Editing Troll (slang) (section)

== Examples ==

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So-called Gold Membership trolling originated in 2007 on [[4chan]] boards, when users posted fake images claiming to offer upgraded 4chan account privileges; without a "Gold" account, one could not view certain content. This turned out to be a hoax designed to fool board members, especially newcomers. It was copied and became an [[Internet meme]]. In some cases, this type of troll has been used as a scam, most notably on Facebook, where fake Facebook Gold Account upgrade ads have proliferated in order to link users to dubious websites and other content.<ref>[http://countermeasures.trendmicro.eu/all-that-glisters-is-not-facebook-gold/ "All that glisters is not (Facebook) gold"], CounterMeasures: Security, Privacy & Trust (A TrendMicro Blog). Retrieved 6 April 2010.</ref>

The case of ''[[Zeran v. America Online, Inc.]]'' resulted primarily from trolling. Six days after the [[Oklahoma City bombing]], anonymous users posted advertisements for shirts celebrating the bombing on AOL message boards, claiming that the shirts could be obtained by contacting Mr. Kenneth Zeran. The posts listed Zeran's address and home phone number. Zeran was subsequently harassed.<ref name="Bond">{{Cite news|last=Bond|first=Robert|year=1999|title=Links, Frames, Meta-tags and Trolls|pages=317–23|work=International Review of Law, Computers & Technology 13}}</ref>

[[Scientology controversies|Anti-scientology]] protests by [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]], commonly known as [[Project Chanology]], are sometimes labeled as "trolling" by media such as ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine|access-date=5 October 2010|title=The Assclown Offensive: How to Enrage the Church of Scientology|first=Julian|last=Dibbell|date=21 September 2009|url=https://www.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/magazine/17-10/mf_chanology|magazine=[[Wired magazine|Wired]]}}</ref> and the participants sometimes explicitly self-identify as "trolls".

[[Neo-Nazism|Neo-Nazi]] website ''[[The Daily Stormer]]'' orchestrates what it calls a "Troll Army", and has encouraged trolling of Jewish MP [[Luciana Berger]] and Muslim activist [[Mariam Veiszadeh]].<ref name=cnn>{{cite news|last1=Whiteman|first1=Hilary|title=I will not be silenced: Australian Muslim fights Twitter 'troll army'|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/27/asia/australia-muslim-twitter-campaign/|access-date=4 March 2015|publisher=CNN|date=28 February 2015}}</ref>

[[Ken M]], or Ken McCarthy, is considered one of the greatest internet trolls of all time.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Phil |date=2016-05-06 |title=The world's greatest internet troll explains his craft |url=https://www.vox.com/2016/5/6/11597960/ken-m-internet-troll |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref> Ken M is known for trolling forums and comment sections by playing a "well-meaning moron" online. McCarthy compared his trolling to a comedy routine, where strangers who responded to his comments became unwitting "straight men".  Ken M would reply with increasingly absurd statements until his ruse was discovered.<ref name=":6" />

