THE IMPACT OF INTERNET TROLLS ON INDIVIDUALS- (Research Paper)
THE IMPACT OF INTERNET TROLLS ON
INDIVIDUAL
This paper focuses on the dissection and the
analysis of a troll and how it psychologically affects individuals. Trolls came
from Scandinavian culture. A troll was an anthropomorphic creature that usually
lived in hillsides, at crossroads or under bridges who attack humans and steal
things. Today, trolls live in the silhouette on internet forums, social
networks, and comment pages which makes the people disgruntled, disconsolate
and leads to other health issues.
Trolls continue to play a conspicuous role in
social media. Trolling is defined as creating discord on the internet by
starting tussle or upsetting people by posting inflammatory or off-topic
messages in an online community. The worst trolling happens in You Tube video
comments, Blog comments, Forums, Email, Facebook, Twitter, or practically in
social networking site, anonymous social networks etc.
Trolling
is persuaded by sexism, humiliation, racism, and the desire to unfurl rumours
and lies. Trolling is mostly earmarked on females and children. Internet trolls
spread bogus asseverations, ruin reputations, and have even caused cases of
suicide. Trolling and cyber bullying are relatable to each other. Thus, trolls
appears to be master manipulators of both cyber settings and their victims
emotions.
KEYWORDS: TROLLING, INTERNET, SOCIAL NETWORKS.
INTRODUCTION
An internet troll, or simply troll in internet
slang, is someone who posts contentious, inflammatory, inapposite or off-topic
messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat
room, with the primary aspiration of provoking other users into a poignant response
or to generally derange normal on-topic discussion. The internet troll is a
modern version of the mythological version. They camouflage behind their
computer screens, and actively go out of their way to cause trauma on the
internet. Every internet troll has a different back story and therefore
different reasons for feeling the need to troll a community or an individual on
the internet. They may feel despondent, attention- starved, piqued, woebegone,
envious, narcissistic or some other emotion they may not be entirely conscious
of that’s influencing their online behaviour. Trolling makes a lot of cowardly
people feel brawny.
Trolls will make deliberately cruel, racist,
homophobic and sexist comments- or even tell people to kill themselves- then
sit back to enjoy the outraged responses. Internet trolls have existed from
1992. According to the google trends, the very first time the “internet troll”
term was searched widely was in the year 2004. There are various types of
internet trolling. These internet brutes come in different sizes and shapes, as
well as the activities they tend to participate in. The most popular types of
trolls are the following: Griefing (they intentionally distress players during
internet game), Raiding (these trolls make sure to group with the other
‘colleagues’ in order to cause maximum disruption), Flaming (a really hostile
type of web trolling), Shock trolling (they ensure to trick internet users into
viewing various disturbing internet content).
According to the latest research report, internet
trolls were found to have much higher rates of callousness, narcissism,
Machiavellianism, psychopathy in contrast to a typical individual.
ORIGIN AND ETYMOLOGY
Troll was first used in internet slang, with
numerous unattested accounts of BBS and UseNet origins in the early 1980’s or
before. The English noun troll in the standard sense of ugly dwarf or giant dates
to 1610 and comes from the Old Norse word “troll” meaning giant or demon.[1] The word evokes the trolls
of Scandinavian folklore and children’s tales: antisocial, quarrelsome and slow
witted creatures which make life difficult for travellers.[2]
In modern English usage, “trolling” may describe the
fishing technique of leisurely dragging a lure or baited hook from a moving
boat, whereas trawling describes the generally commercial act of dragging a
fishing net. Early non-internet slang use of “trolling” can be found in the
military by 1972 the term “trolling for MiGs” was documented in use by US navy pilots
in Vietnam. It referred to use of “decoys, with the mission of drawing…. Fire
away..”[3]. The etymology of the term
troll is a matter of some dispute. The word comes from the old French “Troller”
meaning to hunt for game with no specific target or purpose. The word troll formerly
used exclusively in a pejorative context and as a noun to label the person
described above, has in recent years experienced a paradigm shift. The common
understanding of the term and what it represents has completely changed. It is
now commonly used as a verb “to troll” or “trolling” a change that is a
reflection of the prevalence of this type of behaviour.
The role of the troll is increasingly being adopted
by a wide population of internet users. Trolls are recounted in a variety of
media in modern popular culture.
