# Is trolling not against the rules?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [April 14, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101 "2014-04-14T18:10:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/21 "2014-04-15T00:19:51Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#):
>
> Sadly I can’t link to the threads because then I would be noted or warned for stating the obvious. But I am wondering what the policy on trolling is.
Start a pit thread, and then we’ll know.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/22 "2014-04-15T00:38:34Z")
> [@TroutMan](#):
>
> So I appreciate the mods being conservative with their **judgment**.
I apologize in advance for this brief hijack but I must say something here.
I have been noticing it for some time now and had my eye out and this is the _first_ correct spelling of “judgment” I have seen in a long, long time. It seems everybody and their grandma spells it “judgement”; even those whose spelling is otherwise impeccable. I submit “judgment” as the most oft-misspelled, common word out there. /hijack over :o
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### Author:  [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/23 "2014-04-15T00:40:30Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#):
>
> I apologize in advance for this brief hijack but I must say something here.
>
> I have been noticing it for some time now and had my eye out and this is the _first_ correct spelling of “judgment” I have seen in a long, long time. It seems everybody and their grandma spells it “judgement”; even those whose spelling is otherwise impeccable. I submit “judgment” as the most oft-misspelled, common word out there. /hijack over :o
It depends on the country. There are two spellings. Without the e is the favored US spelling. With is the favored spelling in the UK. I don’t know about other countries.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/24 "2014-04-15T00:46:30Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#):
>
> It depends on the country. There are two spellings. Without the e is the favored US spelling. With is the favored spelling in the UK. I don’t know about other countries.
Ahhhh, then nevermind. ☹
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### Author:  [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/25 "2014-04-15T00:49:15Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Start a pit thread, and then we’ll know.
I think at least some people don’t want to pit an obvious troll because that’s what trolls want.
What trolls don’t want is to be shut down before they have the chance to disrupt lots of threads.
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### Author:  [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/26 "2014-04-15T00:56:28Z")
Can we have a few links here please? For those of us not in the know?
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### Author:  [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/27 "2014-04-15T01:26:37Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#):
>
> I think at least some people don’t want to pit an obvious troll because that’s what trolls want.
>
> What trolls don’t want is to be shut down before they have the chance to disrupt lots of threads.
That’s exactly why I didn’t pit the user in question. I can’t tell whether they’re legit or not, but their presence seems to have the same effect on the board either way, and I didn’t want to give them more exposure.
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/28 "2014-04-15T01:49:45Z")
> [@Fenris](#):
>
> Can we have a few links here please? For those of us not in the know?
I _think_ people are talking about [this thread on same-sex marriage](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=720604), which was moved to the Pit within the past hour.
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### Author:  [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/29 "2014-04-15T01:52:27Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> I _think_ people are talking about [this thread on same-sex marriage](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=720604), which was moved to the Pit within the past hour.
Which I believe is this user’s fourth hijacked thread on SSM, if [Marley23’s count](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17279067&postcount=165) is correct.
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/30 "2014-04-15T02:14:52Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> And whether they are a troll or not, **jsgoddess** ’s thread at least has been completely hijacked by that user
Ummm, I’m sure this has been pointed out, but the title of that thread _was_ “Anti-SSM argument goes from stupid to… what the heck is this?” I’d argue it is not a hijack 😃
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### Author:  [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/31 "2014-04-15T02:35:56Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> I _think_ people are talking about [this thread on same-sex marriage](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=720604), which was moved to the Pit within the past hour.
Thanks. That’s why I hate bizarrely cryptic OPs. I had no idea what he was talking about.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/32 "2014-04-15T02:51:27Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#):
>
> I _think_ people are talking about [this thread on same-sex marriage](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=720604), which was moved to the Pit within the past hour.
And the poster in question (I’m just taking a wild guess at it) was warned for, among other things, being “trollish”. So, I don’t see how this qualifies as falling within the scope of the OP.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/33 "2014-04-15T07:13:12Z")
> [@Fenris](#):
>
> Can we have a few links here please? For those of us not in the know?
Jesus, Fenris, I mentioned both threads on your board.
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### Author:  [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/34 "2014-04-15T08:06:52Z")
I don’t get it, he’s just repeating the same idiotic arguments everyone against SSM makes. What make you think he’s trolling?
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### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/35 "2014-04-15T10:52:52Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#):
>
> I’ve personally reported many that haven’t had any type of mod response. Sorry, I didn’t keep a tally.
Moderator response may not be public, or even in a PM-reply, but we do debate such reports behind-the-scenes. Sometimes, it’s just a case of someone holding a (very!) minority opinion but holding it sincerely, and we don’t want to quash dissent even if it’s aggravating to a majority. However, every such report is noted, and the person in question in examined: when we find a repeated, regular pattern of inflammatory comments that don’t really seem to represent an honest belief, we do act.
Sometimes, when someone reports a suspected troll, we give that person a PM or email warning that they need to change behaviors. Those who do change behaviors, great. Those who don’t, get bumped. But we’re (intentionally) slow to lower the ban hammer for provocative comments; we prefer to give benefit of the doubt… until the point that there is no doubt.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/36 "2014-04-15T12:29:12Z")
> [@emcee2k](#):
>
> I don’t get it, he’s just repeating the same idiotic arguments everyone against SSM makes. What make you think he’s trolling?
That’s kind of the definition, isn’t it?
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/37 "2014-04-15T12:49:55Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> I suspect the OP might have a different definition of trolling than I do, one that is more expansive.
Using a different definition? Wouldn’t that make it cargo-cult trolling?
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/38 "2014-04-15T13:05:01Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Using a different definition? Wouldn’t that make it cargo-cult trolling?
Not an argument.
(sorry, couldn’t help myself)
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/39 "2014-04-15T13:48:20Z")
> [@emcee2k](#):
>
> I don’t get it, he’s just repeating the same idiotic arguments everyone against SSM makes. What make you think he’s trolling?
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> That’s kind of the definition, isn’t it?
No, I don’t think so. Unless you assume that everyone against SSM is only looking to get a rise out of people by holding that position.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trolling-not-against-the-rules/686101/40 "2014-04-15T14:04:12Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> No, I don’t think so. Unless you assume that everyone against SSM is only looking to get a rise out of people by holding that position.
How about, everybody against SSM who’s using idiotic arguments? I’m okay with the people making reasonable arguments not being trolls.
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