[hackerspaces] any recommendations for handling of a troll?

[Edward L Platt]

Not feeding the troll, as everyone has already said, is the best option.

Some additional thoughts: The book "Team Geek" has a really good bit about
how to handle exactly this kind of behavior.  One thing they recommend is
responding to whatever is valid in the person's comments.  If the whole
thing is off-topic then blocking may be best, but a short, rational, and
plain response to an irrational and unfriendly email is usually similarly
effective, and sometime turns an unproductive conversation to a productive
one (see Wikipedia's "Assume Good Faith" policy).

-Ed



On Sun, Feb 16, 2014 at 6:32 PM, Georges Kesseler <georgeskesseler at yahoo.com
> wrote:

>
> If he is using other outlest (as journalist, he has access to media) and
> does not stop his vendetta, then take the wind out of his sails.
> On the kids don't solder statement, use that and turn it around:
> Today's problems is that kids are not aware of soldering skills, the
> hackerspace wants to change this and gives access to professional
> equipment to learn to solder and create awesome electronics yourself.
>
> That idea inspired from one of the online guides about how to handle FUD
>
> Georges
>
> On 01/27/2014 09:10 PM, Peter wrote:
> > thanks for your opinion, you convinced me:
> >
> > ignore him, give him no reason to start whatever he might do.
> > we will lead him gently out of our hackerspace if he shows up,
> > i will not allow any discussion.
> >
> > quietly delete/block/ignore. the costs the least amount of energy and
> > time.
> >
> > i ask others not to write this person any mail. a justification is not
> > necessary.
> >
> > again, thanks, peter
> >
> > ps: our "guy" seams to be harmless, compared to the
> > creeper/stalker/whatever in the other thread.
> >
> > On 01/27/2014 08:39 AM, Arclight wrote:
> >> I agree with the last caller. This sort of thing is "attention-seeking
> >> behavior." Unfortunately, the proper response is to deny the troll
> >> attention, and thus make their increasingly-aggressive attempts at being
> >> noticed and validated not productive. This is not very satisfying, but
> >> it's the only thing that works.  Don't ask them to leave again, don't
> >> respond in any way, just quietly delete/block/ignore and move on.
> >>
> >> Do document it whenever they pop up again, and save the e-mail or
> >> voicemail trail. This is also the sort of person that is liable to cause
> >> you trouble later by claiming that you discriminated against them at the
> >> board meeting or ran over their cat or whatever. Really, treat them as
> >> you would any other mentally-ill person who has an unnatural and
> >> specific interest in interacting with your group.
> >>
> >> Arclight
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sun, Jan 26, 2014 at 11:31 PM, Rubin Abdi <rubin at starset.net
> >> <mailto:rubin at starset.net>> wrote:
> >>
> >>     Dave wrote, On 2014-01-26 20:54:
> >>      > Don't feed the troll!
> >>
> >>     Plus one.
> >>
> >>     --
> >>     Rubin
> >>     rubin at starset.net <mailto:rubin at starset.net>
> >>
> >>
> >>     _______________________________________________
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> >>     Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> >> <mailto:Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org>
> >>     http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
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> >>
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> > http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>



-- 
Edward L. Platt
http://elplatt.com
http://civic.mit.edu/users/elplatt
http://i3detroit.com
@elplatt <http://twitter.com/elplatt>
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