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With lockdown giving people more time on their hands, many have taken to online bullying as a pastime.
So, I have started a thread on cyberbullying, why people abuse others online and how to try and prevent it.
Please feel free to add your comments and own experiences.
So, I have started a thread on cyberbullying, why people abuse others online and how to try and prevent it.
Please feel free to add your comments and own experiences.
What is cyberbullying?
Technology means that bullying is no longer limited to schoolyards. Cyberbullying can occur anywhere, even at home, via smartphones, emails, texts, and social media, 24 hours a day. Cyberbullies use digital technology to harass, threaten, or humiliate you.
Technology means that bullying is no longer limited to schoolyards. Cyberbullying can occur anywhere, even at home, via smartphones, emails, texts, and social media, 24 hours a day. Cyberbullies use digital technology to harass, threaten, or humiliate you.
Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying doesn’t require face-to-face contact and isn’t limited to just a handful of witnesses at a time. It also doesn’t require physical power or strength in numbers.
Cyberbullies come in all shapes and sizes. Almost anyone with an Internet connection or mobile phone can cyberbully someone else, often without having to reveal their true identity.
Cyberbullies can torment you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the bullying can follow you anywhere so that no place, not even home, ever feels safe. And with a few clicks the humiliation can be witnessed by hundreds or even thousands of people online.
The methods used to cyberbully can be as varied and imaginative as the technology they have access to. This could range from sending threatening or taunting messages via email, text, social media. Some cyberbullies may even create a website or social media page to target you.
On Twitter, there are many ways a cyberbully or troll can harass and abuse you and it can often be difficult to get Twitter to deal with the problem.
Cyberbullies know this and take advantage of this by spreading their message as quickly as they can sometimes using big accounts.
Cyberbullies know this and take advantage of this by spreading their message as quickly as they can sometimes using big accounts.
Some will make new accounts or anonymous accounts, block you and your followers, and then tweet comments about you. This can be hard to detect.
The benefit of this behaviour for the bully is they have no or few followers, their name is not being exposed as an online abuser.
The benefit of this behaviour for the bully is they have no or few followers, their name is not being exposed as an online abuser.
Some cyberbullies will use locked accounts to spread their abuse. This type of behaviour can very difficult to report as, as the abuser knows, you have no access to their tweets in order to report them.
This can sometimes strengthen them as abusers as they feel untouchable.
This can sometimes strengthen them as abusers as they feel untouchable.
Emotional Effects of Cyberbullying
Humiliation
Because cyberbullying occurs in cyberspace, online bullying feels permanent. Kids know that once something is out there, it will always be out there. They feel exposed, embarrassed, and overwhelmed.
Humiliation
Because cyberbullying occurs in cyberspace, online bullying feels permanent. Kids know that once something is out there, it will always be out there. They feel exposed, embarrassed, and overwhelmed.
Isolation
Cyberbullying sometimes causes victims to be excluded and ostracized online. Consequently, they often feel alone and isolated. When online friends and followers are lost, it can get you down and this can lead to more bullying.
Cyberbullying sometimes causes victims to be excluded and ostracized online. Consequently, they often feel alone and isolated. When online friends and followers are lost, it can get you down and this can lead to more bullying.
Anger
Many victims of cyberbullying will get angry about what is happening to them. In fact, research indicates that anger is the most common response to cyberbullying followed by being upset and worried.
Many victims of cyberbullying will get angry about what is happening to them. In fact, research indicates that anger is the most common response to cyberbullying followed by being upset and worried.
Powerlessness
Victims of cyberbullying can find it difficult to feel safe
They can feel vulnerable and powerless. These feelings surface because the bullying can invade their home through a computer or phone day or night.
To a victim, it feels like cyberbullying is everywhere
Victims of cyberbullying can find it difficult to feel safe
They can feel vulnerable and powerless. These feelings surface because the bullying can invade their home through a computer or phone day or night.
To a victim, it feels like cyberbullying is everywhere
Mental Effects of Cyberbullying
Depression and Anxiety
Low Self-Esteem
Self-Harm
Academic Issues
Suicidal Thoughts
Depression and Anxiety Low Self-EsteemSelf-Harm Academic Issues Suicidal Thoughts
Cyberbullying increases the risk of suicide.
People, especially if they are vulnerable, that are constantly tormented by bullies/trolls through text messages, instant messaging, social media, and other outlets, often begin to feel hopeless.
People, especially if they are vulnerable, that are constantly tormented by bullies/trolls through text messages, instant messaging, social media, and other outlets, often begin to feel hopeless.
They may even begin to feel like the only way to escape the pain is through suicide. As a result, they may fantasize about ending their life in order to escape their tormentors.
So, what causes people to want to become an online bully or troll?
What do they get from it?
Why do they behave this way?
What do they get from it?
Why do they behave this way?
Do we each harbour a dark passenger? A malevolent psychopath? A fragile narcissist? Contrary to popular belief, decades of psychological research shows that anyone is capable of aggression, cruelty and violence. The "self" is a murky mixture of light and shade.
In real life, aggressive behaviour triggers an immediate reaction from a victim – a change in facial expression, tone of voice, body language, perhaps even violence.
But in the online world these deterrents are missing or delayed, which helps abusers see their victims as faceless, imaginary cutouts who have no feelings and are unworthy of empathy.
Is it this seeing you as faceless, or not a victim at all because you do not use your real name online that makes them feel their behaviour is acceptable?
Or is this the behaviour of a coward that in fact has probably ensured they are the faceless, nameless one.
Or is this the behaviour of a coward that in fact has probably ensured they are the faceless, nameless one.
Psychology may hold a big piece of the puzzle. Nearly 10 years ago, the American psychologist John Suler argued that online environments unleash aspects of our personality that we normally keep under guard – a phenomenon he referred to as the online disinhibition effect.
