!!!The new kid on the block!!!

**kickingbird** · 10-06-11, 04:11 AM

Interesting article.

Online Forum Etiquette: How to Deal with a Forum Bully

If you've ever spent any time in an online forum, you've undoubtedly encountered certain individuals who abuse their status within the forum. I'm not talking about forum trolls. They're easy to spot - and just as easy to dismiss. But rather, a different kind of malicious entity - the forum bully.

[...]

Evolution of a Forum Bully

Forum bullies are typically intelligent. They usually begin as helpful members of the forum. But as their power grows, their true nature reveals itself. Once established, forum bullies begin mixing their helpful posts with intimidation. As they evolve, and develop a reputation, they attract followers. The followers serve as back up, often times speaking on behalf of the bully to clarify the forum bully's statements. Other times the followers are like a pack of hyenas jumping in for the kill after the bully has drawn blood.

As the forum bully fully evolves, she begins to feel immune to attack. She states her opinion regardless of accuracy or consequence, knowing full well that she can always rely on the support of followers to bail her out of trouble.

[...]

Enablers

The danger of a forum bully is two-fold. In one respect, the forum bully makes the other respected members of the forum appear hypocritical to an outsider. When the forum bully spouts her own brand of nonsense, when the forum bully tears apart other forum members for no reason other than because she can, it makes other members of the forum look bad - simply because the very behavior a troll is ostracized for, is the exact same behavior permitted to the forum bully. The double standard so created reeks of hypocrisy and undermines the legitimacy of everyone who does not call the forum bully out for her repugnant behavior.

**Almostinsane** · 10-06-11, 08:32 AM

Yeah, I've seen bully's like that a lot of times.
What I dislike the most is when there on a animal based forum, in my opinion the bullies always get worse there.
I attend a hermit crab forum, and this one girls really annoying. I've complained a few times to the mods but just kind of gave up. They favor her strongly. I personally think it's because shes on anti depressants, but that's a mix of lack of mods/admins, and forum bullies. They think they have more knowledge about the animal, so they get all superior minded.

**Almighty-Datsu** · 10-06-11, 01:53 PM

liking the analogies of getting trolled on the forums to be equated to a pack of hyenas slaughtering people lol

**kickingbird** · 10-06-11, 04:57 PM

I hope I haven't offended anyone by placing this thread. It does look a bit like I'm fixating.

When I went back and looked at some of my own experience at other forums I was very dismayed at what I had done to counter what I perceived as bullying. One particular forum was wide open and had no moderators, and your imagination may be able to guess what transpired. It devolved, and along with it, my own restraint as what is acceptable forum discourse. One has to remember that wherever you post you leave a trail of your dropping behind, be they good or bad.

PS: Here is an interesting take on bullying from The Admin Zone... Trolls vs Internet bullies