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This article is from the rec.arts.tv.soaps FAQ, by Margaret D. Gibbs gibbsm@ll.mit.edu with numerous contributions by
others.
25. Inappropriate posts (ie advertisements, trolls) (rec.arts.tv.soaps)
Advertisements:
The rec.arts.tv.soaps.* newsgroups are not an appropriate place for
commercial posts. Some people (usually those who don't even read these
newsgroups) do it anyway. Reporting these people to their Internet
Service Provider (usually postmaster@their.domain, or abuse@aol.com if
it's an AOL account) will often help - include a copy of the offending
post if you do this. If you feel you must follow-up to one of these
posts, please edit out the commercial (especially the 900 numbers),
so as not to continue the advertisement.
A Word About Trolls:
From time to time posts pop up on usenet that are not exactly what they
seem. These are usually called "trolls." On r.a.t.s.*. they can be divided
into three broad categories:
1. An individual posts something like this: "Soap operas suck. People who
watch soap operas are stupid idiots who have no life." Such posts often
contained numerous misspellings. This is *bait.* The person who posted it
is hoping to start an argument or provoke an indignant reply. No matter
how cleverly you annihilate this person in such a reply, you will have
played his game by replying at all. These people are often those who
have more internet access and time than brains or goodwill. Your best bet
is to ignore them completely.
2. A newbie will post to the group and make one or more egregious mistakes
that show s/he has not read the FAQ or lurked in the group for awhile before
posting. Perhaps they will post a spoiler without any space, demand an
update, or otherwise reveal their ignorance of the way usenet and our
newsgroup work. A gentle reminder to such a person will sometimes provoke
an extremely hostile and defensive response, in which the newbie accuses the
group of being a "cabal," or an exclusive club with no consideration for the
ignorant. Sometimes other newbies will rally to this one's defense. These
people are not precisely trolls, but their immaturity can detract from our
enjoyment of r.a.t.s.*. Your best bet is to email them a copy of the FAQ
and not get involved in any flamewars they start.
3. The third type of troll is the most unpleasant and potentially
dangerous. This is a true provocateur whose greatest desire is to start
trouble, even if the troll him/herself gets immolated in flames. Some
common tactics of troll type #3 are: to identify leaders/regular posters
of the group and attack them personally; to challenge the long-standing
traditions of the group; to post wildly false "spoilers" or highly
controversial material that is only peripherally related to the subject
matter of the group and wait for the flames. These people can make any
newsgroup a hellish place to hang out in. The *only* way to deal with them
is to ignore them completely. If you post a response to their bait, no
matter what it says, you will have satisfied their craving for attention.
If you email them, they will very likely start up an email correspondence
with you which may include veiled threats (e.g., "I know where you live"),
which should be reported to their Internet Service Provider. Aside from
these threats, what they do is not illegal and there is no reason to try to
have them disciplined or to have their net access denied. Your best bet is
to KILLFILE these posters, ignore them completely, never reply to them, and
never even refer to them in your posts, thus denying them the attention they
seek.
Thanks to Maggie Newman <jole@gsbsun.uchicago.edu> and SturdyCIyd@aol.com.
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