From Comments to Chaos: Are You a Troll in Disguise

You’ve perhaps heard the term but perhaps didn’t understand what it meant. Or perhaps you understand what it means but have never considered yourself to participate in it.

What is trolling?

Trolling is when someone posts or comments online to ‘bait’ people, which means deliberately provoking an argument or emotional reaction. In some cases they say things they don’t even believe, just to cause drama. Do you do this? You are trolling.

In other cases, they may not agree with the views of another person or group online, so they try to discredit, humiliate or punish them. This may include personal attacks that target someone because of their race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. Do you do this? You are trolling.

The troll may also encourage mob mentality, urging others to join in the attack so it becomes a pile on, which is when multiple people join in an online attack on a victim, which has been initiated by the troll. While the initial act of provoking someone online can be considered trolling, a pile-on involves a broader group of people joining in the harassment or attack, usually in an unfair way. Do you do this? You are trolling.

Trolls often post under a fake name or anonymously, so they can say things without being held responsible. This can make them feel more powerful and less cautious than they would be if they were talking to someone ‘IRL’ or in person. This makes it difficult to identify who actually left the post or comment. Do you do this? You are trolling.

Trolls also often try to downplay the impact of their behaviour, claiming anyone who’s upset by their posts or comments is overreacting. They may say it was just a joke, or the person who they targeted needs to toughen up. This can make the person who was trolled feel even worse. Do you do this? You are trolling.

Research shows that some young people may frame potentially harmful online behaviours as ‘light hearted’ or ‘fun’.

‘I did have like an alt[ernate] TikTok, and Twitter account. It’s just soccer opinions, a bit of trolling. I kind of take the mickey a bit. Just get people angry, [to] get a bit of a laugh out of it ... It’s pretty funny to get them upset.’ Do you do this? You are trolling.

So what should I do if I’m being trolled?

1-Don’t feed the trolls

Resist the urge to respond – it’s not possible to reason with a troll. As tempting as it may be, getting involved in an online argument just gives them the reaction they want, so they are likely to step up the attack.

2-Collect evidence, report and block

Online services and platforms have a responsibility to ensure people can use them safely. If the trolling is starting to feel harmful, collect evidence so you have proof – this can include screenshots or recordings of the abusive comments.

3- Then you can report and block the troll in-app – If they don’t help and your experience meets the legal threshold of serious cyberbullying (for under 18s) or adult cyber abuse (for 18+), you can make a report to eSafety and they will help remove the harmful content.

4- Get more help

If you’re feeling bad about what’s been happening while you’re online, make sure to talk about it with someone you trust. You could show a close friend or family member this information and ask them to help you decide what to do if you’re being trolled.

Remember, do not feed the trolls. Resist the urge to respond – it’s likely to make things worse.

Report and block.

Sadly, cyber space is not as safe as it should be. But take the above actions to safeguard yourself against any harmful content.