Calling out trolls

[Caladan 19]

Calling every sob story a 'troll' post is an easy way to discount it!

It's rude imo and wrong.

And if I'd done that, I'd agree.

[Jasman0717 8]

You can please all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time but you can't make a mistake on VJ

[Fandango 1,439]

Calling every sob story a 'troll' post is an easy way to discount it!

It's rude imo and wrong.

And if I'd done that, I'd agree.

You don't agree even if you didn't do that?

[Caladan 19]

I don't see anyone calling out trolls any time someone has a sob story. If I saw it happening, I'd agree it was a problem. It isn't, so it isn't.

[LaL 418]

I think to answer the original post's question, we are striving for a more understanding, information driven board. It just seems unnecessary to call out troll in many cases. Of course it is not that you can't, its kind of the M.O. of message boards, and we understand that. It is simply a request that should you be involved in an immigration related thread - to take care.

[TracyTN 237]

I think it is rude to assume that everyone with a story that isn't run of the mill is a troll. Yet it seems to be coming into every one of those threads now; whatever happened to giving someone the benefit of the doubt?

I certainly know that if I had a major problem, and needed to get advice from somewhere, and I posted my heart out and then everyone called me a troll, I'd be upset. I think that we certainly need to be more cautious and careful about who we call out as to being a troll now because innocent posters are being accused and it just isn't very nice, imo.

One or two line posts with no background DO tend to be trolls. Someone who has taken the time to post a story tends to not be. Although there are instances where neither of these criteria apply.

Incidentally, the irony of this subject is incredible. I remember a couple of months or so back I was literally JUMPED on for calling someone a troll, here in Site Discussions. This was someone who had no posts yet came by in a thread to make specific one or two line posts directed at a certain member. I called them out and was hounded by many for accusing such an "innocent poster" of being a troll when there was no proof.

Ironically enough, it was a member who had left VJ and came back to have a dig and, what's even worse, many of the posters who were jumping on me knew about it and found it hilarious.

Makes me feel disgusted, it really does and, I shall add, it REALLY upset me.

I DO try to give people the benefit of the doubt. As I said, I normally view the poster's profile, etc. before marching out the troll moniker. Other people are more trigger happy with it and seem to do it everytime someone has a slightly 'out there' story - and I agree that those people should be told to knock it off.

I have never seen jasman as one of those people, though, so I was surprised his comment was followed by a 'don't do that' type of post.

I find some irony in it as well. I didn't know who that person was on the day in question, but a quick glance at the profile that night made me feel like it wasn't a troll (granted all I looked at was the date they'd joined and anything else readily available on the front page of the profile). We have a lot of members who have been here a while but have not very many posts - possibly because they are 'readers' more than 'posters'.

I was one who thought calling them a troll was surprising. Hindsight is 20/20, though, and once I found out what you found out, I could then see where you were coming from.

I don't recall 'jumping' on you about it, though. Unless asking a question was jumping on you.

But that incident wasn't the point of my thread today - mainly it was from jasman's post and the subsequent ones. Truly was (and am) confused by that, as I could see myself doing exactly what he had done, and would rather not be told to stop. Figured I'd head it off at the pass if I knew what we were supposed to do/not do.

[Fandango 1,439]

I don't see anyone calling out trolls any time someone has a sob story. If I saw it happening, I'd agree it was a problem. It isn't, so it isn't.

Check around...many of the 'omG' threads like bad situations (outside of the 'effects' forum) are labeled trollish.

I think it's rude, but also silly....considering numbers don't lie...that thread in question has almost 4k hits from yesterday. This thread will prolly get a lot as well. Cos as much as anyone wants to claim otherwise....it's the car wreck threads that draw the most attention. How anyone can perpetrate a thread like that just by 'you're a troll' is stupid....if one thinks it's truly a troll...DON'T FEED THE TROLLS! otherwise, you're just playing into the hands of a troll if it is a troll...and if it's genuine, you just look like a t!t.

'You' being the general sense...not pointing fingers here....

[Ban Hammer 12,867]

which thread is this? i need some interesting reading

[kitkat1 5]

One or two line posts with no background DO tend to be trolls.

So when a brand new members posts two sentences about how he sent in the I-129F but never met his fiance, wants to know when he'll be approved, and never returns after that post, it's not ok to point out to the members who are wasting their time giving answers and information that it sure looks like a troll?

[Logres 0]

which thread is this? i need some interesting reading

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=84417

[Mags 112]

One or two line posts with no background DO tend to be trolls.

So when a brand new members posts two sentences about how he sent in the I-129F but never met his fiance, wants to know when he'll be approved, and never returns after that post, it's not ok to point out to the members who are wasting their time giving answers and information that it sure looks like a troll?

Actually, I did post a "disclaimer" at the end of that very sentence.

One or two line posts with no background DO tend to be trolls. Someone who has taken the time to post a story tends to not be. Although there are instances where neither of these criteria apply.

[LaL 418]

Guys ~ it's simply a request to take it easy at times. Like I said previously we understand this might be imbedded in the message board m.o., but it can only help the climate of the board in it's small way.

[TracyTN 237]

Guys ~ it's simply a request to take it easy at times. Like I said previously we understand this might be imbedded in the message board m.o., but it can only help the climate of the board in it's small way.

Ok. I just wanted to make sure (after seeing the thread w/ jazzy).

[no name 1]

One or two line posts with no background DO tend to be trolls.

So when a brand new members posts two sentences about how he sent in the I-129F but never met his fiance, wants to know when he'll be approved, and never returns after that post, it's not ok to point out to the members who are wasting their time giving answers and information that it sure looks like a troll?

Apparently you can't ever label someone a troll, only think it.

However, you can label soemone a bitotch.

You can please all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time but you can't make a mistake on VJ

Ain't that the truth.

Edited August 23, 2007 by devilette

[LaL 418]

Guys ~ it's simply a request to take it easy at times. Like I said previously we understand this might be imbedded in the message board m.o., but it can only help the climate of the board in it's small way.

Ok. I just wanted to make sure (after seeing the thread w/ jazzy).

I think this sums up the original question.