Everyone in the multiverse (and genuine thanks to each and every one of you) has sent me the link to this article in the New York Times about trolls. I don't really have much to say about it, except to note that the trolls like the guys profiled in the piece are distinct from the sorts we've been getting around here lately. The trolls in the piece are, irrespective of their ethics, intelligent and knowledgeable—and they don't waste their time leaving moronic comments like "lol your fat." It's a differentiation with which the piece doesn't really bother, which is kind of unfortunate.
We've had our run-ins before with /b/ and 4chan and the Encyclopedia Dramatica, along with The Legion, which wasn't even mentioned; they completely shut down Shakesville when we were on our own server. They necessitate being thick-skinned, flexible, and clever—and sometimes saying "uncle."
Run-of-the-mill dipshit trolls like we usually get require nothing more than the ability to press a delete button and ban their asses. Tedious, but not insurmountable.
Neither will be contained by any of the legislation being proposed.
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