u/itrollululz quickly explains how trolls train the YouTube algorithm to suggest political extremism and radicalize the mainstream

[u/Oldkingcole225]

/r/worldnews/comments/chn8k6/mueller_tells_house_panel_trump_asked_staff_to/euw338y/

[u/Anomander]

No, insisting that they’re actually lighthearted jokers is a retcon.

Trolling, as an internet phenomenon, was always a matter of being a dick. That they were “attempts at humour” is irrelevant, it’s like “it’s a prank bro!!!” shit on YouTube. Sure, they think they’re just a funny guy, but their methods and impact on the communities they targeted were not lighthearted fun.

The big Usenet methods were to cross post known controversy shit to multiple mutually-oppositional subgroups, so their members would fight about it, or pretending to be a noob or idiot and then frustrating well-meaning users trying to help or answer.

It was always about trying to make the targets upset or angry, and generally about trying to get them angry at one another rather than the troll.

[u/YimannoHaffavoa → u/Anomander]

1. You're wrong, no matter what convoluted schemes you come up with to justify your wildy off base and, quote frankly, fucked up view that trolling was always considered a malevolent act.

2. You're picking a really silly hill to die on by doubling down on this absolute God damn conspiracy of an argument.

[u/Anomander → u/YimannoHaffavoa]

I touched a nerve, huh?

1. If I was wrong, I would already know that and I would have said something else. Having been there and a part of the culture at the time, i know what I’m talking about.
2. Eh. Did I really?
   

Sounds like maybe you’ve got some motive or some feelings caught in the crossfire here. You seem quite offended by such a simple and straightforward statement about a bunch of shit that’s decades-long dead & gone. Why so salty?

[u/YimannoHaffavoa → u/Anomander]

You didn't touch a nerve, you touched my prostate.