10 TYPES OF INTERNET TROLLS
There are some of the most common types of online
internet trolling which active users come across. The types of trolls are
mentioned below.[4]
INSULT
TROLL: The insult troll is a pure hater, plain and simple
and they don’t even really have to have a reason to hate or insult someone.
These types of trolls will often pick on everyone and anyone- calling them by
names, them of certain things, doing anything
they can to get a pessimistic emotional response from them. This type of
trolling can become so severe that it can lead to or be considered a serious
form of cyberbullying.
PERSISTENT
DEBATE TROLL: This type of troll loves a good
argument. They can take a great, thoroughly researched and fact-based piece of
content and come at it from all opposing discussion angles to challenge its
message. They believe they are right and everyone else is wrong.
GRAMMAR
AND SPELLCHECK TROLL: They are the people who always have
to tell other users that they have misspelled words and grammar mistakes. Even
when they do it simply by commenting with the corrected word behind an asterisk
symbol, its pretty much never a welcomed comment to any discussion. Some of
them even use a commenter’s spelling and grammar mistakes as an excuse to
insult them.
FOREVER
OFFENDED TROLL: When controversial topics are
discussed online, they’re bound to disgruntle someone. But then there are types
of trolls who can take a piece of content-and make a witticism, a parody or
something sarcastic- and turn on the digital waterworks. They’re experts at
taking humorous pieces of content and turning them into an argument by playing on
the victim. People really do get upset by some of the strangest things said and
done online.
SHOW-OFF,
KNOW-IT-ALL OR BLABBERMOUTH TROLL: A close relative to
the persistent debate troll, the show-off or blabbermouth troll is a person who
doesn’t necessarily like to play a part in arguments but does love to share his
or her opinion in extreme detail, even spreading rumours and secrets in some
cases.
PROFANITY
AND ALL-CAPS TROLL: Unlike some of the more intelligent
trolls like the debate troll, the grammar troll and the blabbermouth troll, the
profanity and all-cops troll is the guy who has nothing really of value to add
to the discussion, spewing only F- bombs and other curse words with his caps
lock button left on.
ONE
WORD ONLY TROLL: There’s always that one contributor to
a Facebook status update, a forum thread, and Instagram photo, a Tumblr post or
any other form of social posting who just says “lol” or “what” or “k” or “yes”
or “no”. They’re certainly far from the worst type of troll you meet online but
when a serious or detailed topic is discussed, their one-word replies are just
a nuisance to all who are trying to add value and trail around with the
discussion.
EXAGGERATION
TROLL: These trolls can sometimes be a combination of
know-it-alls, the offended and even debate trolls. They know how to take any
topic or problem and completely blow it out of proportion.
OFF
TOPIC TROLL: Its pretty hard not to hate that
person who posts something completely off topic in any type of social community
discussion. You see it all the time online- in the comments of Facebook posts, in
threaded you tube comments, on twitter and literally anywhere they’re active
discussions happening.
GREEDY
SPAMMER TROLL: Last but not least, there’s the
dreaded spammer troll. This is the troll who truly could not care less about
your post or discussion and is only posting to benefit himself.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
IMPACTS OF INTERNET TROLLING ON INDIVIDUALS
Trolling can have momentous physical and
psychological effects on victims. These include lowered self-esteem, sleep
disruption, depression, and in some cases leads to suicide. Trolls show higher
motivation to achieve negative social rewards, like creating social mayhem and
disruption. Unless we stay away from all social media, we are encountered by
internet trolls.[5]
COGNITIVE
AND AFFECTIVE EMPATHY: Cognitive empathy is the ability to
recognise and understand other people’s emotions. But affective empathy is the
ability to experience and internalise other people’s emotions. Cognitive
empathy is the ability to predict how another person will feel and affective
empathy is sharing the emotional experience. People who were likely to troll
had significantly lower levels of affective empathy. People with high levels of
cognitive empathy and psychopathic traits were more likely to troll.
Most mental health connoisseurs say psychopathy
cannot be cured. However, as trolls show higher levels of nonclinical
psychopathy traits interventions may be more successful. Not all trolls exhibit
traits like low affective empathy or psychopathy. Some may simply be motivated
by negative social rewards, like creating mayhem which motivates the troll to
keep going back for more.
