Battling Trolls and Surviving Cyberbullies
Being an influencer is an exciting line of work, and it’s easy to get used to having the adoration of your fanbase. However, one of the most damaging and isolating parts of being an influencer is the amount of online hate and cyberbullying you often have to endure as well. Trolls can take a tremendous toll on your mental and even physical health, and it’s not always easy to know how to handle them.
First off, know that you’re not alone. Anyone who has ever had a significant online presence has had to deal with the scum that crawls out from under the bridge. Trolls are usually nothing more that a nuisance that can be blocked and forgotten, but sometimes it’s more serious than that. To help you combat your online haters, we’ve come up with a list of ten tips to help protect yourself, your health, and your content, PLUS you can now register for our next must-see webinar:
Adult.law: Dealing with Cyberbullies, featuring Corey Silverstein Esq.
When: May 27, 2021
Time: 2pm EST
Ten Tips for Dealing With Trolls
1. Don’t engage
Cyberbullies are looking for a reaction. They want to know that their words or actions have gotten under your skin, and the worst thing you can do is give them that satisfaction. If you see harmful comments, resist the urge to respond, delete them, and move on.
2. Save the evidence
You can never be sure which bullies are there just to drop a nasty remark and which ones may be looking to cause greater damage. Because of this, screenshot EVERYTHING, especially if a troll is a repeat offender. Save these screenshots in a folder so that you’ll have evidence of the bullying if and when you need it.
3. Talk about it
It’s important to be able to vent about trolls who are causing you pain. Have a support system of people who you can trust to listen to your concerns. Even if you just need someone to lend a kind ear, don’t let the pain of being cyberbullied or trolled build up inside. It will affect your content and worse, your mental health.
4. Block them
The minute you feel that a bully is affecting your mental or physical health, BLOCK THEM! Whether they leave one nasty comment or are a repeat offender, you don’t have to put up with harassment. Block, delete, and move on.
5. Report them
Most online platforms give you the ability to report harassment, so when you block a troll, be sure to report the offending user.
6. How serious is it?
Determine exactly how serious the cyberbullying is. If it’s simply a troll making noise, it may be easier to just report and block that user. However, if it is more serious, you may have to take stronger measures.
6. Guard your safety
As an influencer, your privacy is of the utmost importance. Make sure that you’re putting your content only on secure platforms that don’t have a history of security breaches. Don’t put your private information in the hands of just anyone.
7. Limit your contact options
Don’t give trolls too many options for contacting you. Keep any and all private information (like your email address) off the internet and explain to fans that you will only communicate with them on your terms. (Such as through FanCentro DMs!)
8. Lawyer up
If you’re receiving significantly disturbing communications or comments that threaten your health, safety, or livelihood, it might be time to talk to an attorney. Find one who specializes in harassment, defamation of character, false light, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or similar types of civil action. Sometimes a letter from an attorney (on law firm letterhead) may get the bullying to stop.
9. Protect your content
The last thing you want is to give bullies or pirates easy access to your content. Be sure that you watermark all of your content and invest in DMCA protection so that any unauthorized posting of your content can be quickly removed.
10. Breathe
Trolls go after you because there’s something wrong in their lives, not yours. Don’t let them get to you. Laugh back, take a walk, or do some quick breathing exercises to calm your nerves and clear your head.