[[Vampetaço]] is a form of trolling and [[Cancel culture|cancelling]] perpetrated by Brazilians, where [[Erotic photography|erotic pictures]] of the ex-footballer [[Vampeta]] for the ''[[G Magazine]]'' are posted on [[social media]] profiles.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fraga |first=Eric |title=G-Magazine: os primeiros anos (1997–1999) |date=22 January 2021 |journal=[[Medium (website)|Medium]] |url=https://medium.com/@ericbfrg/g-magazine-os-primeiros-anos-1997-1999-ec9fb1bedb94 |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407143657/https://medium.com/@ericbfrg/g-magazine-os-primeiros-anos-1997-1999-ec9fb1bedb94 |url-status=live}}</ref> It is often used as protest against public people that post something considered as unpleasant in their [[social media]], specially [[Twitter]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Wilkson |first=Adriano |title=Anatomia do Vampetaço |date=26 April 2021 |journal=[[Universo Online]] |url=https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/reportagens-especiais/anatomia-do-vampetaco-fotos-de-vampeta-pelado-na-g-magazine-sao-usadas-em-controversos-protestos-na-internet/ |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407154428/https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/reportagens-especiais/anatomia-do-vampetaco-fotos-de-vampeta-pelado-na-g-magazine-sao-usadas-em-controversos-protestos-na-internet/#page8 |url-status=live}}</ref> including foreginers that offends Brazil.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lesnovski |first=Ana |title=VAMPETAÇO VIRA DEFESA CONTRA CRÍTICAS AO BRASIL |date=29 February 2024 |journal=[[Meteoro Brasil]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhZlmJybSmM |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407160005/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhZlmJybSmM |url-status=live}}</ref> Amongst its victims are [[Varg Vikernes]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Aiex |first=Tony |title=João Gordo compartilha charge que ilustra "Vampetaço" contra músico nazista  |date=20 August 2020 |journal=Tenho Mais Discos do Que Amigos! |url=https://www.tenhomaisdiscosqueamigos.com/2020/08/20/joao-gordo-ilustracao-vampetaco/ |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407162409/https://www.tenhomaisdiscosqueamigos.com/2020/08/20/joao-gordo-ilustracao-vampetaco/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Israel Katz]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Ministro de Israel é alvo de "vampetaço" após críticas a Lula |date=23 February 2024 |journal=Poder360 |url=https://www.poder360.com.br/internacional/ministro-de-israel-e-alvo-de-vampetaco-apos-criticas-a-lula/ |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=16 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216142519/https://www.poder360.com.br/internacional/ministro-de-israel-e-alvo-de-vampetaco-apos-criticas-a-lula/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Tucker Carlson]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Sanz |first=Raphael |title=Tucker Carlson é a mais nova vítima do 'Vampetaço' nas redes sociais |date=2 March 2024 |journal=Fórum |url=https://revistaforum.com.br/midia/2024/3/2/tucker-carlson-mais-nova-vitima-do-vampetao-nas-redes-sociais-155010.html |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407171654/https://revistaforum.com.br/midia/2024/3/2/tucker-carlson-mais-nova-vitima-do-vampetao-nas-redes-sociais-155010.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Elon Musk]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Teixera |first=Isadora |title=Elon Musk é alvo de "Vampetaço" no X após pedir impeachment de Moraes |date=7 April 2024 |journal=[[Metrópoles]] |url=https://www.metropoles.com/colunas/grande-angular/elon-musk-e-alvo-de-vampetaco-no-x-apos-pedir-impeachment-de-moraes |language=pt-BR |access-date=7 April 2025 |archive-date=7 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407173030/https://www.metropoles.com/colunas/grande-angular/elon-musk-e-alvo-de-vampetaco-no-x-apos-pedir-impeachment-de-moraes |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, the official [[Discord (software)|Discord]] server and [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] channel for the [[U.S. Army Esports]] team became a target of trolling, as people sent anti-U.S. Army messages, memes, and references to [[United States war crimes|war crimes committed by the United States]] to both.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hernandez|first=Patricia|date=2020-07-01|title=The US Army is losing the war in Discord|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/7/1/21310282/us-army-discord-esports-uwu-ban-speedrun-trolling|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Polygon|language=en}}</ref> When the team started banning users from their Twitch channel for trolling, they were accused of violating the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution]] by the [[ACLU]] and Knight First Amendment Institute at [[Columbia University]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S. Army Esports Team May Have Violated the First Amendment on Twitch|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/us-army-esports-team-may-have-violated-the-first-amendment-on-twitch/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Vice |first1=Matthew |last1=Gault |date=16 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S. Army and Navy Must Stop Banning Speech About War Crimes from Their Twitch Channels, Knight Institute Says in Demand Letter|url=https://knightcolumbia.org/content/us-army-and-navy-must-stop-banning-speech-about-war-crimes-from-their-twitch-channels-knight-institute-says-in-demand-letter |date=July 22, 2020 |access-date=2020-07-25|website=Knight First Amendment Institute |language=en}}</ref> The team has since denied these allegations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Venhuizen|first=Harm|date=2020-07-20|title=Army esports team denies accusations of violating First Amendment, offering fake giveaways|url=https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/07/20/army-esports-team-denies-accusations-of-violating-first-amendment-offering-fake-giveaways/|access-date=2020-07-25|website=Army Times|language=en-US |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231214212924/https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/07/20/army-esports-team-denies-accusations-of-violating-first-amendment-offering-fake-giveaways/ |archive-date= 14 December 2023 }}</ref>

