No subject

Thinking trolling damages society is =93absolutely ridiculous=94 she says, =
rubbishing the so-called =93war on trolling=94 and urging people to focus o=
n other, greater issues. Issues like big banks, home foreclosures, and Just=
in Bieber, she says, only half-serious.
However, even Cochran admits to having concerns about what the world has co=
me to understand as trolling. She believes media attention has seen the tro=
ll population swell over the past five years. Not all the new recruits shar=
e her =93artistic=94 trolling philosophy. And trolling has made her =93slig=
htly more misanthropic=94, she says.
Indeed, the young troll admits to being the victim of cyber-abuse herself. =
She's familiar with =93downright mean and cruel=94 attacks. Through Cochran=
 maintains such behaviour should be seen as bullying, not trolling. She say=
s she can handle it because she's thick-skinned.
=93[Trolling] has become more of a sport than an art and that bums me out,=
=94 she says.
=93I enjoy it more when people get the humour, but it's pretty entertaining=
 when people out themselves as crazed cretins online. I've actually trolled=
 people so hard to where they brutally attack my character so viciously tha=
t I end up pointing out why they reacted as such, which is often followed b=
y an apology from my target.
"Quite the epic troll victory when you can get your 'victim' to apologise t=
o you, the troll.=94
And it's that sense of winning =96 of triumphing over the bigots, misogynis=
ts or cretins =96 that Cochran says has kept her trolling long after her ea=
rly, initial adolescent dabbling. Then, she says, she trolled as a pest. No=
w, Cochran regards herself as dark-prankster with a purpose.
=93I relate a bit to some trolls, mostly the ones who, like myself, put som=
e thought into what they're doing,=94 she says.
=93I have a great distaste for tactless trolling and believe it cheapens it=
 as an art form. I steer clear of bullying and malevolent trolling.
=93If you're not from the internet, you probably won't get it or at least h=
ave a skewed perception when you hear the term 'troll', which is unfortunat=
e. Although, that means you're probably great troll fodder for people like =
me.
=93Hopefully I've just made people laugh and maybe think about things diffe=
rently. If I've offended people, then they should take a long hard look at =
themselves, because what I do is harmless fun.
"If I've really offended people, it's probably because they deserved it and=
 that's their own fault.=94

UTS CRICOS Provider Code: 00099F
DISCLAIMER: This email message and any accompanying attachments may contain=
 confidential information.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distr=
ibute or copy this message or
attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the =
sender immediately and delete
this message. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individu=
al sender, except where the
sender expressly, and with authority, states them to be the views of the Un=
iversity of Technology Sydney.
Before opening any attachments, please check them for viruses and defects.

Think. Green. Do.

Please consider the environment before printing this email.