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Best ways to troll someone
Executive summary
The phrase “best ways to troll someone” can mean very different things depending on context — fishing (trolling lures behind a boat) or online provocation — and the available reporting treats them separately: angling guides focus on tactics like speed, lure presentation and coverage to increase fish strikes [1] [2] [3], while social‑science and platform pieces warn that online trolling causes emotional harm, spreads contagiously, and can cross legal lines [4] [5] [6] [7].
1. Two meanings of “trolling”: baiting fish versus baiting people
“Trolling” commonly refers either to a fishing technique — running lures behind a moving boat to cover water and trigger strikes — or to internet behavior where someone posts inflammatory content to provoke reactions; the angling literature gives detailed tactical advice on speeds, lure spreads and ground coverage [1] [2] [3], while commentary about online trolls frames them as provocateurs who instigate arguments and cause distress [6] [8].
2. If you meant fishing: proven tactics, not “tricks” on people
Anglers aiming to troll effectively emphasize practical, measurable factors: presenting multiple lures at once, adjusting trolling speeds so baits perform as intended (skipping baits barely breaking the surface or swimming baits running just under), and methodically covering features like color changes, rips and thermal edges to search for feeding fish [1] [3] [2]. These are sport techniques intended to increase catch rates, not to harass people [1] [3].
3. If you meant online “trolling”: harms and dynamics
Research and reporting characterise online trolling as posting inflammatory or unwelcome content to provoke; platforms often try to moderate such behavior because it inflicts emotional distress, anxiety, and isolation on victims [6] [8]. Academic studies show trolling is not just individual malice but emerges from social dynamics like deindividuation and contagion — meaning environments and peer behavior can make trolling spread [4] [5].
4. Contagion research: trolling as a social phenomenon
Two recent scholarly pieces apply formal and behavioral theory to trolling. One study applies deindividuation and contagion frameworks using surveys and configurational analysis to map how trolling arises on Facebook and Instagram [4]. Another computational paper models trolling as an emergent, contagious social dynamic rather than solely a trait of “bad actors,” suggesting interventions must address the social system as well as individuals [5].
5. Legal and platform limits: when “trolling” becomes illegal or sanctioned
Not all provocative posts are crimes, but guides from legal practitioners caution that repeated obscene, threatening, or harassing messages — whether by phone, text, email or online — can meet the threshold for criminal charges or platform suspension [7] [6]. Social platforms also have moderation policies aimed at protecting users and preserving community health, which can result in bans for severe trolling [6].
6. Practical, ethical alternatives to “trolling someone” online
Available sources stress mitigation and response more than instruction for provocation: platforms and researchers emphasise moderation, user protections, and understanding the drivers of trolling to reduce harm [6] [4] [5]. The literature implies an ethical approach is to avoid harassment, report or block abusive accounts, and design conversations to reduce contagion rather than escalate it [6] [4].
7. Conflicting viewpoints and hidden agendas in coverage
Angling sources aim to teach sport tactics and may overemphasize “what works” for catching fish [1] [3]. Technology and advocacy pieces framing trolling as a societal problem often press platforms to act, which reflects an agenda of platform accountability and user safety [6] [8]. Academic models that describe trolling as “contagion” shift responsibility toward social systems and design, which can be interpreted either as highlighting systemic fixes or as downplaying individual responsibility [4] [5].
8. Bottom line and responsible takeaway
If your goal is recreational fishing, follow angling best practices on speed, lure presentation and coverage to “troll” successfully [1] [2] [3]. If you were asking about provoking people online, the reporting and research emphasize the harms, the contagious dynamics, and legal/platform risks, not instructions — and they recommend mitigation, moderation and restraint rather than escalation [6] [4] [5] [7].
Limitations: these sources cover sport fishing tactics and social‑science/legal perspectives on online trolling; available sources do not mention step‑by‑step instructions for harassing another person or “how to” techniques for online provocation.