&gt; This trend seems partly driven by an unwillingness to deal with the work of removing actual trolls, which is not actually all that difficult<p>If it&#x27;s so easy why is it the case that well meaning website after website decides to give up? I&#x27;ll suggest that it&#x27;s actually quite hard, that trolls and astroturfers will modify their behavior in accordance with whatever rules you put up but they are still not commenting in good faith and will tend to derail and dominate conversation.