In
Internet slang, a
troll is a person who starts quarrels or upsets people on the
Internet to distract and sow discord by posting inflammatory and digressive,
[1] extraneous, or
off-topic messages in an
online community (such as a
newsgroup,
forum,
chat room, or blog) with the
intent of provoking readers into displaying
emotional responses
[2] and normalizing tangential discussion,
[3] whether for the troll's amusement or a specific gain.
Both the noun and the verb forms of "troll" are associated with Internet discourse. However, the word has also been used more widely. Media attention in recent years has equated trolling with
online harassment. For example, the mass media have used "troll" to mean "a person who defaces Internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief to families".
[4][5] In addition, depictions of trolling have been included in popular fictional works, such as the
HBO television program The Newsroom, in which a main character encounters harassing persons online and tries to infiltrate their circles by posting negative sexual comments.
