Don’t Feed the Trolls

Every industry has its nasty side, and in the software business it seems like the blogosphere is where our ugly smackdowns take place. There are some pretty ugly sites out there that do nothing other than spread unfounded gossip. And it spreads like viral wildfire, sparking rumors and message board flame wars. Why some Troll would go out of their way to be nasty for no reason is beyond my comprehension.

Hypertext is an absolutely bizarre medium for communication. It exists nowhere and everywhere at once, and can be altered at any time with no trace left behind. For some reason, because our words are not verbally spoken or written in ink on paper, we place less value on them. Additionally, the impersonal medium of computers, the level of separation between human beings that exists when you are only criticizing abstract, faceless people in cyberspace, makes it easier for us to say nasty things to one another with little thought of the consequences.

I do not buy into the idea that words have less meaning or significance merely because they exist only online. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it’s an unfavorable opinion. But the wide accessibility of the Internet combined with the general gullibility of the human race means that if you’re going to say something about someone else online, it’s that much more important that what you’re saying is accurate. “Flame War” is an appropriate term for the ugly battles that take place online. You can respond quickly and in the heat of your emotions, before you take time to verify facts or find out if what you’ve read is just a rumor. Lies, distortions, and inaccuracies spread with lightning speed, doing nothing but cause negativity and possibly even the destruction of undeserving individuals and organizations.

Think before you type. Every post you make, every comment you offer, is something you’re contributing to your cyberspace karma. And if someone does flame you, do what we’re doing at work in response to our attacker: Don’t feed the Trolls. People who go out of their way to be nasty to others are unhappy and have something broken within themselves, but they don’t want to fix it so they lash out at others. Attention in any form — including telling them to shut up — is a reward.