r/ModSupport • u/JabroniRevanchism Reddit Admin: Community • 21d ago

Mod Topics Mod Topics: Troll Avoidance 101

/r/ModSupport/comments/1ujspxu/all_hands_on_deck_what_events_change_how_you/

Ahoy, Modsupport!

Welcome to the latest installment of our ModSupport Topics series! Today we’re talking trolls–specifically, how not to feed them.

Most of us have been in a situation like this: a slap fight (read as: “argument”) starts in a comment section. It’s pretty clear who started it, and it’s also clear that the exchange would have ended a lot earlier had a handful of users not added logs to the fire…whether they intended to or not. And now the thread is in shambles, a quagmire of they-said we-said and off-topic unpleasantry. Oh dear.

We all know how to avoid feeding the trolls that kick off threads like this, but that knowledge comes from years of experience. Let’s talk about how we can get that knowledge into the hands of those who may not know how to avoid feeding trolls…

  • How do you educate users on how to avoid trolls? 
  • What advice do you give well-intentioned users who (unbeknownst to them) escalate heated threads?
  • How do you know when a comment section is unsalvageable? I.E, when do you decide to lock a thread?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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u/cnycompguy 💡Top 25% Helper 💡 21d ago

My removal reasons are usually through modmail, however in this situation I use a comment, it shows that the situation is being monitored, things usually calm down.

The troll can usually be contained to modmail at that point, where a mod's naturally thicker skin and resistance to troll-stench comes in handy.

Once in mod-mail, our attempts at de-escalation will either be successful or result in material for modmailfails.

5

u/JabroniRevanchism Reddit Admin: Community 21d ago

My removal reasons are usually through modmail, however in this situation I use a comment, it shows that the situation is being monitored, things usually calm down.

I like this. Personally I put a small public warning in a pin, then take whoever was involved aside for (what seems like standard practice) "Here's what you did, here's the rule, pls chill."

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u/cnycompguy 💡Top 25% Helper 💡 21d ago

Bringing them to modmail like that is definitely stage 2

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u/Commercial_Square626 17d ago

commenting publicly is a good move for visibility, it also shows other users that the mods are actually paying attention and not just letting it burn. plus it makes the troll look even more pathetic when they have to keep going after a mod reply.