General Discussion

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts) Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:08 PM Apr 2018

PLEASE put on your thinking caps!

There are disruptors here, as another post/thread talks about.

You know the indicators, right? Low post count, controversial post, something that sounds oddly like you'd hear from a Trumper or on Fox News, you can see a Trumper or Trump agreeing with it, no real facts (it will say maybe "lots of journalists are saying" or "a lot of people think..." but will not cite to a reputable news source or reputable journalist), or references alternative theories that are used by the rightwingnuts.

Yet people are here responding to them repeatedly.

1. Do not place them on "ignore," or you won't be able to see how their posts evolve.
2. Don't feed them with your responses on substance...respond, asking for cites and facts.
3. Alert, if applicable.

13 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

PLEASE put on your thinking caps! (Original Post) Honeycombe8 Apr 2018 OP

I'll gleefully Hayduke Bomgarte Apr 2018 #1

Nor do I. n/t Different Drummer Apr 2018 #2

Same here. Almost never vote to hide a post either. Hoyt Apr 2018 #7

I've belong to DU fr many years & can count the times I've alerted. Honeycombe8 Apr 2018 #9

I did my 2nd alert today on a ridiculous post bashing the Democratic Party kimbutgar Apr 2018 #3

The workers in Macedonia need money too. WhiteTara Apr 2018 #6

I could have a zillion thinking caps on and still be too BigmanPigman Apr 2018 #4

You'd probably recognize a couple of 'em... Honeycombe8 Apr 2018 #10

I'll use that last sentence as my troll test. BigmanPigman Apr 2018 #13

Another approach -- RandomAccess Apr 2018 #5

Yep jberryhill Apr 2018 #8

Half baked sly devil bots ain't as sly as they think. nt oasis Apr 2018 #11

You guys are better then me. Corgigal Apr 2018 #12

Hayduke Bomgarte

(1,965 posts)

1. I'll gleefully

Reply to Honeycombe8 (Original post)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:11 PM

Apr 2018

Do #'s 1 and 2, but I don't do alerts.

Different Drummer

(7,642 posts)

2. Nor do I. n/t

Reply to Hayduke Bomgarte (Reply #1)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:14 PM

Apr 2018

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)

7. Same here. Almost never vote to hide a post either.

Reply to Hayduke Bomgarte (Reply #1)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:53 PM

Apr 2018

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)

9. I've belong to DU fr many years & can count the times I've alerted.

Reply to Hayduke Bomgarte (Reply #1)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 09:36 PM

Apr 2018

I rarely do them. But that's the only way to alert the admins to a possible troll, I think.

You can tell the admins in "Ask the Administrators," but I don't think those are read quickly, and that's not what that is for.

kimbutgar

(21,188 posts)

3. I did my 2nd alert today on a ridiculous post bashing the Democratic Party

Reply to Honeycombe8 (Original post)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:18 PM

Apr 2018

In my 7 years today on DU only the second time I have ever done it to a post that blatantly bashed Democrats and was an obvious troll. I looked for that post later and saw it was gone. I’m seeing an increase in these disrupters again like in 2016.

WhiteTara

(29,722 posts)

6. The workers in Macedonia need money too.

Reply to kimbutgar (Reply #3)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:50 PM

Apr 2018

The bot armies are definitely swarming again.

BigmanPigman

(51,627 posts)

4. I could have a zillion thinking caps on and still be too

Reply to Honeycombe8 (Original post)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:24 PM

Apr 2018

ignorant and/or naive to spot a person trolling. In fact I did not even know what "trolling" meant and had to ask fellow DUers for the definition when I was accused of it myself. I don't think there is a fool proof way to spot a provocateur.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)

10. You'd probably recognize a couple of 'em...

Reply to BigmanPigman (Reply #4)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 09:49 PM

Apr 2018

if I linked them for you. But can't...cause they weren't removed.

I've been posting in forums for a looooong time, and there's a certain pattern of newbies in forums. Not always. And it's very general.

I've also read a bit of far right and all-party forums, so I've gotten to know how their posts sound at times.

But it's really obvious to me for SOME of them. One I was 100% sure, though. No doubt.

Poster had very low post count. His post was about one of those wacko far-right conspiracy theory things. He goes on about it. THEN he posts an article as support. The article is by someone who has a logo thing on left at top that says (get this): Donald Trump for President. The website cited is an alt-right site. That's pretty obvious, I'd say. And STILL Democrats were conversing with the Trumper. And one actually said "Well I like to consider all theories. We should do that." WTH?

Sometimes it doesn't take a genius to spot the dog in a room full of cats.

Also, if someone has a lot of posts and has been a member for years, not a disruptor.

I'm just saying to be aware. If Trump would like the post if he saw it, well....

BigmanPigman

(51,627 posts)

13. I'll use that last sentence as my troll test.

Reply to Honeycombe8 (Reply #10)

Mon Apr 23, 2018, 03:02 AM

Apr 2018

"Would the moron like the post?" That seems like something that even I could figure out.

RandomAccess

(5,210 posts)

5. Another approach --

Reply to Honeycombe8 (Original post)

Sun Apr 22, 2018, 08:42 PM

Apr 2018

an exaggerated, over-the-top agreement with one or more of our positions, or a suggestion that we should take it further (too much further). It's a bit of a taunt, or a mocking.

Most of the times when I've seen this, no one has responded, which is good.