Cognitive behaviour therapy is a talk therapy that
targets negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, self- help treatment
groups, group therapy, and even family therapy are all effective methods for
treating addictions, particularly internet addictions. CBT has shown to be very
effective.
TROLLS
EXHIBIT PSYCHOPATH TRAITS: Psychopathy is broadly defined as
a paucity of empathy or feeling for others, an inability to feel guilt, and an
ability to manipulate through charm. Other than in the movies, most psychopaths
are not violent.[6]
On the other hand, thrill- seeking and acting on
impulse are associated with psychopathy. That may explain why psychopaths find
trolling so enjoyable. It could be that “creating mayhem online is a central
motivator to troll”. Experts have given us an opinion not to take trolls too
personal but to ignore them and block the messages to have a stress free life.
TROLLS
ARE SADISTIC: Trolls take pleasure in frisking with
the feelings of individuals especially males who are trolled a lot. But as with
psychopathy, there are degrees of sadism and most of them stop well short of
the Marquis from whom the term is named.
YOUNG MEN ARE MORE ADDICTIVE TO INTERNET TROLLS
Two thousand, three hundred and ninety three years
ago, in 380 BC, Plato wrote the myth of the ring of Gyges, in which the
shepherd Gyges, discovers a ring that makes him invisible at will. He promptly
uses the protection this offers to infiltrate the royal household, seduce the
queen, assassinate the king and take the kingdom. Plato goes on: “if now there
should be two such rings, and the just man should put on one and the unjust the
other, no one could be found, it would seem, of such adamantine temper as to
persevere in justice”. Plato stated that “the protection of being
unidentifiable could corrupt even the most morally upstanding person.
The Gyges effect- the way that the internet can
encourage a disinhibition people simply would not experience face to face- is
only part of the explanation. Linked to that is the way the internet allows us
to shut down our sense of empathy. In a nutshell, we are sending words through
a screen, and seeing words come back. No tone of voice, facial expressions or
body language. This makes it easy not only to pretend there isn’t a real,
emotional, possibly fragile human being at the other end, but also to play down
any emotional reaction that they convey back as an exaggeration or a lie.
We are all capable of shutting off our empathy when
it suits us. When someone we love to hate suffers some minor inconvenience or
self- inflicted trouble, we can choose to enjoy their misfortune rather than
feel sorry for them. The internet, however, drastically increases that ability,
and allows us to emotionally divorce ourselves, not just from the people we
don’t like but also from those we don’t even know. It is, after all, a rare person who hasn’t
written an online review, email or comment that was more abrasive than anything
they would ever say in person.
There are potentially serious consequences to being outed as a troll, ranging from mere
social stigma and relationship breakdowns to job losses and prison sentences.
The result, however, for anyone trying to analyse and understand trolling, is
that we are left to either investigate the few cases that have come to court or
divine motives and intentions from the data the trolls provide.
One main
motive for trolling is very simple and obvious – it is boredom. The individuals
who are trolling to kill a few hours, beguile themselves and even impress
others of a similar mind-set. A second motive appears to be a need for
attention, a craving that will accept any kind of attention, however positive
or negative, as long as that person is at centre of it. Such individuals may
not just post offensive messages, but also annoyingly implausible stories,
grand claims, and obvious lies. A third motive seems to involve a sense of
disenfranchisement. In a climate where even graduates with good degrees are
struggling to find jobs, and house prices make getting on the property ladder
an impossible fantasy for many, its little surprise that a selection of the
population may consider themselves short changed. It would take a strong
character not to feel a sense of injustice at the fact that, a generation
earlier, their exact counterparts were walking into secure, lifelong employment
and able to buy nice homes. Not only the trolling activities is done by male
but according to various researches and statistical data we are able to find
out that men are mainly prone for trolling and many are victims of trolling as
well.
ADVANTAGES OF INTERNET TROLLING
Like how a coin has two sides, in the same manner
trolling also has a positive as well as a negative side. Some of the advantages
are as follows.[7]
ENTERTAINMENT:
Without having trolls as a part of each one’s life the forums, news websites,
blogs, and you tube comments would be boring. Trolling entertains us and gives
us something to read, to analyse and also to get to know about the current
trends in the society.
