Simon Copland
by SIMON COPLAND
It’s time to stop the trolls.
That’s what we’re being told by the Daily Telegraph who yesterday started the #stopthetrolls campaign. On the face of it, this idea has the potential to do a lot of good.
Trying to stop online abuse is a good thing (no judgements on the methods here). Yet, as the media focus on the trolling of some, why do we ignore or even accept the constant abuse and bullying of others that occurs every day?
The campaign is calling on Twitter to stop allowing people to troll online anonymously. It has come about after a number of high-profile trolling incidents over the past couple of weeks.
First, Charlotte Dawson was admitted to hospital after being attacked by Internet trolls. Following that, Tigers captain Robbie Farah spoke out after someone sent an abusive tweet to him after a game, resulting in calls from NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell to change federal legislation in this area and earning Farah a meeting with the Prime Minister.
It’s important to be clear here: bullying and emotional abuse is serious and we should do what we can to stop it, whether on or off line. Homophobic abuse is one of the leading causes in the high rates of depression and suicide in GLBTIQ people. Racial abuse creates similar problems in Australia’s Aboriginal community. Research shows that those who have suffered from bullying at school are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide.
Yet what’s interesting about our new focus on stopping the trolls, it how isolated it is. Whilst we are all up in arms and obsessing over Internet Trolls, what we’re not seeing are any sorts of similar campaigns to stop homophobia, or to stop racism, or to stamp out sexism.
We didn’t see the daily newspapers coming out with a #stophomophobia campaign after Jim Wallace’s comments last week, or a #stopracism campaign after the Aboriginal Memes outrage.
Robbie Farah
In fact, depending on the public profile and the public support for a person – trolling and abuse are often completely ignored or in some cases, just accepted as part of life.
For example, whilst Robbie Farah has been complaining about abuse he’s received, one thing he and the Daily Telegraph didn’t mention was the Tweet he sent last year (which he has now apologised for) saying that Prime Minister Julia Gillard should be given a noose for her birthday. Apparently stopping the trolls wasn’t that important when the abuse was directed at our PM.
After Andrew Bolt was convicted for breaching the Racial Discrimination Act recently, columnist Miranda Devine wrote a piece describing the ‘chilling effect’ that this could have on our democracy and right to free speech (noting of course that this ruling related to ‘offense’, the exact thing people are complaining about on Twitter).
So, what’s the difference between these cases and trolling? There are probably two answers.
The first is ideology. More than anything, it is probably political ideology that has meant that much of the mainstream media have ignored abuse thrown at an unpopular Prime Minister and other politicians like Bob Brown, whilst campaigning against the trolling of celebrities and sporting heroes.
Charlotte Dawson
The second, and probably more important answer: is power. The young queer people in rural Australia have nothing like the power to speak out against abuse or bullying that Charlotte Dawson has. The Aboriginal people who face racial abuse every day have nothing like the power that Andrew Bolt does through his newspaper columns.
A few select people have the power not only to speak out when they’re being bullied but then to also defend their right to free speech when the words come out of their mouths.
This is the reason why trolling is now taboo and something to be condemned – whilst homophobia, racism and sexism get ignored under the guises of ‘well it’s always been that way’.
The thing about Internet trolling is that it tends to affect those in power more than anyone else. It is a hazard of being important or popular. That doesn’t mean that these people deserve to be bullied or trolled – absolutely not – but it also doesn’t mean they deserve more protection than those than anybody else.
But because of their power, and their ability to speak out, that’s exactly what is happening. What this means is the protection of speech for some and not others, and the protection from bullying for some and not others.
If we want to be serious about bullying and abuse we need to take it seriously for everyone, not just those suffering from Internet trolling.
This article was originally published on Simon’s blog here and has been republished with full permission.
Simon Copland works and studies in science communication at ANU. He has strong interest in political movements, with a particular focus on the environment and queer movement. He is the political editor of ACT queer magazine FUSE. He is a member of the Greens and a US politics nerd. Follow him on Twitter here.
Comments
49 Comments so far
True story
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I agree with this.
While I think the abuse these people get is pretty vile, I find it hard to stomach people like Charlotte Dawson or Robbie Farah crying troll when they themselves have written some equally offensive and bullying tweets.
I’m pretty sure like everything it only gets attention when someone well known or in power is affected. Having said that, if this type of awareness does some good then that’s a great outcome.
