Concern trolling is a form of Internet trolling in which someone enters a discussion stating that they support the point of view of the discussion but have concerns. In fact, concern trolling opposes the discussion view, and uses concern trolling to sow doubt and disagreement in the community of commenters or posters. While this practice originated on the internet, it has since spread to the real world as well, with concerned trolls appearing in a variety of places, from network television to opinion columns.
man holding computer
Astute concern trolling involves developing a trusted person as an advocate for a cause that has legitimate concerns. In an example of a trolling concern, a group of people may be having a political discussion on a website about a candidate they support. The concerned troll would log on and say “I’m concerned that this candidate isn’t strong enough to beat the opposition” or “I’m concerned that the candidate’s record in the legislature could be an issue in the election.”
Once a concerned troll sows dissent or discord, they can usually sit back and let the other commenters do the rest of the work. When a concerned troll has done the job correctly, the discussion will split, factions will emerge, and support for the cause will have dwindled. Worry trolling can also be very distracting, as people come together to oppose worry trolling, instead of discussing serious issues, including valid issues that need to be addressed.
Depending on the context, a concerned troll might use a sockpuppet, a fake account that hides their true identity. In some particularly infamous cases, political activists trolled the opposition using fake accounts with the aim of undermining popular support. When these cases are exposed, it can be quite embarrassing, as trolling is often seen as a covert and often questionable tactic.
Many people think that the best thing to do with Internet trolls is to ignore them. By refusing to give them something to feed on, users can continue their discussion and stay focused on the topics they want to talk about. However, it can be hard to tell a concerned troll from a devil’s advocate or someone who is genuinely supportive but has concerns. Clues that someone is a troll of concern include a recent registration date, for sites that require registration for publication, along with minimal personal details in a user account. Concern about trolls also tends to come from people with no comment or posting history, so if a new user comes along and starts raising concerns, they could be a worrying troll.
