# Is anyone going to do anything about Rick Rolling? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 27, 2008, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901 "2008-03-27T07:54:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/41 "2008-03-29T12:30:49Z")
[QUOTE=elmwood] If the OP is looking for a message board that is completely insulated from Internet memes, I recommend some academic quantum mechanics or postmodernist philosophy listserv. [/QUOTE] We don’t want him either. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/42 "2008-03-29T13:51:47Z")
The Internet: “Getting people’s panties in a twist since 1991.” ---
**Author:** ![onions\_without\_tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c37758/32.png) [@onions\_without\_tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onions_without_tears)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/43 "2008-03-29T18:05:48Z")
Ok, I give up. What’s wrong with the post in question? Yes, I went to Wiki as suggestion to find out what rickrolling is, but the post linked to in the OP has no links in it. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/44 "2008-03-29T19:00:53Z")
If it was “Opalrolling”, it would appear in practically every other post, and everybody would love it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/45 "2008-03-29T19:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=Lynn Bodoni] Speaking as a POSTER, not a member of the staff, I dislike misdirecting links. I especially dislike links that have sound and don’t have a warning that they play sound. And I post from home about 99.95% of the time! As a member of the staff, it strikes me as being vaguely jerkish. And something to discuss with the other staff. I’m not going to make a ruling here and now. [/QUOTE] It \*is \*jerkish. In a joke thread, I suppose the Mods can let it slide without an **Official Mod Warning** , but I’d like to see the practice banned here. In the example case, I think it should be a Warning offense, as there is no idea you’d be mis-directed, in fact the post sez otherwise. And, I’d like to have it be a “good idea” without being a requirement that someones post- esp an OP, not be just a link and a “what do you think of this?” Would it hurt to cut&paste a paragraph or have a line or two of explanation? ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/46 "2008-03-29T21:09:51Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] It \*is \*jerkish. In a joke thread, I suppose the Mods can let it slide without an **Official Mod Warning** , but I’d like to see the practice banned here. In the example case, I think it should be a Warning offense, as there is no idea you’d be mis-directed, in fact the post sez otherwise. [/QUOTE] Hear, hear. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/47 "2008-03-29T21:39:01Z")
And would it hurt to hover your mouse over it for half a second and read the URL it refers to? It’s really not difficult, nor does it require much paranoia or slow you down much. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/48 "2008-03-29T21:49:06Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] And would it hurt to hover your mouse over it for half a second and read the URL it refers to? It’s really not difficult, nor does it require much paranoia or slow you down much. [/QUOTE] You are absolutely correct. After all, the internet is serious business! Oh, and for everyone who is not Hostile Dialect: Yes, it’s a rick-roll. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/49 "2008-03-29T22:06:54Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] And would it hurt to hover your mouse over it for half a second and read the URL it refers to? It’s really not difficult, nor does it require much paranoia or slow you down much. [/QUOTE] And (as I pointed out in another thread on this subject) how am I supposed to know the content of a youtube link if that’s what the URL refers to? Yes, I know (as someone pointed out in response to my post in the other thread) it may only take a few seconds to realize that the video playing is a rickroll and not relevant to the topic under discussion, but it’s still annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/50 "2008-03-29T22:26:08Z")
One or two more like that and I’ll be gone for good. Irritating jerks. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/51 "2008-03-29T22:57:17Z")