Many aspects of Suler's theory remain untested, but a recent Israeli study found that people were less likely to issue online threats under their true identity, suggesting that anonymity is one contributing factor.
However, the researchers also found that the strongest inhibitor of online aggression wasn't lack of anonymity per se but the act of maintaining eye contact. In other words, anonymity may lay the path for aggression but the lack of social feedback is what drives the abuser on.
Does this mean that online bullies are people that lack social interaction with others online and are bored?
or is there a more to the workings of a cyberbully?
or is there a more to the workings of a cyberbully?
So, what are the characteristics of a cyberbully?
Narcissism,
Pathological lying
more likely to be male
psychopathy
have lower affective empathy
sadism
Narcissism, Pathological lying more likely to be male psychopathy have lower affective empathy sadism
Let's start by getting our definitions straight: An Internet troll is someone who comes into a discussion and posts comments designed to upset or disrupt the conversation.
Often, in fact, it seems like there is no real purpose behind their comments except to upset everyone else involved. Trolls will lie, exaggerate, and offend to get a response.
What kind of person would do this? Some Canadian researchers decided to find out.
What kind of person would do this? Some Canadian researchers decided to find out.
They conducted two online studies with over 1,200 people, giving personality tests to each subject along with a survey about their Internet commenting behavior.
They were looking for evidence that linked trolling with the "Dark Tetrad" of personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.
They found that Dark Tetrad scores were highest among people who said trolling was their favorite Internet activity.
They found that Dark Tetrad scores were highest among people who said trolling was their favorite Internet activity.
To get an idea of how much more prevalent these traits were among Internet trolls, one can refer to tables from the paper showing low Dark Tetrad scores for everyone in the study . . . except the trolls.
Their scores for all four traits soar on the chart. The relationship between trolling and the Dark Tetrad is so significant that the authors write in their paper:
"... the associations between sadism and GAIT (Global Assessment of Internet Trolling) scores were so strong that it might be said that online trolls are prototypical everyday sadists."
Trolls truly enjoy making you feel bad. To quote the authors once more (because this is a truly quotable article):
"Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun. . . and the Internet is their playground!"
References
"Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun. . . and the Internet is their playground!"
References
So now that we know we are dealing with some pretty nasty people, what can we do to keep ourselves safe from them?
5 signs you’re dealing with a troll
1)They act entitled
Many trolls have an inflated sense of worth. They operate as if the world revolves around them (or that is should).
1)They act entitled
Many trolls have an inflated sense of worth. They operate as if the world revolves around them (or that is should).
2) Anger
Trolls exist for the sole purpose of upsetting people.
Got someone on Twitter stirring up trouble? By starting arguments or posting inflammatory content?
They’re (probably) a troll. Especially if they appear to be insincere in their comments, posts, or statements.
Trolls exist for the sole purpose of upsetting people.
Got someone on Twitter stirring up trouble? By starting arguments or posting inflammatory content?
They’re (probably) a troll. Especially if they appear to be insincere in their comments, posts, or statements.
3. They exaggerate
A lot.
They use strong words like “never” and “every.”
Where most others would say “infrequently” and “some.”
Using extremes and superlatives are ways to inflame people.
And a good sign you have a troll to deal with.
A lot.
They use strong words like “never” and “every.”
Where most others would say “infrequently” and “some.”
Using extremes and superlatives are ways to inflame people.
And a good sign you have a troll to deal with.
4) They make it personal
Discussions, debates, arguments—all safe game for healthy talks among your online users.
Until it gets personal.
Which is what trolls do.
Discussions, debates, arguments—all safe game for healthy talks among your online users.
Until it gets personal.
Which is what trolls do.
Rather than discuss a matter, reasonably and logically, trolls attack an opponent’s character. They’ll call people names and say things to appeal to feelings and prejudices, rather than intellect.
5) The account has no followers
6) The account was made that day
7) It suddenly appears on a thread for no reason other than to tweet abuse or to discredit somebody.
8) The account has several other accounts linked to its phone number
6) The account was made that day
7) It suddenly appears on a thread for no reason other than to tweet abuse or to discredit somebody.
8) The account has several other accounts linked to its phone number
If the person harassing you or others has more than one of these things, then they are probably a troll.
So, should you fight back with tweets back to these people? Here are the pros and cons:
Pros: You stand up for yourself.
You defend yourself. You heap the same scorn on them they try to heap on you. You get some satisfaction.
Pros: You stand up for yourself. You defend yourself. You heap the same scorn on them they try to heap on you. You get some satisfaction.
Cons: You will not get them to admit they’re wrong, or apologize, nor will you get the last word in. They will always reply to you, they will always want to get the last little bit of ridicule in. There is no truly satisfying win to be had.
They are after all sadists.
The best way to deal with cyberbullies/trolls is
1. Screenshot every comment and the one before and after it for context. (Hi to the trolls, by the way, you know who you are)
2. Take a copy of the URL
3. Block them
4. Block their followers
1. Screenshot every comment and the one before and after it for context. (Hi to the trolls, by the way, you know who you are)
2. Take a copy of the URL
3. Block them
4. Block their followers
5. Change your settings so that you don't see new accounts, certain words.
6. Never let them know that that they are bothering you.
The psychopathic person within your cyberbully will see this as an open-door target on your head.
6. Never let them know that that they are bothering you.
The psychopathic person within your cyberbully will see this as an open-door target on your head.
7. Make sure you never give out details online of where you live and never give anyone your number unless you trust them.
8. Report all perceived crimes to the police and gather evidence of everything.
9. Remember you are not alone.
8. Report all perceived crimes to the police and gather evidence of everything.
9. Remember you are not alone.
@threadreaderapp unroll
