But the devil is in the details.
It’s Blizzard’s definition of trolling that matters, as it’s outlined in the Code of Conduct. That’s what we all should aim to abide by. That’s what I should aim to abide by. But it’s pretty difficult when it’s so vaguely defined and Blizzard themselves interpret it with quite a lot of freedom.
People aren’t forum trolls. Such a definition doesn’t exist within the Code of Conduct. That’s a made-up term by the community to shame and insult other people – and that is a violation of the Code of Conduct.
Posts can be written with the intent of trolling, and that is a violation of the Code of Conduct, and can individually be reported as such.
On top of that, then people mass-reporting someone for trolling, because they don’t like what that person has to say, or who that person is, or similar, is an abuse of the report function as detailed in the Code of Conduct as well.
But neither the name-calling (accusing someone of being a forum troll) or the abuse of the report function gets any attention from Blizzard.
What does get attention from Blizzard is the post by the person who’s being called a forum troll and who gets mass-reported. He gets scrutinized by Blizzard’s moderators because there’s an angry mob that demands it.
In a sick and twisted way the moderators help facilitate the mob in bullying the individuals. Since it’s the volume of reports that directs Blizzard attention – even if those reports are made in error or with ill intent – then the individuals who are recipients of those reports get extra scrutiny from Blizzard’s moderators.
The lonely cry for help by an individual however, it goes mostly unheard.
Example from the Arena forum:
If 10 people report one of my posts for trolling, then it will immediately be hidden until a moderator looks into it. And if there is the smallest hint of an intention to troll, then I get suspended. And that relies on Blizzard’s vague and loose interpretation entirely.
But if 1 of those 10 people make a post containing name-calling or other insulting remarks about me, and I report it, then nothing happens. Because one report from one person is not enough to direct a moderator’s attention. They simply don’t have the time or the man-power to look into every single report that gets made, so they prioritize the mass-reported posts.
So they help the bullies and leave the individuals to be bullied.
And the IRL example would be:
The people on the Arena forum are white guys.
When I post I’m the black guy.
And Blizzard’s moderators are the police.