Internet Trolls
In recent years the art of ‘Trolling’ has come around due to the easiness of the internet, and with it widely accessible to most people it is growing. Young people are more at risk of this type of abuse as they are more active online and on social media, also they are more likely to be the Trolls themselves.
What are they?
Internet trolls are people who post disruptive or inflammatory comments online in order to provoke fellow readers. This means that it can be any kind of abusive or disruptive message towards a person, company, team etc. This act is done anonymously and can often be extremely upsetting for the target.
Why do they do it?
There hasn’t been a lot of research into the trend of ‘Trolling’ yet as it is a relatively new trend although it has been said that Trolls are often people who find it hard to interact with people outside the online world. They are often introverts who spend a lot of time online, also the fact that the posts, referred to as ‘flaming’, are anonymous it means that even people who would never act this way in real life, believe that they are untouchable online. It has been said to provide anonymity and temporary identity loss, this is called deindividuation which is also linked to trends such as crowd behaviours and hooliganism. The term ‘keyboard warrior’ is often how someone like this is referred to as, this is because it is though they are hiding behind their keyboard and their hidden identities.
Why should I worry?
These trolls can often be very malicious, they target anyone they like, and have even been reported to target remembrance sites for loves ones that the families and friends have posted on social media sites. Trolling can be extremely distressing for the target as they will feel singled out and upset, it is important to look out for signs that your child may be being targeted and also make sure you know what they are getting up to online, talking regularly to them about their online activity will make this easier and mean they are more likely to come to you if they ever do have an issue. These trolls may be anonymous to start with but in serious cases the police have got involved and they have been prosecuted. Trolling is illegal and can result in serious consequences.
What to do?
On most social media there are ways of reporting people and accounts and also comments, these sites such as Facebook and Twitter are very good with these incidents and are often quick to respond and deal with the Troll. It is often a good idea to keep a copy or print screen of these comments in case you need them as evidence in the future. It , like any form of abuse, is illegal, you should educate your children firstly what to do if they see any abuse of this kind online, and also that anything they do online is not completely anonymous, relate it to the real world saying of ‘treat people as you would want to be treated’. It is also a good idea to remind your child to have good ‘nettiquite’ as you in the future your online reputation could influence your chances of getting a job or a place in college or university.
