In
Internet slang, a
troll is someone who posts inflammatory,
[2] extraneous, or
off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with
the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[4] The noun
troll may refer to the provocative message itself, as in: "That was an excellent troll you posted".
While the word
troll and its associated verb
trolling are associated with Internet discourse, media attention in recent years has made such labels
subjective, with trolling describing intentionally provocative actions and
harassment outside of an online context. For example, mass media has used
troll to describe "a person who defaces Internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief to families."
[5][6]
