# Pointing out trolls, a question **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 31, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677 "2019-12-31T17:17:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/1 "2019-12-31T17:17:19Z")
What is the policy for pointing out trolling in Elections or Great Debates? I read the sticky but I am unsure what specifically constitutes trolling or how far someone can walk the line. Ditka was good at walking the line, for example, and I don’t want to flag posts and waste mod time if I don’t get what specifically trolling is. Is there an example of what is close to trolling but not trolling? ---
**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:** [December 31, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/2 "2019-12-31T17:42:45Z")
Notify a moderator. Make a report about the post/the poster. It’s up to the staff to determine this and take appropriate action as necessary. It’s up to you as a poster to bring it to their attention; we can’t see everything. And we thank you in advance. Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/3 "2019-12-31T18:13:30Z")
Don’t say anything in public (except in the BBQ Pit, if you insist). If you’re not sure, report the post. The worst that can happen with reporting a post is that we’ll disagree and nothing happens. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/4 "2019-12-31T18:45:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Don’t say anything in public (except in the BBQ Pit, if you insist). If you’re not sure, report the post. The worst that can happen with reporting a post is that we’ll disagree and nothing happens. Cool thanks. I just didn’t want to waste your time. I’m still coming to terms with accepting that people would choose to “troll” and not wanting to waste y’all’s time with it. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/5 "2019-12-31T19:11:38Z")
It’s our business to deal with these things. We can’t deal with what we miss. So report it when you think you see it and we’ll handle it. If we think your meter needs calibration, we’ll tell you privately. Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/6 "2019-12-31T20:20:19Z")
Protect the trolls at all costs. Must not upset the folks who create accounts here specifically to stir up shit. [Don’t forget to warn long term posters for pointing out the bleeding obvious.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22051900&postcount=51) Fucking pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/7 "2019-12-31T20:41:22Z")
I don’t think anyone mentioned the red triangle exclamation point you can click to report a post. I didn’t notice it, initially. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/8 "2019-12-31T20:48:43Z")
From the FAQ: > [@](#): > > **Trolls and trolling** - Do not accuse other posters of trolling or being a troll. If you suspect someone is trolling or is a troll, please report them. **Identifying a troll is a question of motivations, which aren’t objectively verifiable. There really is no “bright line” that distinguishes a troll from someone who expresses an unpopular opinion forcefully. It’s ultimately a judgement call if a particular poster is doing one versus the other**. Do not troll. Trolling is posting solely for the purpose of riling others up. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=864546](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=864546) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/9 "2019-12-31T21:07:24Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > Cool thanks. I just didn’t want to waste your time. I’m still coming to terms with accepting that people would choose to “troll” and not wanting to waste y’all’s time with it. It is no trouble at all. None. If you see something questionable please report it. I’m glad to see them and review them all. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/10 "2019-12-31T22:10:17Z")
**Euphonious Polemic** , how is “if you’re not sure, report” protecting the trolls? ---
**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 1, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/11 "2020-01-01T01:50:19Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Protect the trolls at all costs. Must not upset the folks who create accounts here specifically to stir up shit. [Don’t forget to warn long term posters for pointing out the bleeding obvious.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22051900&postcount=51) > > Fucking pathetic. The poster you refer to has been a member for almost two years. The views he expresses are evidently held by a significant number of Americans. Just because you disagree strongly with someone’s political opinions doesn’t make them a troll or their posts trolling. The OP should keep this in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/12 "2020-01-01T02:22:16Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The poster you refer to has been a member for almost two years. The views he expresses are evidently held by a significant number of Americans. Just because you disagree strongly with someone’s political opinions doesn’t make them a troll or their posts trolling. The OP should keep this in mind. The “folks who create accounts here” evidently was referring to [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22051371&postcount=47). ---
**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 1, 2020, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/13 "2020-01-01T02:51:31Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > The “folks who create accounts here” evidently was referring to [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=22051371&postcount=47). That’s who I was referring to. Joined February 2018. He didn’t join just to post that. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/14 "2020-01-01T03:24:14Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OjYoNL4g5Vg/maxresdefault.jpg "Nevermind - Emily Litella") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjYoNL4g5Vg) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pointing-out-trolls-a-question/845677/15 "2020-01-01T17:44:31Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > That’s who I was referring to. Joined February 2018. He didn’t join just to post that. You have to admit though that when a poster is basically “once a month” and always on the same theme/track it does seem strange. Not that strange is a bad thing; I could be the poster illustration for strange. I just have enough of an idea what all you do behind the scenes to figure you’re up on it all.