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http://assoshop.ru/
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I’m way more concerned for teenagers who cop abuse online and at school etc. Teenagers don’t have all the coping mechanisms that the majority of adults have to just ignore it. People who are in the spotlight, and more so the vocally aggressive ones, should realise that criticism comes with the territory. If you dish it out, expect it served back.
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This is so so ridiculous. First of all, I hate how people let politicians be ‘trolled’ (Julia Gillard cops A LOT of unwarranted abuse daily, sometimes it’s just because she is a red head) and think its ok because they should have the thick skin to deal with it. But then Charlotte Dawson receives a few tweets that she then retweets thus fueling the fire, and then has a breakdown like a 14yo & suddenly everyone is on the situation.
Why couldn’t she have ignored it? Blocked them & reported them to twitter? Not looked at her twitter for a few hours? Not glorified their behaviour by making their tweets public?
I’m sorry but if you are a celebrity (one who constantly critisises others for a living) then you need to develop coping mechanisms to deal with the people that don’t like you. Stop making it someone else’s job.
This Stop The Trolls campaign is pathetic & unrealistic.
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Agree.
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Hi everyone,
Thanks for the comments on the piece. Just one thing I would like to clarify.
A few people have pointed out campaigns on homophobia and racism etc. and reactions to comments from people like Jim Wallace to question my thesis that this sort of bullying is being ignored.
First of all, I would like to point out that yes, of course there are campaigns on these issues. The reaction from many to Wallace’s comments, or Aboriginal Memes has been very vocal.
What I wanted to point out however is that these sorts of reactions often only come from a limited few, and organisations like the Daily Telegraph rarely fall into that category. In reality I guess that is fine – it is not the job of the Telegraph to campaign on bullying. But there is a deep irony when this same organisation, and people like them, ignore these issues and then pull out a big campaign on Internet trolling. The irony is even worse when, as I said in my piece, there are people who write for organisations like the Telegraph that actively stoke bullying practices and defend the right of those who do it in other formats.
Someone said that we can chew gum and walk at the same time. I agree. But that’s not what’s happening here. #Stopthetrolls is about defending the right of some to not be trolled, whilst at the same time defending their right to bully in other formats. For me that’s not okay.
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Well said, Simon!
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i hope robbie farah has learnt a big lesson here.
everyone you speak/write nastily about is someone’s mother, father, sister, brother and/or friend.
he learnt that the hard way.
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To his credit, he immediately owned it, apologised and admitted, unequivocally, that he was wrong. I’ve yet to see apologies from Catherine Deveny. She uses the ‘I was joking’ excuse … Repeatedly. I’ve read some hideous comments, many from ‘celebrities.’
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It wasn’t immediate, he made the comments last year! He did apparently pull the tweet down, but it’s only been since his trolling experience that people have brought him up on his own tweeting behaviour and now he’s apologised.
Agree with you about Deveney though. The Bindi Irwin one was foul
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Catherine Deveny is a comedian, you know. Everything that she says is funny. Hate the “just joking” defence when used to defend the indefensible.
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She is so unfunny it’s not funny.
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How about we start a #keepcelebritiesoffoftwitteriftheydon’twanttobegivenhonestfeedbackaboutthemselves hashtag? Not that I’m condining death threats or mass bulllying, but seriously, perhaps these celebs should learn what it’s like to be an ordinary “citizen” as they choose to call us and stop putting forward their ideas on twitter as if they are god and everyone must agree with them. Then perhaps they wont get abusive messages.
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Yes!
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This is just ridiculous..
A) You can’t moderate human behaviour. We ALREADY have laws to protect people against genuine threats.
and
B) People don’t understand how the internet works.. There’s NO way of tracing a good troll..
C) People should just harden up.
https://minus.com/lbGWRTlRPfPzh
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nice!
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And it is because of people like you that we need to have movements such as are you ok day. Let me guess, you probably think this is useless as well?
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Actually, I think if a few less people were totally wrapped up in themselves and throwing their own little tantrums, they might notice how other people are getting along sooner and more readily. Then a designated RUok Day would be redundant.
You should be able to care about those around you all year round. It isn’t always about you or me.
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Disagree Simon, homosexuals and perpetually outraged feminists get more media coverage than Kim Kardashian.
Social media and self absorption and narcissism go hand in hand. If you want to wander around in the dark world of cyber space telling people your every inane thought and boring deed then don’t start crying when lunatics take potshots.