[QUOTE=Ponder Stibbons] You are absolutely correct. After all, the internet is serious business! [/QUOTE] Now _that_ was annoying! I admit, though, it made me laugh halfway through clicking. [QUOTE=LurkMeister] And (as I pointed out in another thread on this subject) how am I supposed to know the content of a youtube link if that’s what the URL refers to? Yes, I know (as someone pointed out in response to my post in the other thread) it may only take a few seconds to realize that the video playing is a rickroll and not relevant to the topic under discussion, but it’s still annoying. [/QUOTE] Well, if you know it’s a YouTube link to begin with, you should already be prepared for some sound/video. Even if not the sound/video combination you want, it then doesn’t seem to qualify as something designed to startle or shock. The advice in the thread is good-- if it happens, close it and go about your business. Don’t respond to it in thread, just go on with your lost 5 seconds. If people ignore it, people will stop posting it. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/52 "2008-03-29T23:30:26Z")
I’ve just had a brilliant idea about how to combat the Rickroll. Someone links to a rickroll in a thread, and you click on it. But instead of responding to the rickroll when you reply, respond as if the video was exactly relevant to the discussion at hand! (e.g. if it’s a thread about Hillary ducking a bullet, talk about how the video does or doesn’t show just that) Then the rickroller will doubt the veracity of the link they’ve just posted and go to check it and be rolled themself! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/53 "2008-03-29T23:41:43Z")
Oh, yeah. Brilliant. Now instead of ten people pissed off at the rickroller, you have twenty people pissed off at _you_. Good job. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/54 "2008-03-30T01:27:34Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Oh, yeah. Brilliant. Now instead of ten people pissed off at the rickroller, you have twenty people pissed off at _you_. Good job. [/QUOTE] I said it was brilliant, not perfect. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/55 "2008-03-30T01:36:15Z")
[QUOTE=Ponder Stibbons] You are absolutely correct. After all, the internet is serious business! Oh, and for everyone who is not Hostile Dialect: Yes, it’s a rick-roll. [/QUOTE] Have your lost your everloving mind? I’ve had that link reported as being most obnoxious and dfficult to close. It’s exactly the kind of link we don’t want at the Straight Dope and you are an absolute ass to put it on this board and to do so as something innocent when all it does is mess with people. This is a Formal Warning to you, Ponder Stibbons. And any further behavior of this type will have most adverse consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/56 "2008-03-30T01:40:11Z")
Miss the point much? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/57 "2008-03-30T05:06:36Z")
If you’re running Firefox and are using the Adblock extension, go to [this site](http://rickrolldb.com/) and click the “Subscribe to RickBlock Filter” button. It keeps track of all known URLs used for rickrolling and adds them to Adblock so that they are treated basically like advertisements and do not show up. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/58 "2008-03-30T06:15:36Z")
[QUOTE=neutron star] If you’re running Firefox and are using the Adblock extension, go to [this site](http://rickrolldb.com/) and click the “Subscribe to RickBlock Filter” button. It keeps track of all known URLs used for rickrolling and adds them to Adblock so that they are treated basically like advertisements and do not show up. [/QUOTE] First off, I just want to say that I love the Internet. I do, I really do. Second, in case anyone is wondering if **neutron star** ’s link is secretly a rickroll in disguise, have no fear, it isn’t. I checked. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/59 "2008-03-30T12:06:40Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > And (as I pointed out in another thread on this subject) how am I supposed to know the content of a youtube link if that’s what the URL refers to? I recommend [Flashblock](http://flashblock.mozdev.org/), a Firefox extension which keeps Flash applets (wrong term?) from running until you tell them to (by clicking on it). Which gives you the couple of seconds you’d need to read the title before playing it, if you care that much. Me, I have it installed for security reasons, and the increased control over YouTube is just a nice bonus. > [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > After all, the internet is serious business! To the contrary, I really don’t see how getting rickrolled is such a big deal. It happens. It’s the Internet. Just be glad it’s 80s pop (or whatever that stuff is) and not goatse, tubgirl, etc. I mean, I’m not saying it’s appropriate to link to those, but getting hit with a pop music video is really not the end of the world. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901/60 "2008-03-30T13:14:05Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] There [is](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNDh_tFIHn4) a solution to Rickrolling. [/QUOTE] I also find this oddly alluring. Any background to this? Lyrics, what language is it, eceterecaracerea? ETA: nm, found stuff. I’m an idiot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-anyone-going-to-do-anything-about-rick-rolling/442901.md?page=4)