By understanding the complex dynamics underlying trolling behavior in VR, this research contributes to the development of interventions aimed at fostering positive experiences. The interviews revealed a range of motivations driving individuals to engage in trolling behavior within VR.

Here are a few quotes from our interviews with the community about the difference between trolling and bullying. Due to their sensitive nature, all speakers have been anonymized.

“There’s a difference between being a troll and being a bully and coming on to harass people”

“It depends on what kind of trolling. Some trolling is funny some trolling is bullying and annoying.”

“Trolling is funny. Bullying isn’t funny. I don’t troll with bad intent, what I try to do is make people laugh.”

“I would think the word is slang for pranking someone. A difference between it is because trolling would be, let’s say like if I were to prank someone, like pouting water on them, bullying is actually hurting someone mentally or physically.”

“When I think of prankster, that’s usually in real life. You can actually pull pranks in real life and physically interact with objects. But trolling is more like a chat thing.”

“I think trolling is like sometimes okay. It just completely depends on what the person is doing. Sometimes it’s funny, but then sometimes it’s just not cool at all. “

“If you take on a kid avatar in front of a small child and say this is you, you fucking nerd, that’s bullying. That thing with the dildo, that’s funny.

“Bullying is kind of– when you think of bullying, you think of like something physical or something like that. But trolling, I would say, is more psychological. Because you can’t punch someone through the internet.”

“I’ve been tricked a couple of times but I don’t think it’s trolling. just tricked. You know, I’m pretty gullible. Sometimes people can understanding sarcasm.”

“If you don’t know the person, you don’t know their limits, when you make a joke its possible its at their expense”