As for Aboriginal racism? I have an Aboriginal grandmother. I don’t identify as Aboriginal. I’m white and live a western lifestyle. I’ve been subjected to vile racist comments from random Aboriginal people who think I’m a white skinned c**t. I don’t bother telling them that I probably have more Aboriginal blood than they do. For the record, I read every one of Andrew Bolt’s comments and agreed with him.
Australia is the least racist country on earth. Go have a look at India’s cast system. I’m sick of treating everyone with kid gloves all the time. Racism is NOT an issue that the media need to focus on.
If you want suicide highlighted, and today is ‘Are you OK’ day, then how about the farmers who are suiciding?
If you want to be outraged that a cause is being neglected then how about focusing on child sexual abuse. This group has no voice. They can’t twitter their pain or update their Facebook statis to ‘violated.’
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Bravo for speaking your mind !
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I hope you’re not calling for more media coverage of Kim Kardashian!
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Great post – interesting discussion.
I agree with the writer 100% – we have much bigger issues to worry about.
Bullying needs to be stopped, no question, but I don’t see nasty twitter comments directed at celebrities as bullying – the unrelenting emotional abuse of a child or teenager by other children or teenagers is the type bullying we need to be worried about and I don’t think Twitter is the platform of choice for that type of bullying.
I think there is a huge over reaction to Twitter trolls when a) most of the outcry and demands for action are from adults who could probably find better and more meaningful things to do with their lives than play on Twitter and b) the resolution to the problem is so simple, block, delete, switch off.
Don’t give the trolls any air – they will suffocate.
The high profile people that are experiencing ‘Twitter poisoning’ are making themselves accessible, they’re choosing to put themselves on Twitter to interact with people – I don’t see it as the government’s responsibility to ensure that they only encounter nice people.
Avoiding Twitter trolls is easy, don’t use Twitter.
Avoiding Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, and that horrible childhood Ostracism is not so simple.
Twitter has a place in society no doubt, it’s great for information sharing, educating, raising awareness but I have little sympathy when attention seeking celebs who wish to share their every waking (often mindless) thought, end up with the wrong end of the stick.
And really, when and why did the opinions of celebrities become so damn important?
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This is a link to what I wrote the other day about Government interference with free speech, and Twitter trolling:
http://bingellsblog.bigblog.com.au/post.do?id=1065872
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Hi Simone,
Can I offer you some feedback? Please take this is the spirit is is intended and also realise it it not just in regards to you but others who do a similar thing on here.
I love reading everyones opinions on topics, it is great to learn a different perspective on a topic, but could you put some of your thoughts into the body of your reply here instead of just providing a link to your own blog?
I never click on the links left in the posts. I dont have time to go back and forth each time someone puts up a link to their blog.
I want to read your thoughts here, under this article with all the other comments.
By all means provide a link at the end of your comment letting us know that you have gone more in depth on your blog, but just telling me you have written about it but you don’t want to take the time to put some words down here in this discussion is frustrating.
Again, please don’t take this as an attack, I have just noticed it happening more and more here and your comment was the one that promted me to reply.
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Bravo Vivian, thanks for expressing so well what most people are probably thinking. I never click on those links either.
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I’m not sure I agree totally with this post. I certainly don’t tolerate racist or homophobic comments and I think most morally good people feel the same. If someone wrote, spoke or behaved in that manner publicly you would certainly hear about it in the media. We have been fighting the injustice of both for decades…..what do you think the marriage equality movement is all about?
Trolling is just the new way people can behave poorly, and here’s the thing, it encompasses all of the above and more. You can be black, white, gay, straight, pretty, ugly whatever and get attacked for it for no good reason other than jealousy and bad bad manners. I see #stoptrolling as a way to fight all of it head on.
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Wow, I never thought of it that way. Awesome article.
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Ohhhh SNAP!
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/farah-said-pm-should-get-a-noose-20120912-25rpl.html
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A #stopsexism campaign would have been good after Alan Jones’ disgraceful comments last week.
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there kind of is one. it’s called “destroy the joint” and it’s big on facebook.
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The stop the rolls campaign is just traditional media vs new media. They do not like the democratization of information that twitter is beginning to allow.
They also know that they can jump on this bandwagon since a relativity small number of Australian use twitter as compared to Facebook, so they can scaremonger.
