DON’T FEED THE TROLLS!
While cyberbullying tends to involve people who are known to each other (even if the bully is seeking to hide their identity), trolling is often carried out by someone without a clear relationship to the recipient. Children and adults alike can be the target of trolling.
A “troll” leaves intentionally provocative or offensive messages on the internet in order to get attention, cause trouble or upset someone. Some trolls target public figures with large social media followings in the hope that their hateful messages are re-broadcast to a wider audience. More relevant here is the second type of troll, who exhibits a psychological trait known as “negative social potency”. These trolls get pleasure from upsetting the people they target. If their victim responds, it only encourages them to continue.
Why do some people think it’s okay to say racist, inflammatory or otherwise socially inappropriate things online? Research shows that there are both environmental and individual factors involved.
Anonymity is a key factor. Anyone can be anonymous online, and this opens the door to trolling. There’s also the notion that there isn’t much authority or accountability online; individuals feel they can behave differently because they won’t come face to face with their targets. This can drive more deviant behaviour.
Another factor is tribalism. Trolls can have a perceived sense of importance, of being part of the majority. When many members of a group are trolling someone, individuals can feel a sense of belonging by conforming to that group’s behaviour.
Studies also show that trolls can feel disconnected from guilt, empathy, remorse and responsibility. They also show higher levels of sadism traits. Online forums – particularly unregulated ones – are the ideal hunting grounds for such individuals. They can stoke flames and cause anxiety from the comfort of a chair. The suffering they cause isn’t apparent to them because they aren’t face to face with their victims.
So, what should we do if we encounter trolls? There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to handling trolling, but these are some general principles:
• Don’t feed the trolls and don’t respond to them
• Block their accounts
• Don’t post online that you’re being targeted
• Take a break from social media
• Go to the social support networks in your real life
• If you feel threatened or the behaviour is otherwise unlawful,
report it to the social media platform and legal authorities