What exactly is “baiting?” :: Steam Discussions

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Lowbei 25 Jul @ 6:50am

What exactly is “baiting?”

On steam and many other forums, the bannable act of “baiting” is very often weilded like a weapon by some moderators to silence content they have a personal bias against.

The google definion of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

This however, unlike all other steam community rules, is subjective to someones opinion.

Someone can be legit discussing their personal opinion about a subject, and some karen might get offended, and suddenly the persons legit opinion has now become bannable just because someone else choses to be offended by it.

Nowadays people look for reasons to be offended. Its a common victim mentality where anything some people see that they disagree with is ‘offensive’ and should be removed. You can literally be talking about some character in a video game being a great villain, and some activist can get upset that youre praising a white male npc not praising the one trans npc instead, and suddenly your legit opinion has now become bannable content simply because it triggered karen.

Whats worse, is that it doesnt even have to be a normal forum member getting upset about the comment, it can be a dev mod themselves getting triggered about their game being discussed negatively, and suddenly your legit opinion about their game has now become bannable content. We see this all over the platform and it has become extremely common.

This one specific community rule has been weilded like a weapon to silence other peoples opinions for a long time and its fascinating to me. At what point are people responsible for their own emotions? At what point does your legit opinion about a game issue become bannable content simply because discussion of that issue makes the devs look bad or makes karen unhappy?

Last edited by Lowbei; 25 Jul @ 6:55am

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Showing 1-15 of 36 comments

BJWyler 25 Jul @ 7:06am

Welcome to forum use, bub. Been that way for nigh on 30 years - ever since the first forum had to enact the first set of rules against trolls and rules lawyering.

The fortunate part is that in all that time, the vast, vast majority of people who have used forums have done so with little trouble in regards to the necessary vagueness of posting rules and have never been subjected to moderation.

If one finds the rules of a forum to be too difficult to understand, or if one is continually running afoul of moderation, then one should look inward for the root causes of why one finds simple communication so difficult. At the end of the day, one should be adjusting one's posting habits to fit that of the forum one wants to post in. It is not the job of the forum to fit the desires of the indivdual who wants to seek attention.

Last edited by BJWyler; 25 Jul @ 7:37am

Lowbei 25 Jul @ 7:12am

Originally posted by BJWyler:
Welcome to forum use, bub. Been that way for nigh on 30 years - ever since the first forum had to enact the first set of rules against trolls and rules lawyering.

The fortunate part is that in all that time, the vast, vast majority of people who have used forums have done so with little trouble in regards to the necessary vagueness of posting rules and have never been subjected to moderation.

If one finds the rules of a forum to be too difficult to understand, or if one is continually running afoul of moderation, then one should look inward for the root causes of why one finds simple cimmunication so difficult. At the end of the day, one should be adjusting one's posting habits to fit that of the forum one wants to post in. It is not the job of the forum to fit the desires of the indivdual who wants to seek attention.

the op discusses a factual thing that we can all see and has been a problem for a long time, that you even admit is a thing, but yet its somehow not a problem for those the problem doesnt affect?

this isnt about any one individual having issues, its about the problem itself.

Last edited by Lowbei; 25 Jul @ 7:13am

Republic of Lamers 25 Jul @ 7:20am

The google definition of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

That's where most people misuse the word bait. Deliberate is a perception. I can state my opinion, and there will always be someone will perceive it as a deliberate act of me trying to annoy or taunt them. There is no cure for emotional sensitivity.

videomike_Ultimate_Plushie 25 Jul @ 7:22am

I'm calling bot here. Bot fishing for traing data

Lowbei 25 Jul @ 7:23am

Originally posted by Republic of Lamers:
The google definition of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

That's where most people misuse the word bait. Deliberate is a perception. I can state my opinion, and there will always be someone will perceive it as a deliberate act of me trying to annoy or taunt them. There is no cure for emotional sensitivity.

yep. absolutely correct sir. it is the only opinion subjected community rule on the platform. the victim card mentality has become so prevalent in our society that anyone can ‘find a reason to be upset’ about anything.

Kiryn 25 Jul @ 7:29am

People posting deliberately antagonizing / controversial / sensationalist / inciting, things. In order to provoke an (often angry) response. Or to get Jester awards.

Seems pretty straightforward. /shrug

(also frequently short for "clickbaiting", but that's more of a social media & streaming thing. Posting outrageous garbage in order to get more clicks / more ad revenue. i.e, standard Youtuber practice, and why all their promo pics show big red text "OMG, HOW COULD THEY"-style headlines.)

Originally called "trolling", but that term is disapproved of by forum rules these days.
(as in "trolling for bites"/fishing. But eventually also picked up a "ugh, the idiot trolls come out from under their bridges to spew garbage on the forum" meaning.)

Kiryn 25 Jul @ 7:30am

Originally posted by Lowbei:
Originally posted by Republic of Lamers:
The google definition of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

That's where most people misuse the word bait. Deliberate is a perception. I can state my opinion, and there will always be someone will perceive it as a deliberate act of me trying to annoy or taunt them. There is no cure for emotional sensitivity.
yep. absolutely correct sir. it is the only opinion subjected community rule on the platform. the victim card mentality has become so prevalent in our society that anyone can ‘find a reason to be upset’ about anything.

Ah, I see. This is a bait thread. Never mind.

BJWyler 25 Jul @ 7:33am

Originally posted by Lowbei:
Originally posted by BJWyler:
Welcome to forum use, bub. Been that way for nigh on 30 years - ever since the first forum had to enact the first set of rules against trolls and rules lawyering.

