Items tagged with trolls
The Internet is not always the friendliest and kindest place to traverse. However, Google is hoping to clean up the Internet’s act with its new AI tool, Perspective. Perspective uses machine learning models to scan online content and determine a comment's “toxicity” level. Perspective was developed by Jigsaw and Google’s Counter Abuse Technology. The ultimate goal of Perspective is to determine “the perceived impact a comment might have on a conversation”. Google hopes that Perspective will give commenters feedback, allow readers to find the most relevant content, and help moderators to do their job. This is only the first of Google’s promised machine learning models. Publishers will ultimately...
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Twitter has a harassment problem, and it’s looking for outside help to help combat Internet trolls that are turning the popular social media platform into a new age platform for bullying. Twitter’s newly formed Trust and Safety Council will work to offer “input on our safety products, policies, and programs” as it tiptoes the line between allowing the proliferation of free speech while at the same time protecting its users from hate speech. “Twitter empowers every voice to shape the world. But you can’t do that unless you feel safe and confident enough to express yourself freely and connect with the world around you,” writes the Trust and Safety Council. “To help give your voice more power, Twitter...
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It's said that a single bad apple can ruin the whole bunch, but Internet trolls are even worse. They not only ruin what could have been an engaging discussion on an interesting topic with intelligent individuals, but they often manage to go undetected until that moment when all hell breaks loose. And then the ban hammer drops, sometimes taking out good members who got caught up in a flame war. Turns out this doesn't have to be the case. Researchers from Stanford University and Cornell University studied online discussions from news site CNN, political site Breitbart, and gaming site IGN spanning 18 months, 1.7 million users, and nearly 40 million posts with more...
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Twitter users often have to put up with abuse and harassment from trolls. We saw this play out unfortunately during the whole #GamerGate saga, when death threats and “swatting” became the norm. We even saw it following the death of beloved comedian Robin Williams. His daughter, Zelda Williams, was harassed and trolled so badly following the tragedy that she suspended her Twitter account (she did return weeks later, however, after receiving an outpouring of support from fans).Zelda Williams (second from right) was temporarily chased off Twitter by trolls following her father's death. (Source: Flickr) Twitter has a problem, and its executives know this. In fact, the company’s CEO is well aware...
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Everyone has heard of patent trolls or copyright trolls like Righthaven, but the rapid evolution of the new porn troll has scientists puzzled. This new species of lawyer has emerged in the past two years as an intriguing example of how natural selection can quickly influence the trajectory of a species. Like its brethren, the porn troll issues a flood of letters to alleged infringers. What's unique about many of these lawyers, however, is the scope and nature of the actions. Think of it as a class-action lawsuit in reverse. Porn trolls gather several hundred anonymous users who are identified only by IP address, files suit against all of them simultaneously, subpoenas the ISP, and sends a letter...
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If you enjoy randomly flaming people on the internet and have been concerned that your anonymity might be maintained, here's a piece of good news for you:“A California judge in the Sixth Appellate District in Santa Clara County last week ruled that anonymous trolls on the Internet are allowed to stay anonymous. Along with remaining anonymous, Internet trolls are able to say what they like, by exercising their First Amendment rights, no matter how belittling is it.”So Trolls are entitled to their opinion, no mater how poorly spelled and/or ill-informed it may be....
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