Hiding behind anonymity, Internet trolls can be best dealt with by scrolling past them, experts say. (Photo : Getty Images)
An eye-for-an-eye approach may not be the best way to deal with trolls online.
In Internet slang, an online troll is someone who seeks for other users, but not anyone in particular, for the sole purpose of starting arguments by posting inflammatory, off-topic messages or contents and provoking emotion-driven responses from other users. Trolls disrupt online community discussions in the hopes that someone would take the bait and they could start their online "mission."
With the virtual nature of technology, particularly of the Internet, some users tend to work maliciously within the comforts of technology. The virtual shield, a.k.a. anonymity, that the Internet generally provides gives some users the courage to provoke other online citizens. Trolls do what they do simply for their own, personal entertainment.
According to a recent Victorian research, Internet trolling is mostly accompanied by psychological conditions such as sadism. Online trolls get a sadistic thrill from provoking someone, which is even revved up by a response from the victim.
So, the simplest way to deal with trolls? Ignore them.
Angry responses from victims only tend to add fuel to the trolls' fire, reinforcing their behavior by starting another round of trolling, which, in turn, becomes a vicious cycle under their control.
According to Pan Ming, founder of Yiming Psychological Counseling Center in Qingdao, Shandong Province, and a psychologist by profession, most trolls would back down if they realize they cannot stir up a word war against other users. Moreover, with the efforts of Web developers to help users in dealing with Internet trolls, turning off the comment function and user-blocking capabilities of most websites are now some of the options.
So next time you come across a troll online, it will be just another disappointing day for the most hated people on the Internet.
