About the quiz and its content

A troll is an inauthentic social media account created to deceive. They may be run by a person, but they are not the person they purport to be. They are created for many purposes, often to spread falsehoods, amplify political propaganda, or engage in fraud. Trolls have been created on every major social media platform. This quiz tests users’ ability to identify which accounts are genuine and which are professional trolls. Along the way, advice is provided for what to look for and how to be a better consumer and producer of social media. Research (opens in new window) shows Spot the Troll is effective at building resilience to online harm.

The quiz presents users with 8 profiles, each of which includes both profile information and a brief selection of posts from a single social media account. The user is asked to decide if the content comes from an inauthentic troll account or a real human being. Each question is followed by some tips that might help in the future, as well as the opportunity to explore more details.

All the accounts and posts used in this quiz, both the genuine accounts and the trolls, have been taken directly from social media. Nothing has been changed except in a few minor cases to protect the privacy of others.

Ready to take the quiz? Click below to get started.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to all those who made this quiz possible.

The Watt Family Innovation Center (opens in new window)
Clarke Scott Creative (opens in new window)
dTeam
Mallory Demille: ThisIsMallory (opens in new window)

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

The many researchers, public servants, and journalists working hard to combat fraud and malign foreign influence.

Interactive Knowledge (opens in new window) is an award-winning design firm that creates interactive media for top museums, foundations, and cultural and educational institutions.

Questions?

Contact the quiz's creators with any questions:

Molly Riddell: mcridde@g.clemson.edu
Darren L. Linvill: darrenl@clemson.edu
Patrick L. Warren: pwarren@clemson.edu

Click here (opens in new window) to check out the work of the Clemson University Media Forensics Hub.