Online evils

The internet has come to be at everyone's fingertips. It could be a great source of power if used rightly and the biggest curse if used to destroy other's peace of mind.

Recently, Virat Kohli was first trolled, and then threatened with dire consequences towards his family members. This sparked a debate around how the internet is becoming increasingly unsafe with growing cyberbullying and the trend of trolling.

Who is a troll? What is cyber bullying?

Troll is a popular slang term used to refer to a person who posts inflammatory, insincere, digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community. This could be on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog. A troll acts with the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses.

Cyber bullying is an umbrella term for sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone — causing embarrassment or humiliation for the target person. Some cyberbullying incidents cross the line into unlawful or criminal behaviour.

"Trollface" has gone on to become a popular internet icon, which indicates the trolling culture online.

Why is it easy to troll others online?

❋ Online disinhibition effect: Internet gives a sense of illusion of invincibility and invisibility, leading to a false sense of security.

❋ Anonymity: We don't know who they really are, where they live, what they do. There is no accountability and no connection to one's life off-line.

❋ Spreading the negativity: Those with strong sadistic tendencies, or facing negativity in their own lives, tend to find it rewarding to hurt others.

❋ Tribalism: A group of trolls can gang up on you like a pack of hungry wolves. Tearing down the spirit of a celebrity or famous person can help them feel powerful.

❋ Personality: A popular psychology theory cites the presence of a dark tetrad personality in trolls. This comprises: sadism, narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism.

❋ Rigid belief system: Some people rigidly over-identify with their beliefs and are unable to bear things that do not align with their belief system.

❋ Opinions: On the internet, a lot of individuals swear by their opinions rather than endorsing the facts.

How trolling affects the person who is at the receiving end?

This seemingly harmless act of commenting on someone's posts, or circulating myths, can impact an individual more than that may be visible. It can lead to psychological issues like:

❋ Self-doubt and low self esteem

❋ Mood issues and depression

❋ Triggering of old trauma

❋ Stress-related issues

❋ Anger outbursts

❋ Impostor syndrome

❋ Feeling unsafe

What to do if you are subjected to trolling online?

Chances are that in this lifetime if you are active online, you may get subjected to trolling.

❋ Be aware: A lot of us are not aware of the concept of trolling and may take the comments way too personally. Know that this is about the troll's insecurity, not about you.

❋ Be responsible: Fighting back hate with hate only leads to more animosity. After all, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind".

❋ Be vocal: Do voice your opinion and feel free to call out the troll if that is what you wish. However, most trolls disappear after the first attack. Being vocal is a personal choice that you must make. No one should decide for you. You can choose to be indifferent.

❋ Be kind: First, to yourself. Know that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and it is okay if not everyone likes you online. People who matter to you in life are there to support you.

❋ Be realistic: Being online, posting and sharing content and being a public figure can always subject you to scrutiny.

❋ Be safe online

❋ Don't be a troll yourself: Take a moment to reflect if you may have accidentally trolled someone in the past or unknowingly displayed a similar mentality.

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