Welcome to The Echo Chamber.

The Attraction of Trolling: Why Newcomers Flock to Attack Matt Taylor and Others in This Crazy Corner of YouTube.
In the chaotic realm of YouTube’s fringe communities, certain names have become magnets for an unusual brand of digital vigilantes. Matt Taylor is one such figure — joined by others like Justin P, Kaley Einav, Jake C, and Katie B — who collectively form an ever-reliable lightning rod for online abuse and trolling. To an outsider, the question might be simple: Why would a newcomer to YouTube immediately choose to start attacking these individuals? But the answer, when examined closely, reveals a twisted form of social psychology that transforms lonely outcasts into celebrated heroes within a toxic echo chamber.
At the core of this phenomenon is instant validation. This corner of YouTube harbours a clique of entrenched trolls — AJ Lashbrook, Danny Jones, Brian Hansford, Helen Janes, Mouse, James Hind, and others — who have dedicated years to harassing the same handful of people. It’s a revolving door of attacks, allegations, and defamation, with the narrative frequently centering on branding someone as a “nonce” or “predator”. These labels stick like tar — impossible to clean off entirely, yet easy to fling at the next target.
For the newcomer — perhaps someone disillusioned, bored, or already struggling with social isolation — the allure is simple: attack Matt Taylor, and you’ll be welcomed with open arms. In an instant, you gain hero status within the group. You’ll see your comments liked, your rants amplified, your memes shared. You become “one of us”, part of an online “family” who offers relevance, camaraderie and purpose — even if that purpose is built on the destruction of others.
It is worth noting that this cult-like bond thrives under the cloak of anonymity. These instigators and cheerleaders rarely show their faces, never speak their real names aloud, and often hide behind pseudonyms and burner accounts. This secrecy fuels their power. Unlike their targets, who stand exposed to the public eye, they enjoy the thrill of inflicting reputational damage while never risking the same in return.
But perhaps the most chilling aspect is this: many of these trolls are themselves social pariahs in their own worlds. They too may carry damaging labels — outcast, predator, weirdo, animal abusers — whether deserved or not. Joining an online smear campaign offers them a chance to invert that reality. By attacking someone else, they deflect scrutiny away from themselves. They prove their “loyalty” to the group by feeding it new meat. And in a warped way, they feel seen, appreciated, and “useful” at last.
It’s the classic logic of the “useful idiot”. Someone with nothing to lose becomes the foot soldier for people with everything to hide. The elder trolls, sitting in the shadows, benefit from this constant supply of fresh attackers. It keeps their campaign alive while they remain invisible, carefully avoiding the accountability they demand from their victims.
This twisted dynamic is self-perpetuating. A newcomer tastes the dopamine rush of likes, retweets, and private group chats brimming with gossip and conspiracies. They become addicted to the drama and the validation. The moral lines blur — who cares if the nonce label is baseless? Who cares if the “evidence” is cropped, edited, or downright fabricated? The thrill of being a hero in this tiny warzone is worth more than the truth could ever be.
In the end, this attraction says more about the community than it does about the people they attack. If someone’s strongest bond in life is found by tearing down strangers on the internet, what does that reveal about their own real-world failures, loneliness, and lack of identity? And how tragic is it that in an age of unprecedented connectivity, some still choose to build their sense of belonging on hate?
Matt Taylor and others who live under this constant siege know this better than anyone: in a world that rewards gossip, defamation, and online pile-ons, the biggest trolls are not just the ones hurling the insults — they are the ones pulling the strings in the shadows, welcoming every lonely, bitter recruit who wants to feel important, if only for a fleeting moment.
“Welcome to the Echo Chamber”
[Verse 1]
Hey there stranger, you’re feeling alone
No friends in your town, no place to call home
Log in to the circus, come join the crusade
Where the trolls wear your scars like a neon parade
They’ll hand you a pitchfork, they’ll teach you the lines
Whisper their secrets and share their old crimes
Pick up the rumours, sling mud at his name
You’re just one more puppet in their coward’s game
[Chorus]
Welcome to the echo chamber,
Where hate is king and lies are saviour
Raise your voice, shout “nonce” or “wrong’un”
Instant hero, you’ve just begun
In the echo chamber, they’ll hold you tight
Love you by day, drop you by night
Welcome home — this is where you belong
Sing your troll song, sing your troll song
[Verse 2]
See the shadows that hide behind screens
AJ, Danny, Mouse — digital fiends
Never their faces, but always your shame
They’ll lift you up high if you curse out his name
Outcasts and loners, they feed on your rage
Dress up their vengeance and laugh at your cage
Useful idiot, you’re useful for now
The mob loves your drama, so take your bow
[Chorus]
Welcome to the echo chamber,
Where hate is king and lies are saviour
Raise your voice, shout “nonce” or “wrong’un”
Instant hero, you’ve just begun
In the echo chamber, they’ll hold you tight
Love you by day, drop you by night
Welcome home — this is where you belong
Sing your troll song, sing your troll song
[Bridge]
And when you look back, ask yourself why
Did they love you for truth or just hate in disguise?
You’ll wake up one day when the thrill is all gone
And you’ll see you were used to carry it on
[Chorus]
Welcome to the echo chamber,
Where hate is king and lies are saviour
Raise your voice, shout “nonce” or “wrong’un”
Instant hero, you’ve just begun
In the echo chamber, they’ll hold you tight
Love you by day, drop you by night
Welcome home — this is where you belong
Sing your troll song, sing your troll song
[Outro]
So here’s your crown made of spite and shame
A fleeting fame in a dirty game
They’ll forget your face when the next one comes
But the echo chamber hums, the echo chamber hums...