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Troll, on yahoo answers, what are they and why are they called that?

I answered a question about racism I noticed that the person asking had a some other similar questions, I later checked back to read some other responses and found that someone have give a very long and thoughtful answer only to come back and edit it saying "they couldn't believe they had been pulled in by a troll” What is a Troll and why are they called that?

6 Answers

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  • Goldom
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    A troll is someone who makes posts/replies/etc on a web site for the sole purpose of causing trouble - making arguments, making people mad, and so forth. I'm not positive about the origin of the term though, other than it being like the fairy tale monster who is just plain bad.

  • Friend
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    If the answers that are here are right then isn't calling someone a troll a bad thing really? Unless they have just absolutely said something on purpose to make a jerk out of themselves? I mean if we are America then doesn't our constitution give us the right to object or to have different oppinions then the mass? I guess not I guess the only thing anyone wants to hear is what seems to be politically correct at the time if that is actually right or wrong. I don't think I like that word and I don't know exactly how to use it or still exactly what it means, but I have been called a troll because I don't molly coddle people and I tell the truth if they like it or not. So I would wonder this myself what is a troll?

  • 1 decade ago

    to Stop the Propaganda

    You are taking the others answers wrong.

    You are right that we have freedom of speech and expression.

    Someone is not a troll just because they have a different viewpoint or they disagree with others.

    A Troll is someone who INTENTIONALLY make inflamitory remarks for the PURPOSE of CAUSING TROUBLE

    A Troll may not even believe the remarks he is saying and may privately even agree with the people whom he is causing trouble for.

    A Troll posts what he posts not as a freedom of speech or oposing viewpoint. But purely out of meaness and to cause trouble and make others mad.

    Now it is true too that many have been called a troll when they are in fact NOT a troll. Being a troll is a Bad thing. but just because of those definitions above does NOT mean they are trying to stifle opposing thoughts or ideas (as you seem to claim they are)

    If you want to see what I mean by Troll. just go to the Answers category under Military and look up any question by a guy called ERUDITE.

    He is a Classic Troll.

    Posting questions meant only for the purpose of hurting others and making people mad.

    Source(s): USN Vet
  • 1 decade ago

    In Internet terminology, a troll is a person who enters an established community such as an online discussion forum and intentionally tries to cause disruption, often in the form of posting messages that are inflammatory, insulting, incorrect, inaccurate, absurd, or off-topic, with the intent of provoking a reaction from others. Trolls can also be existing members of such a community that rarely post and often contribute no useful information to the thread, but instead make argumentative posts in an attempt to discredit another person, more often than not based on what they thought was said rather than what was actually said by the other person, concentrating almost exclusively on facts irrelevant to the point of the conversation, with the intent of provoking a reaction from others.

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  • 1 decade ago

    The word troll was invented by internet users to describe a person who posts unwanted material on the forums, chat rooms and boards.

    It was taken from the fairy tale of the troll that hides under a bridge and comes out to make mischief when no one is looking.

  • 1 decade ago

    nevermind the person above me had a MUCH better answer

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