Four Tips to Minimize Community Disruption

I think the best quality about community is the ability to peacefully discuss a topic and gain perspective on a topic. Sometimes within a community, conflict might occur. I've got four simple tips on how you can minimize the effects of someone's trouble.

Most problematic participants seek attention. If you don't give it to them, that will minimize their impact.

Discuss the topic with civility. When everyone remains generally on-topic, that will keep the thread alive and productive. Discussing the merit of a specific topic and not personal insults is one of the best ways to keep things productive.
Don't feed the trolls. A "troll" is a term that describes a user who is merely trying to upset the community and get a reaction. One of the most effective ways to make one stop is not to respond. If a troll is not fed, they will go elsewhere.
Use the tools available to manage your experience. The Internet itself allows for a free-flowing exchange of information. Not everyone will always agree with what you say. We have tools for you to use to manage your online experience. If you have a problem with someone, you can ignore them. You can ignore a participant on AOL Message Boards by clicking "Ignore Author" next to their screen name.
Respect. You might disagree with someone on a topic, but understand that there will be differing perspectives. You may not like what someone says, but please stay to the topic and respectfully debate (such as refraining from any personal attacks against others). The result of this is a much richer discussion.

In the above tips, the common characteristic is a shared responsibility with other participants. While you might not have caused a disruption, you can do your part by not responding to it. The strength of various communities has the ability to conquer the bad apples, all it takes a little effort from everyone.

Please understand that we can't be everywhere all the time within our community, but we do our best. We're here to help you, if you encounter any disruptive activity, let us know by dropping us an anonymous tip at AOLPeopleMGR@aol.com so we can help clean things up.

What questions or tips you have to keep your community strong and fun? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Tags: Community, Trouble, Discussion, Debate, Civility, People, Tips

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