  Low-integrity editors must be "driven off":
     
    [[Trolls]] believe that when someone has actively participated in building a [[sysop power structure]] that engages in [[ad hominem revert]], [[ad hominem delete]], [[witch-hunt]], [[inquisitor]], [[psychiatry]], [[libel]] and [[echo chamber]] tactics, under the same identity, they ''should'' be ''actively'' [[driven off by trolls]], and good riddance.  If they wish this not to happen, they should make a new identity, and change their behaviour under the old one on any [[large public wiki]] where they are known for this inexcusable [[sysop vandalism]] - probably also giving up any position in the [[sysop power structure]] as well.   
     
    If they do all this and become an advocate for true [[soft security]] at least in cases other than [[simple vandalism]], and become widely known for changing their spots, at that point, [[trolls]] usually say it is the obligation of any '''troll-friendly''' wiki to not only accept them back, but honour their conversion to the ways of trolls...
     
    === Implications for [[Consumerium Services]] ===
     
    For consumerium, this means [[sysop]]s should not push their luck or assume they are in charge of every [[faction]] or can resolve [[political dispute]] when people devote their lives to that in the real world and fail.  In the long term it means that the [[Consumerium social club]] shouldn't over-ride [[consensus]] rules.  It pays to push this process out to [[user-land]] to support a reliable [[Consumerium buying signal]].

    Latest revision as of 18:20, 7 September 2004

    An internet discussion forum is considered troll-friendly if it does not take steps to discourage trolling. Troll-friendly policies include:

    • not banning or moderating accused trolls,
    • not preventing the forum being accessed from open proxies,
    • allowing anonymous posting or allowing easy creation of new accounts,
    • not permitting deletions of materials based solely on accusation of authorship

    Being troll-friendly implies also controls on the sysop power structure such as to prevent or restrict any sysop acting alone from:

    • redefining trolling as vandalism arbitrarily
    • selecting its own political labels on controversial topics
    • subverting due process for any cases of outing or alleged and collective identity confusion, in particular, banning all "user X is user Y" class of comments as irrelevant or biasing

    Because controversies on these issues are common, usage of this phrase has also become very common:

    • "We also have troll friendly proxies," - brawl-hall.com
    • "VT is definitely a troll-friendly environment, but I make a habit

    of using the report option when they get too far out of line." - re: VersionTracker

    • " Fanhome is a Troll friendly environment. ... Yet here you are. Like I said,

    Fanhome is Troll-friendly." - Vancouver Canucks "FanHome" site

    Some services say as explicit matter of policy that they are not troll-friendly. For instance, Wikipedia goes on wiki witchhunts against presumed trolls who question its sysop power structure. The term troll-friendly is quite common:

    troll-friendly politics as usual

    Troll-friendly wiki management practices are designed to accomodate the New Troll point of view as much as possible. Rather than attempting to classify, categorize, restrict and challenge what trolls do, it attempts instead to engage them using political virtues:

    • prudence,
    • conciliation,
    • compromise,
    • variety,
    • adaptability, and
    • liveliness.

    These democratic values were listed by Bernard Crick as alternatives to ideology or any "absolute-sounding ethic".

    Very tellingly, the article that is supposed to explain this is a mere stub at Wikipedia. This will not surprise anyone familiar with their GodKing or sysop power structure, which lacks very considerably in these virtues.

    trolling, trusting, process and forgiving

    Any troll-friendly system or social software-based service assumes that built trust is very low, found trust is very high. It further assumes that grown trust will not happen unless a degree of politics as usual is allowed to apply in that system. This seems to be one motivation for proposing explicit faction support.

    The main motive for troll-friendly policy is that consensus has to form on the basis of strict due process. Low-integrity editors must be "driven off":

    Trolls believe that when someone has actively participated in building a sysop power structure that engages in ad hominem revert, ad hominem delete, witch-hunt, inquisitor, psychiatry, libel and echo chamber tactics, under the same identity, they should be actively driven off by trolls, and good riddance. If they wish this not to happen, they should make a new identity, and change their behaviour under the old one on any large public wiki where they are known for this inexcusable sysop vandalism - probably also giving up any position in the sysop power structure as well.

    If they do all this and become an advocate for true soft security at least in cases other than simple vandalism, and become widely known for changing their spots, at that point, trolls usually say it is the obligation of any troll-friendly wiki to not only accept them back, but honour their conversion to the ways of trolls...

    Implications for Consumerium Services

    For consumerium, this means sysops should not push their luck or assume they are in charge of every faction or can resolve political dispute when people devote their lives to that in the real world and fail. In the long term it means that the Consumerium social club shouldn't over-ride consensus rules. It pays to push this process out to user-land to support a reliable Consumerium buying signal.