Griefer

Someone on an Internet Forum Board, who repeatedly harasses another person, intending to drive them off the Forum, and/or ruining the entire Internet experience of the target by following them to other boards to continue the harassment. Griefers are adept at following Forum rules while violating their spirit...or have managed to ingratiate themselves with Administrators, so that they rarely get punished for their actions. Griefers are basically cowards who hide behind a screen name and would not have the sack to say to anyone's face, what they say to people online. Tactics used by griefers: 1. Making "clever" comments - Making carefully crafted nasty comments to or about another member. The comments stay within the rules while violating the spirit of the rules. 2. Gang-banging or dogpiling: Recruiting others (usually their online friends) into joining them in targeting the victim. 3. Flame-baiting: See #1 above - done in order to goad the victim into responding in a manner in violation of the rules, out of anger - causing the victim to then be punished/banned by the Forum Administrator (pets of Forum Admins frequently do this and get away with it.) 4. Stalking: After driving the target off the Forum, following them to other Forums to continue the attacks. 5. Drive-by: Signing up under a different name in order to take a cheap shot at the target. Griefers also frequently use other tactics, including using a fake IP address when griefing, in order to avoid punishment.