[kevinnugent]

Melbourne police hunt Australia's 'worst troll'

Melbourne police are reportedly investigating the son of an Australian musician who has been named Australia's most prolific internet troll.


Tristan Barker, 18, was allegedly behind an online "stalking" campaign in which he encouraged some of his 300,000 Facebook fans to send threatening messages to the owner of a hair extension company, Melissa Meitz, News Limited reported.
It's claimed Ms Meitz was targeted while she was running an online competition.
"The offence is stalking, under new legislation that came in a couple of years ago � it is a continuing investigation," Detective Senior Constable Rodney Andrew told News Limited.
However, police have reportedly been unable to interview the teen because he is currently living in New Zealand with his father Michael Barker, a former drummer for Split Enz and John Butler Trio.
A News Limited investigation revealed Barker had also used social media websites to encourage harassment of Muslims, businesses, celebrities, murder victims and online bullying victims who had committed suicide.
But Barker has responded to the recent news reports with more jokes online.
"The Australian media � because it's a good idea to take satire and trolls seriously," he posted on Facebook yesterday.
"I can't believe they published the crap I said to them in my interview."
Barker had told News Limited he was high on Red Bull and Ritalin when he trolled online and said he considered himself "an entertainer".

[grahamf]

I'd like to see the follow up to that.

And no, I don't consider him an "entertainer," but an *** on a global scale. Although I only just found out about him on this thread, so I don't know how far he actually goes.

I'd have to say our trolls were pretty bad (though they are relatively quiet now). They were basically hostile like hockey fans who were deliberately in a bar where a lot of their rival team's fans go to. I can't say pro-BB users were faultless, but the trolls worked hard to rile everyone up. Which to me is incredibly stupid, especially on a forum focused on communication devices.

[TheScionicMan]

Our trolls? I take no ownership of the trolls that try to ruin this place.

Fun fact: You can find all of the letters from the word "troll" in the phrase "Ignore List". Coincidence? I think not...

[grahamf]

Our trolls? I take no ownership of the trolls that try to ruin this place.

Fun fact: You can find all of the letters from the word "troll" in the phrase "Ignore List". Coincidence? I think not...

there's two "L"s in "troll" but only one in "ignore list"

[middbrew]

there's two "L"s in "troll" but only one in "ignore list"

Actually if you squint a little you can see two L's in the word "LList"

[TheScionicMan]

Unless you are type-setting or making a stencil, I stand by my statement...

[qbnkelt]

That sounds very similar to the campaign some people here started when they didn't like an article someone wrote and the whole mob with pitchforks grabbed her Twitter account, got her email address, and proceeded to encourage people from CB to go harass her.
Glad to see that there is a precedent against that kind of behaviour. Those people here were just as much trolls as the person in this article. Glad to see that they can be prosecuted. They deserve it if they go pull that stunt again.

[middbrew]

Unless you are type-setting or making a stencil, I stand by my statement...

You are correct and may sit down now.

[tmvqpbvu]

I take no ownership of the trolls that try to ruin this place.

[middbrew]

We get trolls now?

[3hb78ftg]

Originally Posted by grahamf
there's two "L"s in "troll" but only one in "ignore list"

Actually if you squint a little you can see two L's in the word "LList"

I wonder how many people squinted...

[TheScionicMan]

I wonder how many people squinted...

I have to squint to NOT see two LL's...

[jrohland]

If you insist on meddling in the affairs of trolls, you simply encourage them. Attention is their sustenance. Withdraw that food and they will go elsewhere. If you can't control yourself, use the ignore list to remove them from your line of sight. You may say "but he/she occasionally posts something useful". To that I say, a broken clock is "useful" twice a day but the rest of the time is wasted looking at it.

[sputneek]

I wonder how many people squinted...

I did..... damn(ed) bifocals!

[bambinoitaliano]

http://mashable.com/2013/03/11/boxer...twitter-troll/

[world boss]

you guys do this quite often and the mods always lock the thread and let it raise to trending now instead of deleting it

[Rootbrian]

I think we all should make a trolololoololololoool song for crackberry's forums. i'm drunk too. XD

Edit: While I can think soberly for this minor minute, I hate trolls. But we gotta ignore them the best we can.