What's is a troll on yahoo answers?

A "troll" is a cyber-bully.

"...Question: What Is an Internet 'Troll'? How Should I Deal With Trolls?

Answer: An internet 'troll' is an abusive and obnoxious user who promotes hate and disharmony in online communities. Named after the wicked troll creatures of children's tales, an internet troll is someone who stirs up drama and abuses their online anonymity by purposely sowing hatred, bigotry, racism, mysogyny, or just simple bickering between others. Trolls like a big audience, so they frequent blog sites, news sites, discussion forums, and game chat. Trolls thrive in any environment where they are allowed to make public comments.

The Sad Truths of Internet Trolls:

Trolls are immune to criticism and logical arguments. True trolls cannot be reasoned with, regardless of how sound your logical argument is.

Trolls do not feel remorse like you and me. They have sociopathic tendencies, and accordingly, they delight in other people having hurt feelings.

Trolls consider themselves separate from the social order.

Trolls do not abide by etiquette or the rules of common courtesy.

Trolls consider themselves above social responsibility.

Trolls gain energy by you insulting them.

Trolls gain energy when you get angry.

The only way to deal with a troll is to ignore him, or take away his ability to post online.

How Should I Deal With Internet Trolls?

You cannot win with a troll. Publicly retaliating against them just fuels their childish need for attention. There are only 3 reliable ways to deal with trolls, all of which focus on removing their audience, removing their power, and depriving them of the attention they seek.

For a casual or emergent troll: completely ignore the person's postings. While it is difficult for most users to to let a troll have the last word, this tactic successfully takes the wind out of a casual troll's sails.

For repeating troll offenders: report them to the moderators of the system. If enough people report the toll, this will often prompt the moderators to take action (see number 3 below)

Have the moderators take away the troll's ability to post online. This will commonly mean that the troll is kicked from the system, or blocked by IP address. Even better is when the troll is allowed to continue posting, but unbeknownst to him: all of his postings are deleted from everyone else's view. This will lure the troll into wasting his efforts while still feeling proud of his childish antics. ..."

http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/weirdwebcultur...

"...Narcissistic personality disorder

Last reviewed: November 14, 2010.

Narcissistic personality disorder is a condition in which people have an inflated sense of self-importance and an extreme preoccupation with themselves.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

The causes of this disorder are unknown. An overly sensitive personality and parenting problems may affect the development of this disorder.

Symptoms

A person with narcissistic personality disorder may:

•React to criticism with rage, shame, or humiliation

•Take advantage of other people to achieve his or her own goals

•Have excessive feelings of self-importance

•Exaggerate achievements and talents

•Be preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence, or ideal love

•Have unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment

•Need constant attention and admiration

•Disregard the feelings of others, and have little ability to feel empathy

•Have obsessive self-interest

•Pursue mainly selfish goals ..."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH000193...

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/5/15/19332/5961

http://encyclopediadramatica.se/Internet_troll_per...

http://samvak.tripod.com/journal67.html

http://samvak.tripod.com/journal60.html

http://www.narcissistic-abuse.com/journal95.html

Some questions are so contrived that you feel a troll wrote them. A troll is a member who among other things:

Posts inflammatory questions or answers

Gives out thumbs down for no reason

File bogus abuse reports to get members suspended