Is Twitter Being Torpedoed By Trolls?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29642313
If high profile people are leaving others will leave and a tricle will turn to a flood. Advertising revenue will fall as will the share price. How can twitter fight back?

[chrissa1]

Let's hope it doesn't, TTT.

[janbee]

Twitter is purely for trolls, teens and Stephen Fry.

[andy-hughes]

I agree.

I find the entire concept to be attention-seeking time-wasting self-aggrandisement, and the sooner the whole thing drops off the internet, the better it will be.

[ummmm]

I don't use it but I can understand why people do.

People get trolled on FB, it's just there isn't as many celebs on there.

[ToraToraTora]

yeah I've never understood the attraction TBH, I'm not on it myself but it seems to me that a few simple measures would stop this whole trolling game.

[Henrietta]

Twitter and other sites can fight back by putting pressure on the government to pass a law where trolling results in instant lengthy jail terms but then when does debate and strong views then become trolling?

What I don't understand is why do people troll? What makes another human being "Take up metaphoric arms" and find the worst things they can say to make another human being feel hurt/angry/sad and the worst they can feel sometimes even pushing them to self harming or suicide?

What do they get from it? Are they mentally ill? Drunk or drugged up? Immature?

A mixture of all the above?

Are we maybe too sensitive and should just leave the page if it gets too much? Turn off the computer and go for a brisk walk and some fresh air to clear our minds from these hurtful animals?

I just can't understand it.

[Slapshot]

Twitter has the same number of trolls and miscreant as any other social media platform and yes you can be prosecuted via twitter. If you select your groups and twitter buddies well it's as acceptable as here

[ummmm]

They are making a start by taking people to court for trolling.

On FB a few years back someone posted a picture of James Bulger with the caption 'he deserved it'. The troll kept posting about FB being abusive with the picture as his profile pic.

At least with twitter they are limited to about 40 characters.

[Slapshot]

140 Ummmm and you can still be offensive in 140 characters

[jno]

they leave, they come back again. People like Agnew and Fry can never be without the sound of their own voices for very long; and other lesser mortals also find it a useful platform

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/zelda-williams-returns-to-twitter-following-robin-williams-death-with-a-powerful-message-9708666.html

http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/22/sally-bercow-returns-to-twitter-to-apologise-to-lord-mcalpine-4156671/

I'm not sure advertisers will care much either way, they'll just think a few thousand trolls don't make a market of going on a billion unworkable. That's probably correct.

[ummmm]

Okay...I don't use it. I've got an account but I just don't get it....

[ToraToraTora]

why don't they just make every id verifiable so miscreants are easily traced. Trolls love to hide behind anonymity.

[Slapshot]

Every ID is traceable TTT

[robofluff]

I don't agree with Andy's opinion of twitter, I use twitter and Its not just to follow celebs! I follow my local police, local events, traffic news, my local council and other useful services. They tweet useful information. Often I find out news first on twitter than anywhere else.

[ToraToraTora]

is it? So prosecute the numpties then! Sorry I thought the trolls were anonymous. Surley the JudyF ones have broken some sort of law!

[andy-hughes]

Henrietta - "What I don't understand is why do people troll? What makes another human being "Take up metaphoric arms" and find the worst things they can say to make another human being feel hurt/angry/sad and the worst they can feel sometimes even pushing them to self harming or suicide?"

It's about power.

For some, the ability to affect someone else's life from a distance represents a small measure of control in a world in which they personally have little or no control themselves.

It's nasty, and it brings out the worst in human nature.

I find nothing to merit Twitter's continued existence.

[jno]

just so, robofluff. I don't use it, being too old for that sort of thing, but my son and his wife find it a useful tool for staying in touch with family, friends and contact. If they do any trolling, it must be under another name that I don't know about.

[jim360]

I don't think it's true that every ID is traceable -- with care, people can maintain anonymity. However twitter is different case, as typically people posting there do so under their own names. The issue is that people seem to treat the internet as though it's a totally separate place from the real world when it's actually part of it. This manifests itself in all sorts of ways; from the vicious messages directed at Judy Finnigan and her daughter, right down to surprisingly innocent things, the sort of stuff you might say to someone in a pub about someone else -- only, it being on the internet means that the target of a private joke can easily see what you've said.

In fact there is more anonymity (in general) on the AB than there is on Twitter.

[andy-hughes]

robofluff - "don't agree with Andy's opinion of twitter, I use twitter and Its not just to follow celebs! I follow my local police, local events, traffic news, my local council and other useful services. They tweet useful information. Often I find out news first on twitter than anywhere else."

Fair enough - I am whistling in the dark because I have never used it personally.

The whole concept puts me off - and I don't honestly feel I am missing anything.

[robofluff]

"Fair enough - I am whistling in the dark because I have never used it personally"

Yet such strong opinions on something you have never used.