Search

Trolling has previously been described as intentional, but with the intention of being humorous or witty. The term has now come to describe intentional and ill-spirited mockery, shaming, and provocation.  
 

“Troll farms'' are a fairly recent phenomenon, that utilize both human engagement and algorithms to actively influence opinion- and decision-making by distorting online discussions and narratives.  While troll farms may not directly spread misinformation and fake news, they do plant the seeds of mistrust and division. Given the importance of the internet for our everyday lives, trolls can critically impact societal and political processes, such as the election process. 

For some who have been targeted with online violence, instead of moving away from online participation, they chose to respond with more speech and more engagement. Speaking openly about an experience of online abuse (in addition to utilizing institutional or alternative mechanisms of protection), can be helpful for several reasons. Naming and shaming your abuser and exposing them to public scrutiny can also be a mechanism of protection, helping you regain a sense of control and empowerment in helping others in similar experiences, and raises public awareness about digital violence. As the broader public learns the extent and scope of online abuse, they will recognize its negative effects on society and, hopefully, demand a response from State officials. If you chose this path, try to focus on sharing your experience and the personal and community impacts of an assault.

One well-known female journalist established communication with her troll over social media, in order to eventually try and meet them. She later made a series of stories out of these conversations - a creative and courageous way to counter harassment. Here are some useful tips on how to talk to your trolls, if you decide to take this path. 

It is not impossible to identify the person behind online abuse. Keeping regular track of abuse also helps in documenting  the digital traces left behind by the perpetrators. Using these clues, and with the help of friends, digital security experts, investigative journalists and a little bit of luck, it may be possible to identify individuals or groups responsible for abuse. Take a look at this great example from Latin America’s Center for investigative journalism - when collaboration resulted in the discovery that a group of politicians were responsible for online assaults across the continent.

Tactic Media Pressure Public shaming Innovative strategy Provocation

Verbal assaults based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, or political and union affiliation or other identities or characteristics such as age or economic status can be described as hate speech. 
 

Legally, to qualify as hate speech, speech must be proven to target certain protected groups or identities. Online, however, hate speech goes beyond these protected categories, to target multiple groups or identities simultaneously, compounding the effects on already marginalized groups.  An intersectional approach is therefore crucial, to understand the structural and all-encompassing effects of hate speech.

All journalists and media workers can report violence to an official Journalists’ Association, even if they aren’t members. These associations can provide information and advice on how to file criminal charges, and other suggestions for dealing with and overcoming online harassment. Even if you decide not to report the crime to the police, consider informing the Journalists Association or relevant CSOs about the incident. This information is valuable for them to learn more about online violence, and to later use this data for advocacy purposes and, ideally, change. Associations often have resources and services, including mental health support or legal counseling that smaller media organizations or freelance journalists can’t easily access. Several CSOs have developed expertise after years of work combating online violence, and can offer valuable information and assistance.

For some who have been targeted with online violence, instead of moving away from online participation, they chose to respond with more speech and more engagement. Speaking openly about an experience of online abuse (in addition to utilizing institutional or alternative mechanisms of protection), can be helpful for several reasons. Naming and shaming your abuser and exposing them to public scrutiny can also be a mechanism of protection, helping you regain a sense of control and empowerment in helping others in similar experiences, and raises public awareness about digital violence. As the broader public learns the extent and scope of online abuse, they will recognize its negative effects on society and, hopefully, demand a response from State officials. If you chose this path, try to focus on sharing your experience and the personal and community impacts of an assault.

Reputation Support Journalists Pressure Innovative strategy Associations

As a result of structural power inequality, false accusations, even if proven false, have the potential to inflict serious and lasting reputational damage on the accused. 
 

False accusations may be seen as a form of pressure on one’s freedom of expression, but if accusations are intentionally orchestrated and persistent, they can also distort public opinion and debate while stigmatizing and silencing the target of the false accusations.  
 

If you are a female journalist, there is an initiative “Female Journalists against violence”, which offers support and help rooted in the empathy, trust and mutual learning.

Reputation Tactic Journalists Pressure

Usually found on internet forums or reddit-style threads, flaming refers to the use of offensive language, swearing and other methods of provocation for the purpose of eliciting a response from or engagement with the target. The ultimate goal is to inflict humiliation, shame, and ruin the target’s credibility. 
 

Before being recognized as a tool for digital harassment and abuse, flaming was normalized as part and parcel of online communication in closed fora and chat rooms.  

For some who have been targeted with online violence, instead of moving away from online participation, they chose to respond with more speech and more engagement. Speaking openly about an experience of online abuse (in addition to utilizing institutional or alternative mechanisms of protection), can be helpful for several reasons. Naming and shaming your abuser and exposing them to public scrutiny can also be a mechanism of protection, helping you regain a sense of control and empowerment in helping others in similar experiences, and raises public awareness about digital violence. As the broader public learns the extent and scope of online abuse, they will recognize its negative effects on society and, hopefully, demand a response from State officials. If you chose this path, try to focus on sharing your experience and the personal and community impacts of an assault.

Read more about how online discussions nose-dive into dangerous discourse. https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-flaming-2483253 

It might be difficult but it is not impossible to identify the person behind online abuse. Keeping regular track of abuse also helps in documenting the digital traces left behind by the perpetrators. Using these clues, and with the help of friends, digital security experts, investigative journalists and a little bit of luck, it may be possible to identify individuals or groups responsible for abuse. Take a look at this great example from Latin America’s Center for investigative journalism - when collaboration resulted in the discovery that a group of politicians were responsible for online assaults across the continent.

Tactic Support Pressure Innovative strategy

The misuse of reporting or flagging mechanisms, or false claims of copyrights infringement or other violations of Terms of Service or Community rules and regulations on social media platforms, for the purpose of blocking, suspension or preventing more extensive digital participation.

Regaining control over your online profiles is often a burdensome process. Suspension appeal procedures on many social media platforms are costly - both in terms of time and resources. Even when appeals are successful, initial false reports will have also succeeded in keeping a target offline for various amounts of time. 

The most well-known case of false reporting (for violations of terms and services on a social media platform) in Serbia is the  suspension of the official profile of an Ombudsperson on YouTube:

https://resursi.sharefoundation.info/sr/resource/kako-mreze-ureduju-javni-prostor-youtube-protiv-ombudsmana/

Digital evidence Report to platform Tactic Identity Pressure

Friends, family, partners, colleagues, employers, and even witnesses to the abuse, can be  targeted in the same or similar way as the original target. 

In this way, the perpetrator destroys or attempts to undermine existing networks of support. The result is that the original target is exposed to additional harassment, guilt for the abuse now being levied against friends and family, and further feelings of isolation and anxiety. 

During an assault and in the aftermath, persons suffering violence often turn to their friends and family and spaces where they can talk openly about their experience and find support. As important as the support of family and friends can be, sometimes, even well-meaning advice can place blame for the harassment back onto the target. Remember that the perpetrator alone is responsible for abuse. Your friends and family can also help you to document and monitor  online abuse and to maintain an overview of your social media profile and online communication channels.

Learn more about support, risk assessment and other support mechanisms: here.

It often happens that supporters and bystanders who defend the primary target, in many cases journalists and activists, are involved in an organized attack together or individually.

Digital evidence Digital hygiene Harassment Safety Sexual Harassment Pressure