In 2021, the ''[[Salon.com|Salon]]'' columnist Amanda Marcotte, author of ''Troll Nation: How the Right Became Trump-Worshipping Monsters Set on Rat-F*cking Liberals, America, and Truth Itself'' (2018), described the [[Radical right (United States)|American far-right]] exclusively male organization [[Proud Boys]], the [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] pundit [[Tucker Carlson]], and podcast host [[Joe Rogan]] as political commentators who have mastered "the art of trolling as a far-right recruitment strategy" by preying upon the American male insecurities, mediocrity, and fragility.<ref name="Marcotte 2021">{{cite magazine |last=Marcotte |first=Amanda |date=18 October 2021 |title=Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and the Proud Boys: How the fragility of the male ego fuels the far-right |url=https://www.salon.com/2021/10/18/tucker-carlson-joe-rogan-and-the-proud-boys-how-the-fragility-of-the-male-ego-fuels-the-far-right/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Salon.com]] |oclc=43916723 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018234912/https://www.salon.com/2021/10/18/tucker-carlson-joe-rogan-and-the-proud-boys-how-the-fragility-of-the-male-ego-fuels-the-far-right/ |archive-date=18 October 2021 |access-date=18 October 2021}}</ref> In particular, regarding their respective [[Transphobia|discriminatory comments about transgender people]], she remarks "how crucial gender anxiety is to far-right recruitment".<ref name="Marcotte 2021"/>

[[Elon Musk]] calls himself Chief Troll,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/elon-musk-declares-himself-chief-troll-officer-updates-his-bio-on-x/articleshow/106655111.cms?from=mdr | title=Elon Musk declares himself 'Chief Troll Officer,' updates his bio on X | work=The Economic Times | date=9 January 2024 }}</ref> has trolled world leaders,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gzeromedia.com/news/analysis/trolling-with-power-elon-musks-online-antics-are-getting-real |title=Trolling with power: Elon Musk's online antics are getting real – GZERO Media }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://torontosun.com/news/national/elon-musk-throws-support-behind-poilievre-with-apple-eating-video}}</ref> and [[Elon Musk salute controversy|saluted the crowd]] in what ''[[The Atlantic]]'' described as a deliberately offensive and provocative way at [[Second inauguration of Donald Trump|Donald Trump's second inauguration]].<ref name="Musk-salute">{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/01/musk-trump-inauguration-salute/681390/ |title=Did He Actually do That? |website=[[The Atlantic]] |first=Charlie |last=Warzel |date=January 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122091830/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/01/musk-trump-inauguration-salute/681390/ |archive-date=2025-01-22 |url-status=live |quote=Above all else, Musk is a troll, an [[edgelord]]. He delights in '[[triggering]]' his ideological enemies, which includes the media. And his gesture – whatever the intent – has done just that. [...] None of that is to suggest that Musk’s salute wasn’t genuine. A practiced troll consistently crosses redlines because they want to offend and trigger. }}</ref>

On November 22, 2024, a Twitter account impersonating online streamer, Cheesur, posted inflammatory statements toward the [[Mexico|Mexican]] [[Jalisco New Generation]] [[drug cartel|cartel]] and its leader [[El Mencho]]. Users on the internet first believed it was the content creator as a result of missing person posters circulating around online of the streamer. The account was later debunked as not being Cheesur. He would later go live on [[Kick (service)|Kick]] to confirm he was not missing, hurt, and was well alive.<ref name="dgaming">{{cite web |title=Who Is Cheesur? Controversial Kick Streamer's Career Explored |url=https://deltiasgaming.com/who-is-cheesur-controversial-kick-streamers-career-explored/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127225327/https://deltiasgaming.com/who-is-cheesur-controversial-kick-streamers-career-explored/ |archive-date=January 27, 2025 |website=Deltias Gaming |date=27 December 2024 |publisher=Adhiraj Yadav |access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>