Internet trolling behavior according to U.S. online users 2017

Published by
Umair Bashir,
Apr 3, 2025
This statistic presents a ranking of the online behavior most commonly labeled as online trolling according to internet users in the United States. During the August 2017 survey, 52 percent of respondents stated that deliberately making inflammatory statements counted as as online trolling. Over half of respondents felt that being abusive towards someone because of their opinion was trolling behavior.

Which of the following behaviors do you think constitute internet trolling?

CharacteristicShare of respondents
Deliberately making inflammatory statements 52%
Being abusive to someone because of their opinion 54%
Picking on another person or small group of people for any reason 50%
Deliberately making controversial statements 42%
Using a comments section or chatroom to further one's own opinion, even if it has nothing to do with the topic of said comments section/chatroom 35%
Calling someone else (e.g. fellow commentator, article writer, etc.) an offensive name 47%
Belittling someone for not understanding a concept or previously presented piece of information 46%
Being stubborn about one's own opinion 17%
Other 2%
Not applicable - no behavior constitutes internet trolling 5%
Don't know 14%
Showing entries 1 to 11 (11 entries in total)
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of respondents52%52%54%54%50%50%42%42%35%35%47%47%46%46%17%17%2%2%5%5%14%14%Deliberately making inflammatory statementsBeing abusive to someone because of their opinionPicking on another person or small group of people for any reasonDeliberately making controversial statementsUsing a comments section or chatroom to further one's own opinion,even if it has nothing to do with the topic of said commentssection/chatroomCalling someone else (e.g. fellow commentator, article writer, etc.) anoffensive nameBelittling someone for not understanding a concept or previouslypresented piece of informationBeing stubborn about one's own opinionOtherNot applicable - no behavior constitutes internet trollingDon't know
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%

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Source

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Release date

August 2017

Region

United States

Survey time period

August 10 to 14, 2017

Number of respondents

1,020 respondents

Age group

18 to 69 years

Method of interview

Online survey

Supplementary notes

Original question: Which of the following behaviors do you think constitute internet trolling?
Multiple responses were possible.

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