# Asking for some clarity about what is and isn't trolling **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 22, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621 "2020-10-22T21:01:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/81 "2021-01-22T22:30:52Z")
Now you’re here, @Colibri, how about some feedback for the OP. I still don’t think this has been adequately addressed by the moderators. @Velocity’s comment was a belief that is shared by millions of people. Trump was predicting election fraud before the election, and claimed election fraud after the election. And the claim was the exact same thing that Velocity said. I think his comment was not trolling, just ill-informed. He read the wrong news source, and believed unreliable information. The SDMB should fight his ignorance, not punish it. If he still believes it, we can explain to him why the belief is wrong, but he shouldn’t be warned just for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/82 "2021-01-22T22:47:09Z")
> [@rboyce](#): > > Some posters stick to a topic or two and never look over other topics. Posting the topic in other forums broadens the scope of possible viewers. So said every spammer back when they still pretended to be accountable for their posts. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/83 "2021-01-23T01:32:17Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Now you’re here, @Colibri, how about some feedback for the OP. I still don’t think this has been adequately addressed by the moderators. I gave my response in post #19, back on October 23, and **What\_Exit** gave his in post #25. The OP has a long history of very poorly considered OPs. At some point, stupidity becomes indistinguishable from trolling. I don’t have anything more to say on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/84 "2021-01-23T01:45:12Z")
> [@rboyce](#): > > no, I was banned for trolling on another forum site and could not figure out what I did wrong, so I posted the question here. Then that sounds like you might want to have a discussion about how the term “trolling” is defined in general, rather than asking in this thread, which is about the rules of this message board. That said, I will say that, in my experience, simply making the same post in different threads is not usually considered trolling. It may, however, be considered spamming. Always read the rules of any board you post on. If they don’t have them, then be sure to listen as soon as you are told what to do. And if a board lacks a list of rules, and they permaban you immediately for something so small as not knowing the reposting culture, then I’d say that it’s not a very welcoming board in the first place, and you’d be better off posting elsewhere. A good board will at least give people a chance to follow the rules before punishing them. BTW, welcome to the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/85 "2021-01-23T03:15:58Z")
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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2021, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/86 "2021-01-23T03:16:16Z")
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**Author:** ![rboyce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rboyce/32/4066_2.png) [@rboyce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rboyce)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/87 "2021-01-27T22:19:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > That said, I will say that, in my experience, simply making the same post in different threads is not usually considered **trolling**. It may, however, be considered **spamming.** > .,.,.,.,. A good board will at least give people a chance to follow the rules before punishing them. > > BTW, welcome to the boards. I sincerely appreciate your info, again thanks. I must admit I have been a spammer in the past. I will do my best to stop it. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/88 "2021-01-28T00:47:10Z")
How about people who openly admit to making up stories, AND posting things just to annoy other people, (outside of the Pit)? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/89 "2021-01-28T00:51:59Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > AND posting things just to annoy other people, Many of your own posts are like this, and I have moderated them for that reason in GQ. Are you saying that you believe such posts to be trolling? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/90 "2021-01-28T01:01:54Z")
No, just pointing out that on this board, some posters are more equal than others. She just admitted to posting to annoy others. No moderation. There’s also another poster who routinely starts his posts in Great Debates with “I don’t have any cites”. Aren’t cites generally expected in GD? Why aren’t his posts moved to IMHO? Because he’s “special”? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/91 "2021-01-28T01:06:10Z")
**Moderating** If you see posts that you believe violate the rules, then report them. If you have some other specific complaints, start a new thread in ATMB. If the things you mention are trolling, then many of your own posts are, and you should have been banned for them. I’m instructing you to stop posting in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/92 "2021-01-28T01:29:29Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > How about people who openly admit to making up stories, AND posting things just to annoy other people, (outside of the Pit)? Hallelujah brother! Repent! Howboutwhatnow? ETA: just saw the above moderation. Withdrawn. Thread can be closed now. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/93 "2021-01-28T04:45:12Z")
It’s always amusing when someone goes to the trouble of typing out how they just noticed something and hereby withdraw their post, rather than pressing backspace and _actually_ withdrawing their post. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/94 "2021-01-28T04:53:03Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > It’s always amusing when someone goes to the trouble of typing out how they just noticed something and hereby withdraw their post, rather than pressing backspace and _actually_ withdrawing their post… Let’s drop it. It has nothing to do with the subject of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/95 "2021-01-28T14:56:43Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Let’s drop it. It has nothing to do with the subject of the thread. OTOH, it has a lot to do with the subject of [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reporting-a-post-is-trolling-wtf/931666/3); however you’ve locked that one. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/96 "2021-01-28T15:13:38Z")
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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/97 "2021-01-28T15:17:15Z")
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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/98 "2021-01-28T16:53:06Z")
I have to admit that you can never be sure that a post is trolling, since that requires reading someone’s mind. On the other hand, some are just so ill-considered that it is difficult to believe that someone really believes it. The OP in this thread imagined that on the evening of Nov. 3, the PA Democratic party would say, "Oh we need 50,000 more votes, so let’s quick mail 50,000 Democratic ballots and hope DeJoy allows them to get through. What is wrong with this scenario? Well, since PA didn’t even allow the mail ballots to be opened until the morning of Nov. 3, it was predictable (and widely predicted) that Trump would have a substantial lead by that evening. So they would have no idea whatever how many votes they would need. Second, a large onslaught of mail votes mailed after Nov. 3 would have been a very large red flag. I just found it hard to believe that anyone could have ignored these obvious points. I still do. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/99 "2021-01-28T20:18:45Z")
If it were me, I would strongly prefer that you write me off as an ignorant fool than as a troll. There’s a lot of ignorance out there, especially when it comes to former President Trump and the 2020 election. You have to acknowledge that a majority of Republicans do not trust the results of the 2020 election. From a Vox [article](https://www.vox.com/2021/1/11/22225531/joe-biden-trump-capitol-inauguration) summarizing two polls conducted _after_ the election, _after_ the lawsuits, and even _after_ the Capitol Riot: > “72 percent of likely Republican voters said they continue to question the presidential election results. Nearly three-quarters of Republicans, or 74 percent, said allegations of voter fraud have contributed to these concerns.” > “73 percent of Republicans believe there’s widespread voter fraud” I know you and I think it’s irrational to think widespread voter fraud could have tipped the election. But **you simply cannot presume that anybody concerned about that is trolling** - you would implicate _most Republicans_. There are whole communities where _everybody_ thinks Biden should have won due to widespread voter fraud, and if someone from that kind of echo chamber comes here, it is entirely _rational_ for them to be concerned about widespread voter fraud. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621/100 "2021-01-28T21:28:47Z")
You are vastly overestimating what people know relative to what they opine about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-for-some-clarity-about-what-is-and-isnt-trolling/923621.md?page=6)