What Exactly Makes You A Troll?

Here's the same post that I put on Multiply tonight after getting an e-mail from a fan. Enjoy!

One of my fans sent me a list of Multiply Trolls that is making the rounds of the multiply users that still use this wonderful site to share illegal cross stitch patterns with each other and the world. This got me thinking about what exactly defines someone as a Troll, especially since 5 of us on that list are just designers trying to defend the copyrights of the designs that we created and are being shared illegally.

Wikipedia defines Internet Trolls the best at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll as someone who disrupts the flow of discussion on a group by posting rude, inflamatory, offensive or repetitive messages. I guess if we designers repeat the fact that scanning in a leaflet and posting it electronically is ILLEGAL, then we are being repetitive... so then I AM a troll.

But if you read further articles about troll culture, true internet trolls pride themselves on remaining anonymous. Going in as DragonDreamsJen is about as UNanonymous as I know how to be and my profile certainly never tries to hide who I am... so then I am NOT a troll.

If you read even further down to the Alternate Views section, it shows how people often get called trolls for holding a different opinion from the majority in a group, so by that definition, I AM a troll to all those who use multiply to share patterns illegally, but I like how that is defined as a "logical fallacy"!

So am I a Troll or not? I guess if I get called a troll for speaking out against something that is illegal and ethically wrong, then I will accept the label... and maybe I'll just draw a little troll cartoon to go along with my profile.. but being a mythical dragon is a LOT more fun!