The word troll has become shorthand for more or less every nasty scumbag on the internet, and theres no denying thats exactly what many of these people are. But this accepted meaning is actually a relatively new definition of the wordan easy, evocative, catch-all term to slap into headlines about any sadistic weirdo who does something cruel via their internet connection. Just five years ago, "trolling" meant something very different.
There are plenty from this old guard still lurking around the online undergrowth who consider antagonizing and upsetting people in clever ways over the internet to be an art forma calling, even. They see trolling as a form of political protest, something that can benefit society, and are frustrated that its been debased by idiots who send racist abuse to celebrities and athletes from anonymous Twitter accounts. These OG trolls say they belong to a longstanding internet subculture that works to push the boundaries of free speech, mock anyone who takes themselves too seriously, and expose hypocrisy.
