Trolling

Trolling is deliberately posting inflammatory, off-topic, or upsetting messages to provoke an emotional reaction from others, usually for the troll's own amusement or to disrupt a conversation.

It ranges from mildly annoying (baiting arguments) to genuinely harmful (targeted harassment). In chat rooms, trolls often try to derail the conversation or bait other users into fights.

The common advice — "don't feed the troll" — reflects that trolls are seeking a reaction; not engaging removes the payoff. For persistent or abusive trolling, blocking and reporting are the appropriate tools.