How to deal with internet trolls
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With a lot of our daily interactions happening online, it is easy to feel safe and confident on the internet. It’s important that your children feel confident and happy online, but aware of what they can do and how you can help them if things aren’t so positive.
What is an internet troll?
An internet troll is someone who constantly harasses a person on the internet through unwanted comments, page posts, messages, response videos and replies. These responses are usually made to upset, taunt, anger or bully, in other cases, gain attention, blackmail or control.
Why do they do it?
Psychologists believe that people are less inhibited by what they say online due to the fact that there do not appear to be as many social conventions. This is called the ‘online dis-inhibition effect’.
This leaves trolls to feel they can pretty much say whatever they want to say without real-world consequences because of the physical and emotional disconnect of a computer screen.
While not all trolls remain...
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