I’m not saying that bullying is okay, but lets look at the at it objectively for a moment. This campaign is being lead by an ex model and NRL footballers, both whom have tweeted offensive remarks in the past, and tried to hide evidence of it. It has been picked up by shock jocks and forwarded on by tabloid newspapers.
Do we want a China style of social media? That is direction we are heading. And I do not believe that a hashtag will ever stop trolling!
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I don’t understand why people even listen to trolls. I personally wouldn’t care if random people I do not know do not like me and want me to die- How can you take mentally unstable nut bags seriously?
I would take some insult to heart- especially if they had a grain of truth in them, but it would be the kinder more well thought out criticism that would hurt.
The trolliest trolls are oviously nut bags who need help. Maybe they do need tracking down and brought to account for their antisocial behaviour.
But I think we also need to teach people how to cope with nagative comments and bullying. everyone is bullied at some stage- either at work or at school. My school bullying was brutal but I am proud I have the back bone to be myself, wear what I wanted and not fall in line with sheep mentality.
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I disagree with the substance of this post.
It seems to rest on the notion that there has been no outcry about the ACL’s comments about homosexuality, or the Aboriginal meme page. It argues that homophobia and racism are more pressing issues that are going unnoticed. However I believe this to be incorrect.
There was a huge outcry over Jim Wallace’s comments, which resulted in the Prime Minister cancelling a speaking arrangement. Same goes for the aboriginal meme page, it received a lot of coverage witht he tone one of universal negativity.
The simple answer to the coverage trolling has received this week is that it is a new phenomenon. Whilst I know it has been around for ages, it has only just been detected by the media and as such the public are only just being made aware.
Everyone knows homophobia and racism are wrong, and there are perennial stories with those concepts at their core. But to allege simply because we don’t start a #stopracism campaign that we somehow don’t care is a bit much. The #stopthetrolls works because trolling is largely a twitter phenomenon, hence it is the correct place for a campaign. Also it is a bit new so the news outlets are giving it a run.
We can walk and chew gum at the same time, and we can care about multiple causes at the same time. Just because one is in the news at the moment it doesn’t mean that that is coming at expense of the others.
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Great comment.
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Where has the like button gone for mobile users? This I like
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Another “Bravo” !
Standing ovation to follow.
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This is fabulous. I don’t need to add anything, except that I love this article.
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Thanks Frankie. Appreciate it.
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Block & Delete – The two tools of the emotionally mature human being that render most of the debate moot.
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Hi FHB,
I agree that block and delete are a good solution and it is what I do, but I think we have to be careful about using that as a way to ignore or excuse bullying. The reality is that trolling is bullying and whilst it is nice to say block and delete, bullying has an affect, whether online or not. We need to treat it seriously.
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What stands out to me after having read this post is the difference between individual personal attacks and the generalised attacks on certain groups of society. Neither are acceptable, but the personal attacks could, in my opinion, have much more severe effects. That’s where I think the campaigning is currently different.
Beyond that I don’t really care who’s being bullied, why do we have to resort to that type of language to discuss people’s opinions or existence in our society?? Why can’t we disagree and be civil and not resort to name calling and death threats?? I just don’t understand the behaviour. How can anyone feel better about themselves after having told someone else to go hang themself? Would there be any feelings of remorse if the target actually went ahead and did some self harm??
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I’m not sure I agree. I think if I were Aboriginal the meme circulating recently would have felt pretty personal. Likewise with homophobia if I were GLBTIQ.
On the subjects of homophobia, and Twitter, I love this:
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This is great. Says everything I wanted to say, but MUCH better.
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Thanks Lizi. Glad you like it.
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“and earning Farah a meeting with the Prime Minister”
Are you sure about that? I don’t think so.
As for trolls, I’m not sure they can be rid of. Social Media is designed in a way that enables them and expecting the Government to create laws to protect us from nasty words isn’t very realistic.
Can we just stop retweeting their vile comments for a start?
I don’t use Twitter much but I saw the Tweet about Farah’s mum on the weekend and it was disgusting. But it was also being retweeted by other prominent footballers – and I’m not sure of their reasons for doing so.
Good or evil??
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It’s been reported in both Fairfax and News Ltd over the past couple of days tht the PM’s office has sought a meeting with Farah on this issue. I don’t know whether it actually happened but I assume that Simon is referring to this.
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I love this post. Possibily my favourite ever on MM. I need to think about it for a while before I make a comment in response to the questions raised in it.
It has really made me think.
Love your work Simon!!
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Thanks Vivian.
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