An Internet Troll is a wily character whose primary goal is to take online discussions and turn them into heated brawls. Like Hackers, Trolls get pleasure from chaos. Trolls feed off of the emotions of others. The only way to successfully conquer a Troll is to stop feeding them.
What Trolls most dislike are non-responsive, well informed, reader/bloggers. Trolls feed off frustration, anger, and abuse. The more you attack them the larger and more powerful they grow. Occasionally you can kill a Troll with kindness, but often even kind words represent attention which is what a Troll craves.
When a Troll is ignored several things can happen. For some it is no longer worthwhile to remain in a particular thread or blog and they move on. Others get so riled up that they wind up violating online rules of conduct and the editor can delete their accounts. And still others will create new accounts but typically their online content is the same so you can still tell that it is the same person.
As hard as it may be to ignore Trolls it is the only way to get them to leave a thread. Just remember that what the Troll wants is for you to join them in any form of conversation. Truly wily Trolls have been known to create multiple accounts from which they can talk to themselves. This can be really fun to watch but remember, no matter what, don't feed the Trolls.
Disclaimer: The author herself has been known to try and reason with Trolls but is currently on a Troll free diet.
