Are Trolls Ruining the Internet?

Have you seen this week’s Time magazine?  The cover story has the provocative title of “Why We’re Losing the Internet to the Culture of Hate” by Joel Stein.  Stein usually writes more humorous pieces as “The Awesome Column”.  Sometimes his less-serious writing style doesn’t match well with the length of a cover story, but not this time.

I’m just guessing that, since you are on the Internet now, you have some interest in this.

Fortunately, I’ve never been outright harassed, although I’ve had differences of opinion with many people, felt very misunderstood at times, and lost a few Facebook friends.  Maybe I’m just not that important to attract trolls.  But the article gives enough horror stories to make me want to continue to stay in the background.

Sometimes I think the Internet must be what the “Wild West” was about a hundred and fifty years ago.  So is there a solution?  We could give the trolls their own area (which seems to be happening on some sites).  Or everyone else could set a good example and maintain a reasonably high standard of courtesy and civility, then hope that becomes the standard.

And then, I suppose, justtroll-cover hope for the best.

You can find the article at http://time.com/4457110/internet-trolls/?xid=newsletter-brief

 

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