Technology has improved our lives in many ways, but because of the internet’s ability to provide bullies (or trolls) with anonymity, it has also made it simpler for them to cause trouble online. Most people have undoubtedly seen or heard insults or name-calling from these bullies because trolling has become so popular. According to an online survey, more than 25% of Americans have admitted to having “involved in trolling at some point,” according to ABC Net. Because many targets of trolling are unable to identify the sender, trolling is made considerably more challenging.
Whether it’s a social media comment, an in-game message, or a post on an article, these behaviors can be extremely harmful and distress people to a great extent. Trolls may influence someone to decide to stop using social media, like Ed Sheeran did. One remark can spoil your entire day, he told The Sun. Such remarks may also have a negative impact on a person’s mental health, triggering symptoms of anxiety and sadness. This is the intended result since, according to Bullies Out reports, “those who troll online offer no consideration to the victims.” Many people who experience trolling feel alone and are hesitant to inform others that they have been getting these remarks.
What motivates someone to engage in trolling, then? Trolls are driven by “a typical social benefits,” claims ABC Net. Additionally, they are more likely to be male and exhibit higher levels of psychopathy and sadism features.
What is Trolling
Scientific literature describes online trolling as hostile behavior that intentionally provokes others and engages in violence. Trolls post offensive words and posts in an effort to offend, irritate, and provoke others. Trolling includes a variety of online behaviors where some trolls just to amuse or entertain and others troll to harm others.
Why should Trolling be taken Serious?
Trolling can have serious negative impacts on people’s physical and mental health, including sleep disturbances, depression, low self-esteem, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts and, in some cases, actual suicide. According to a report, many people who engage in bullying lack confidence, have a negative opinion of themselves, have few friends, and enjoy spending time alone. These factors may lead them to engage in harmful behavior like self-harm, among other things.
Numerous research have revealed a linear association between social media use and depression and anxiety, regardless of the amount of time spent online. Unpleasant moods can also result from idly browsing Facebook and reading posts without interacting with others. People feel alienated and less fortunate when they cycle through feelings of anger or powerlessness after reading dismal news articles or when they begin to contrast their lives with significant events experienced by others.
The number of likes, comments, and retweets that a post receives influences how valuable a person feels about themselves. Sexual harassment, trolling, inflammatory memes, late-night timeline surfing, and cyberbullying all have an adverse effect on mental health and sleep. Alarmingly, trolling is a pretty common phenomenon. This emphasizes how important it is to comprehend why people troll.
Why do People Troll?
Three psychological elements, according to recent research, play a role in online harassment.
- Psychopathy- Psychopathy is characterized by callousness, dishonesty, and a lack of accountability.
- Sadism- Sadism is the enjoyment of doing bodily or mental harm to other people.
- Self-esteem- Self-esteem is a factor that affects people but is not a prediction in and of itself. However, research has shown a connection between sadism and self-esteem. Therefore, if a person has high levels of sadism and high self-esteem, they are more prone to troll. Given how effectively other antisocial online behaviors, including cyberbullying, are predicted by low self-esteem, this result was unexpected.
The results showed that gender, psychopathy, and sadism were the three key independent predictors of malicious trolling. In other words, if you are masculine, have high psychopathy, or have high sadism, you are more likely to troll. The most reliable sign of trolling was sadism. If someone enjoys hurting other individuals, they are more likely to troll.
How Can You Avoid Online Trolling?
1. Be Confident
Be assured of your identity and the content you post on social media. Trolls will surely try to harm you if you lack confidence. Take Ranveer Singh and Urfi Javed as two instances. Social media users who frequently suffer trolling might respond to the trolls by remaining positive and self-assured.
Recognize your feelings. Being trodden on is unpleasant, therefore it’s normal to feel angry or irritated. Putting pressure on oneself to ignore unfavorable remarks may ultimately make you feel worse. It will be simpler to forget the situation once you’ve accepted what happened because it won’t be deserving of your attention any longer.
2. Do not Reply to Trolls
The more attention you give trolls, the more they’ll try to troll you. In such a circumstance, if someone publishes a negative comment about you, don’t reply to it and ignore them. Online, the adage “don’t feed the trolls” is frequently employed. In other words, ignore them and they will go away. Many trolls are attempting to elicit a response because they are dissatisfied. Although it doesn’t excuse their actions, it could be easier for you to understand that their remarks are more about them than they are about you.
3. Block your Trolls
If a user harasses you on your social media posts repeatedly, you can block them. You should also stop thinking about that guy and stop thinking about him all the time. You can utilize privacy controls to assist you decide who can and cannot read your content if you have a blog, Facebook page, or other public space where you publish your ideas. Additionally, you can disable the ability to leave comments and restrict who can message you. The ability to report abusive behavior is available on numerous websites and social media networks. It’s acceptable to employ these or, if required, report major assaults to the police.
In conclusion, Instead of online disputes, abuse, and upset, a difference of view can be expressed in a courteous and friendly manner, which can lead to healthy discussions and constructive debates. People have the chance to help one another, and it’s crucial that everyone keeps in mind that there is a human sitting behind a computer or mobile phone.