Talk Cancer

Question:

Try to ignore or filter them out, or go to the ACOR listserv if they trouble you. Here’s a partial explanation. You’ve just asked one of the more complex questions to answer and I share your concern. Just so you know, if (flamers, trollers and cross-posters) don’t just pick a cancer newsgroup. They’re little groups of posters who (one or more) happen to pick a newsgroup that they like to spread their "joy" to. Sometimes it’s difficult to find which started where/what. another "teen" newsgroup <http://groups.google.com/groups?safe=images&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&as_ugro… A valid poster on that newsgroup might start a topic and then in come the regular inhabitants, who start being rude, another will join in and cross-post to another group.  In the cancer newsgroup’s case, it seems there’s at least one poster who explained a year or so ago, that since his mother (if I recall) died from cancer, he was perfectly entitled to cross-post his garbage to the cancer newsgroup. There’s a totally different bunch over on the <deleted newsgroup with the same mentality.  Trying to explain it would be like trying to explain the dysfunctional behaviour of a bunch of psychiatric patients in an open venue.  Each has their own set of issues and reasons for flareups, and trying to explain is impossible. (I did volunteer for years at a patient library at a local psychiatric hospital).  That’s the best way that I can explain it. In some posters it’s a game or maybe part of the answer is here? http://www.brawl-hall.com/pages/trolls.html To get attention, causing disruptions, annoy people, or general chaos are almost always at the top of a trolls agenda. Yet as hard as it might be to believe, it’s all done in the name of good light hearted fun. It cannot be stressed enough that Trolling is a game. In-order for this game of trolling to take place players are a mandatory ingredient. Some players are willing, others are unknowingly thrust into this game. As a civilian one will often serve as a pawn. You’re not real, you’re simply a digital abstraction to be used and manipulated. Still, rarely are recreational trolls out to hurt anyone or cause any real suffering. Remember, trolls can only upset you if you let them. After-all, it’s only harmless words on a screen <end quoted Well. that’s just one person’s opinion (about "harmless") who may well be a troll and/or a flamer on some other newsgroup.  They can disrupt a newsgroup to the point that it’s eventually unusable for it’s intended purpose.  I’ve seen it on other newsgroups. In some cases, some of our cross-posting trolls/flamers may be reading our newsgroup too. Some may not ever be reading our newsgroup, unless/if we bait them by replying to their posts (and not removing the other newsgroups from our reply).  Actually it’s best to not reply at all (to those posts/threads). There’s 2 solutions.  Everyone go underground (e-mailing privately) and/or to moderated newsgroups or to the ACOR listserv but some wouldn’t be able to find their way there without people watching for new posters on the cancer newsgroup to point them to other resources.  The thick-skinned ones like Steph and Cat and I and a few others, stay around to try and help new people who stumble onto the newsgroup and can’t make head nor tail of what the other posts are about. I watch the subject line and the poster names and "mark as read". Some newsreaders can filter a whole thread.  Or individual poster names. So if you’re out there and reluctant to post about your cancer, just post and ask for help and/or support.  If you prefer not posting to the cancer newsgroup, there’s listserv at http://www.acor.org/mailing.html?l=b Hope this helps, J

Response:

Hi J As a relative newbie myself, might I suggest that users of the newsgroup simply use the ‘block sender’ option in their newsreader with anyone not using appropriate tact or material for the newsgroup. We know how easy it is to get annoyed and reply but the trolls seek only attention and we don’t all have time for that. Regards Tony…

Response:

As a relative newbie myself, might I suggest that users of the newsgroup simply use the ‘block sender’ option in their newsreader with anyone not using appropriate tact or material for the newsgroup. We know how easy it is to get annoyed and reply but the trolls seek only attention and we don’t all have time for that.

Hi Tony, That’s probably best for those who prefer not to see such material. (and why I mentioned "filters" in my post). Not all newsreaders have that capability though (such as webtv), so some people just have to learn to ignore them. Others aren’t familiar with the features of their particular newsreader/version.  And/or have more important things on their minds than trying to figure out their newsreaders. So if you happen to run across a good collection (on one url) of "how to" for each newsreader, it would be very helpful to post from time to time. Regards, J

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