Don't Feed the Trolls: Why This Old Internet Wisdom Still Matters

The phrase "don't feed the trolls" originated on Usenet in the early-to-mid 1990s, documented in the 1996 edition of Eric S. Raymond's Jargon File which noted: "one not infrequently sees the warning 'Do not feed the troll' as part of a followup to troll postings." The birthplace was alt.folklore.urban (AFU), where "trolling for newbies" served as community bonding where veterans would post overdone topics to identify newcomers who'd respond earnestly. Interestingly, David Mikkelson, one of AFU's most notorious trollers, went on to create Snopes.com in 1994-1995, even naming a section "The Repository of Lost Legends" with the acronym T.R.O.L.L. as homage to this early culture. By the late 1990s, the meaning had darkened considerably and the term broadened to include anyone deliberately harassing or provoking other users for attention.

troll

Some people claim that the troll (sense 1) is properly a narrower category than flame bait, that a troll is categorized by containing some assertion that is wrong but not overtly controversial. See also Troll-O-Meter.

So what does "don't feed the trolls" actually mean in practice? At its core, it means cutting trolls off from the thing they want most: your attention. When someone posts inflammatory content, makes personal attacks, or tries to derail conversations with bad-faith arguments, they're fishing for reactions. Every angry reply, every quote calling them out, every screenshot shared in outrage is food for the troll. Research by Federation University Australia shows that trolls derive pleasure specifically from "negative social potency", aka knowing that others are annoyed. The more negative social impact they have, the more their behavior is reinforced.

See also: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37043467/

This is where the wisdom of restraint comes in. Whatever witty comeback or devastating quip you have prepared, it isn't worth it and only feeds the trolls. I know it's tempting, but engaging gives them exactly what they're seeking. Studies analyzing 40 million posts across 18 months found that "anti-social behavior is exacerbated when the community feedback is overly harsh." Each angry response feeds the cycle and encourages more trolling. Breaking this reinforcement loop through non-engagement diminishes their motivation to continue.

Don't feed the trolls means not giving them a platform. When you quote a troll, you're amplifying their message to your entire following. Research from the Center for Countering Digital Hate showed that when public figures engaged with trolls, small networks of approximately 100 accounts gained access to audiences of millions through the target's response. Instead of engaging, use your platform to share positive content, support others, and have meaningful conversations.

Don't feed the trolls means using ignore, mute, and block features liberally and without guilt. These aren't signs of weakness; they're tools for maintaining your digital wellbeing. Modern platforms have given us powerful features: keyword muting to filter triggering content, blocking to prevent direct contact, restricting to limit interactions without full blocking, and reporting for serious violations.

Some examples: Reddit's successful communities don't just ignore trolls—moderators swiftly remove their content and ban repeat offenders. Wikipedia uses a "Revert, Block, Ignore" strategy that works because swift, silent removal convinces vandals their efforts are pointless and boring.

Most importantly, don't feed the trolls means setting appropriate boundaries and then, critically, enforcing them. Successful online communities have clear standards that explicitly prohibit trolling with specified consequences. You can do the same with your personal accounts: decide what behavior you won't tolerate, communicate those boundaries clearly (in your bio, pinned posts, or community guidelines), and consistently enforce them without engaging in debates about your decisions. You don't owe anyone an explanation, and sometimes providing one does more harm than good, because it is food for the troll.

The beauty of "don't feed the trolls" is that it's both a personal practice and a collective action. When we all commit to not amplifying toxic behavior, we create online spaces where meaningful conversation can thrive. Every time you choose not to engage with a troll, you're not just protecting your own peace of mind, you're helping starve out the attention economy.

So the next time you see that inflammatory post or receive that provocative reply, remember: your silence is more powerful than any comeback. Don't feed the trolls. Block, mute, report if needed, and move on to conversations that actually matter. The internet becomes a better place not through winning arguments with trolls, but through building communities where their tactics simply don't work.