The fortunate part is that in all that time, the vast, vast majority of people who have used forums have done so with little trouble in regards to the necessary vagueness of posting rules and have never been subjected to moderation.

If one finds the rules of a forum to be too difficult to understand, or if one is continually running afoul of moderation, then one should look inward for the root causes of why one finds simple cimmunication so difficult. At the end of the day, one should be adjusting one's posting habits to fit that of the forum one wants to post in. It is not the job of the forum to fit the desires of the indivdual who wants to seek attention.
the op discusses a factual thing that we can all see and has been a problem for a long time, that you even admit is a thing, but yet its somehow not a problem for those the problem doesnt affect?

this isnt about any one individual having issues, its about the problem itself.

The actual problem is you thinking that the problem is the necesssary vagueness of forum rules. That's not the actual problem.

Originally posted by Lowbei:
Originally posted by Republic of Lamers:
The google definition of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

That's where most people misuse the word bait. Deliberate is a perception. I can state my opinion, and there will always be someone will perceive it as a deliberate act of me trying to annoy or taunt them. There is no cure for emotional sensitivity.
yep. absolutely correct sir. it is the only opinion subjected community rule on the platform. the victim card mentality has become so prevalent in our society that anyone can ‘find a reason to be upset’ about anything.

Indeed, we see it all the time when someone comes to a forum to complain about moderation.

Last edited by BJWyler; 25 Jul @ 7:35am

Lowbei 25 Jul @ 7:44am

lol my favorite part about this thread is that there are already attempts to claim that the thread is “baiting” because the concepts discussed might be considered “posting deliberately antagonizing / controversial / sensationalist / inciting, things.”

as if peoples personal emotions regarding the discussion of the concept should affect peoples ability to discuss it.

couldnt have proven the point more quickly. thank you.

Last edited by Lowbei; 25 Jul @ 7:46am

rawWwRrr 25 Jul @ 8:00am

Originally posted by Lowbei:
lol my favorite part about this thread is that there are already attempts to claim that the thread is “baiting” because the concepts discussed might be considered “posting deliberately antagonizing / controversial / sensationalist / inciting, things.”

as if peoples personal emotions regarding the discussion of the concept should affect peoples ability to discuss it.

couldnt have proven the point more quickly. thank you.

Anyone can make a claim. Some could make the claim that you're baiting "karens" by calling them out in the OP. It's the choice of words, sometimes, that blur the intention. If it's simply criticism, using buzzwords that are known to be controversial would change the tone of the post from being innocent to possibly baiting.

Change...

"and suddenly your legit opinion has now become bannable content simply because it triggered karen."

to...

"and suddenly your legit opinion has now become bannable content simply because someone found it offensive."

changes the tone completely. The original one could be interpreted as a borderline attempt to rile others while the rewritten one is more neutral while still conveying the same message.

#10

Chronocide 25 Jul @ 8:58am

Originally posted by Lowbei:
On steam and many other forums, the bannable act of “baiting” is very often weilded like a weapon by some moderators to silence content they have a personal bias against.

The google definion of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

It's baiting like putting bait on a trap.

It's when you post something which is designed to trick others into reacting in a way that get's them in trouble.

#11

Lowbei 25 Jul @ 9:01am

Originally posted by Chronocide:
Originally posted by Lowbei:
On steam and many other forums, the bannable act of “baiting” is very often weilded like a weapon by some moderators to silence content they have a personal bias against.

The google definion of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”
It's baiting like putting bait on a trap.

It's when you post something which is designed to trick others into reacting in a way that get's them in trouble.

no. people are responsible for their own emotions. it will never be someone elses responsibility for others breaking the rules.

#12

D. Flame 25 Jul @ 9:06am

What is actually means is flame bait. As in, making intentionally provoking posts to bait out angry responses, or in the case of Steam, Jester Farming.

Steam moderators just use it, way too often, as an excuse to ban people for having a different opinion.

#13

76561198407601200 25 Jul @ 9:17am

Originally posted by Lowbei:
On steam and many other forums, the bannable act of “baiting” is very often weilded like a weapon by some moderators to silence content they have a personal bias against.

The google definion of baiting is to “deliberately annoy or taunt.”

This however, unlike all other steam community rules, is subjective to someones opinion.

Someone can be legit discussing their personal opinion about a subject, and some karen might get offended, and suddenly the persons legit opinion has now become bannable just because someone else choses to be offended by it.

Nowadays people look for reasons to be offended. Its a common victim mentality where anything some people see that they disagree with is ‘offensive’ and should be removed. You can literally be talking about some character in a video game being a great villain, and some activist can get upset that youre praising a white male npc not praising the one trans npc instead, and suddenly your legit opinion has now become bannable content simply because it triggered karen.

Whats worse, is that it doesnt even have to be a normal forum member getting upset about the comment, it can be a dev mod themselves getting triggered about their game being discussed negatively, and suddenly your legit opinion about their game has now become bannable content. We see this all over the platform and it has become extremely common.

This one specific community rule has been weilded like a weapon to silence other peoples opinions for a long time and its fascinating to me. At what point are people responsible for their own emotions? At what point does your legit opinion about a game issue become bannable content simply because discussion of that issue makes the devs look bad or makes karen unhappy?

To answer the title it is when one attempts to steer the discussion in a way that will cause conflict. I take my thanks in award form, either is fine. Best of luck with it, blocked, etc.

#14