Updates

Ugh. Technology sucks when it fails.

Anyway, here is an updated research proposal and trailer:

The Internet is crawling with trolls. Not the kind that live under bridges, but the kind that spill rude comments, threats, and pull pranks on others online. They are also called haters, griefers and so on. But why do people troll? Do they behave the same way – say and do the same things – in “real” life?

The anonymity of social venues such as the Internet creates a totally different environment for social interaction. Social inhibitions are lower under conditions of anonymity, which allows for fewer consequences and less accountability for the things a person says and does. But if one asks a troll why they troll, the troll might simply respond, “for the lulz.”

So, trolling is fun for the trolls. But why? Why is it so entertaining? Is it because there are little (if any) repercussions? What other factors are at play here?

I propose that the anonymous nature of online interactions allows for a completely different set of social norms as opposed to “real life.” Additionally, depending on the specific online community, there are different subsets of social norms. That is, troll activity differs from community to community. In order to investigate this, I plan to observe and compare trolling activity on a variety of sites, looking for patterns in content and frequency. My observations will be compared with previously published literature on trolling and online behavior.

Trolls are part of life on the Internet. Their actions may be extreme, but trolls are people too; they are not distorted creatures underneath a bridge. Understanding where and how trolling occurs could potentially lead to understanding the motivations behind trolls’ behavior, providing insights into the social norms of the Internet.