CULTURE:
Trolling and trolling memes have become a part of today’s culture. We get to know the different types
of characters existing in the society and we get a confidence to tackle any
kind of a situation.
SELF
IMPROVEMENT: Trolling has made people to have a
high level of forbearance capacity. When we get to have some problems with are
peer groups, families, siblings etc; instead of fighting with them and making life completely stressful
we can create memes and troll them in a
good manner so that they may understand our feelings and take it in a lighter
manner than being too emotional.
INTELLIGENCE:
Trolling improves our creativity level and makes us think outside the box.
Tackling of various worst problems in are day to day life becomes easier if we
can handle the trolls.
STRENGTHING
THE COMMUNITY: One of the benefits of forum trolls is
that they strengthen the very communities
they seek to destroy.
These benefits cannot be applicable for all types of trolling. Trolling in a friendly
manner helps us to be stress free and communicate with people but other worst
forms of trolling is not encouraged. The other forms of troll which invite
serious problem must be reported to some authorities who can put an end to all
those trolls.
SOCIAL MEDIA
TROLLS
All that a troll wants is to inflict soreness,
ridicule, and humiliate a targeted person. These little social media misfits
will tarnish our brand and reputation. There are people who deliberately
provoke others online by saying inflammatory and offensive things. They live to
make people upset and angry. Trolls often don’t believe a word they write, but
say it anyway just to piss off the others. It is simply stated that social
media trolls = online bullies.[8]
Trolls lurk online, wherever people comment, post
and share with others like: social media, internet chat rooms, email groups,
discussion forums and blogs. Internet trolls are nasty, they cause sleepless
nights. Trolls aren’t looking for resolution. They want to engage in battle,
one that nobody can win.
TIPS
FOR HANDLING TROLLS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
1. Establish
a policy
2. Ignore
them
3. Respond
with facts
4. Diffuse
with humour
5. Block
or ban them
6. Correct
mistakes
7. Don’t
be baited
8. Don’t
delete their posts
9. Build
a supportive, friendly community
TROLLING AND CYBERBULLYING
There
are a lot of similarities between trolling and cyberbullying.[9] Trolling is internet slang
for a person who intentionally starts arguments or upsets others by posting
inflammatory remarks. The sole purpose of trolling is angering people. It has
been compared to flaming in cyberbullying. Plus, many people who troll think
what they do is an “art”. They frequently hide behind a cloak of anonymity. The
symbol for trolling is a black and white drawing of a face with a mischievous
grin, which is symbolic of the expression someone is making while trolling
victims.
PURPOSE:
1. To be a source of entertainment for the troller
2. To be offensive and argumentative
3. To derive pleasure from
annoying the hell out of others
4. To scour the internet
for bait
5. To get attention
6. To gain recognition
7. To upset the victim
Cyberbullying
is deliberate and repeated harm inflicted through using the internet,
interactive and digital technologies, or mobile phones.
PURPOSE:
1. To get revenge
2. To feel empowered
3. To gain popularity
4. To harass and threaten
5. To be offensive
6. To humiliate
7. To intimidate
8. To upset the victim
LAWS FRAMED AGAINST TROLLING
Not
all laws mention the term “internet” explicitly, except provisions under IT Act,
2008 but nevertheless it can be interpreted in cases where a person is
subjected to harassment on social media platforms or on email. Although the
Supreme Court struck down section 66A (punishment for sending offensive
messages through communication service) of the information technology act in
2015, protecting the freedom of speech and expression of Indian citizens, there
exits laws in India which protect people from becoming victims of online
harassment. The much debated provisions under the Indian Penal Code
criminalising sexual harassment were amended in 2013 and additions were
therefore made to section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent
to outrage her modesty).[10]
SEXUAL HARASSMENT:
When a person posts lewd comments on social media, they are liable under
section 354A IPC and can be punished with one year imprisonment and fine. The
provision also covers posting or messaging content related to pornography
against the will of a woman and demand or request of sexual favours which, are
punishable with three years imprisonment and fine.
With
the intent to outrage the modesty of a woman, a person posting overtly sexual
remarks or pictures or videos filled with sexual innuendos on social media or
any gesture or object that a woman can see is covered by section 509 IPC. The
recent amendment made to IPC increased the punishment to three years jail along
with fine.
