Under The Bridge: A Typology of Internet Trolling

• In Event: Cyber Matters and Courtroom Processing

Abstract

In social media comment areas, the one constant personality found is the Internet troll. They draw the attention and the ire of other participants. They start arguments, create distractions and move the discussion ‘off-topc,’ drawing attention from the original posting, video, or comment. Social media users view Internet trolls generally, as harmless provocateurs whose goal is to anger current participants, future participants, and readers of social media comments. But, this fails to distinguish important differences among trolls and their activities. We argue that not all trolls are alike, and their motivations are varied. This paper examines the multiple motivations of Internet trolls and their behavior on social media sites. By classifying their comments and postings, we can clearly identify eight distinct types of behavior online. While some of this behavior may be harmless or humorous, other behaviors may link to violent extremism.

Authors

• Angela Glosser, Indiana University Kokomo

• Robert Cadigan, Boston University