VOYEURISM:
Both IPC and IT Act list voyeurism as an offence. If a man captures an image of
a woman engaged in a private act without her consent, he will be punishable
under section 354C IPC which, holds the man liable to a minimum one year
imprisonment extending to maximum three years along with fine. The law can be
invoked in circumstances where a woman would not usually have the expectation
to be observed by the perpetrator.
Breaking
it down, acts where a woman’s body is exposed are considered “private acts”
like a picture of an undressed woman. The law includes three situations, when a
woman is using a lavatory, when a woman’s genitals are exposed and when a woman
is indulging in sexual acts in private.
Similar
law related to voyeurism and defamation, section 66E of IT Act specifies each
term giving a detailed meaning to voyeurism in relation to the internet.
Publishing a visual image of a person in print or electronic form that which
violates privacy of another person is held punishable for three years
imprisonment or rupees 2 lakh fine.
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT:
The IT Act goes a step ahead and holds persons liable for publishing or transmitting sexually explicit material in
electronic form. The first conviction would result in three years imprisonment along
with fine extending to rupees 10 lakh and upon second conviction, a person
would be held for seven years jail term along with a similar fine.
ONLINE STALKING:
An attempt to contact a woman to foster personal interaction despite her clear
disinterest and monitoring her through internet, email or through any other electronic
communication is stated as an offence under section 354D IPC. Commit the
offence once and one would be punishable for three years, commit the offence
twice and one would be punishable for five years. A harasser would be liable to
pay fine in both the cases.
OBSCENE CONTENT ON INTERNET:
Using words like “lascivious” and “prurient”, section 292 of the IPC defines a
book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation, figure or
any other object as obscene if it proves to have lascivious content or appeals
to be of prurient interest. Defining obscene content in electronic form,
section 67 IT Act reiterates the IPC provision adding the term “electronic
form” to the law.
DEFAMATION:
The law of defamation is mostly used by high- profile persons but in fact it
can be used as a shield if a person by visible representations publicises an
imputation of a woman with the intention to harm. Section 499 IPC would cover,
remarks on social media, obscene images or videos posted for public view. Whoever
defames a woman online is liable to two years in jail.
CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION:
If a woman is being threatened by a person who has the intention to harm her
reputation or alarm her, the latter would be punished with two years under
section 503 IPC. Similar to section 503, another provision mentioned in IPC is
section 507 IPC which punishes a person for two years if the person intimidates
or threatens a woman by anonymous communication.
CONCLUSION
All
of us can’t deny the fact that the use of internet and advancement in
technology has changed are lives a lot. Letters no longer take months to cross
the ocean, and people living on opposite side of the globe can see each others
faces on a daily basis with the help of video conference. In other words,
internet has redefined connection.[11] With Instagram, twitter
and Facebook acquaintances are only a touch or a click away. However, just like
how your friends and family can easily get you the same applies to your enemies
and strangers.
Internet troll invaded nearly every online platform, spewing hatred for everyone and everything through multiple accounts that guarantee to completely overwhelm their victims. A casual scroll into a comment section of any online post, whether it be personal blogs or magazine articles, reveals how these trolls set out to attack other users. Their comments are off topic, their language is either clownish or vulgar, but their goal is clear: they simply wish to create anger and discourse for the sake of it. The troll will eventually figure out that we are someone easily tricked into getting emotional if we keep responding or reacting to their comments or posts. Thus to control trolling activities to happen the best way is too ignore the comments and posts or mail or go legally by suing them in the court of law if it’s a really serious type of troll.
[1]
Harper, Douglas “troll” online etymology dictionary. Retrived 14th June,
2013.
[2] In “Trollmother”,
Retrived 22nd October, 2014.
[3] John
Saar (4th February, 1972).
[4]
https://watchmojo.com
[5] Evita
March- lecturer in psychology and federation university, Australia.
[6] Minda
Zetlin, the geek gap. 13th July, 2017.
[7] March
21, 2012- Matt Saccaro
[8] Todd
Clarke- February 28, 2019.
[9]
Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, Ph.d; LPCS, Jan 28, 2014.
[10]
Sonakshi Awasthi, Delhi, Jan 2, 2018.
[11]
Kayla Morocco, Chatham University.
-R.REBECCA VASANTHINI PERCY
THE TAMIL NADU DR.AMBEDKAR LAW UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW
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