Naming and Shaming “Trolls” Online

[ProfessionalCommuter]

Seen another Instagram account today with a large following name and shame someone by posting a screenshot of a DM and leaving the name there for all to see.

This happens sooo often. Big mega-stars do it all the time.

I don’t know if it’s wrong or right. On the one hand if you’re a dick and send a message that’s offensive then you get what you deserve.... but on the other hand isn’t right for someone with tens of thousands of followers to use their power and influence in that way?

I’m not sure there’s a correct answer. Any views?

No I don’t think it’s right at all. I’ve seen this a few times.

What's a DM? If someone is offensive it needs reporting - there is the risk of someone being wrongly accused, abused, threatened, attacked in the real world etc if someone 'outs' them online.

Social media is like the bloody wild west.

I have no problem with it.

Perhaps if more people did it, trolling would become less appealing.

Yes I too think it is wrong unless maybe they are extremely persistent and you want to give others a headsup. The real issue I think now is that negative opinion is now considered to be harrassment/bullying/trolling and by 'big names' naming and shaming it can vilify people who were doing nothing of the sort. I do think on IG particularly the naming and shaming increases engagement and following (the huns love a bit of persecution) so I suspect it is done strategically sometimes.

If you don't want to be named and shamed then don't be a Cunt online

It is entirely wrong. Trial by social media.

Depends if you are just being a nasty troll or making a valid point. I don’t get why you would go on someone’s profile and comment on their appearance or threaten to kids or something- that’s trolling and they deserve to be exposed.

Pristine but how and by whom is that defined? There are people on line who are not always nice themselves but think that they are above criticism. Calling them out or merely questioning them is trolling to them.

I think I know the one you mean today. I thought the same. It's clearly been done so the followers give that woman a ton of abuse! What the lady put isn't great but doesn't deserve what she will now get.

I follow this person but this has put me off completely.

Who??

What is the back story here? I think yanbu in general but each situation is different.

It depends HUGELY on what the original message was. If you're in any way offensive or abusive in public, you should expect to be called out in public and take the consequences of your actions.

Here’s the thing, if you stopped me in the street and started giving me abuse for no reason or because you didn’t like the look of me, other people would hear and probably (hopefully) think you were wrong and think you were a dick.

Why should it be the case that you could send me abusive messages and I have to accept it and no one is any wiser?

If you send me abuse online in the hope that I’d be scared enough to accept it then you’d be wrong.

Isn’t shame you in the street for doing it and I’d shame you online.

*i’d Not isn’t

If people are happy to send messages lik “I hope you get raped and die” just because they disagree with someone’s opinion or cause, then I think it’s fair that message is made public (and passed to the police, their employer, their mummy...”

If you don't want to be named and shamed then don't be a Cunt online

This.

Really nasty vicious stuff should be reported to the police.

Why should it be the case that you could send me abusive messages and I have to accept it and no one is any wiser in that situation I would publicise the comment but blank out the name of the commenter. Otherwise it’s just reverse bullying?

Honestly I think a lot of celebs make this shit up to look 'woke' and get headlines. Things like read Kim k's response to this vile racist/Chrissy Tiegan claps back at bodyshamer's awful message etc etc.

I don't know the story you're referring too but I'd say there's a 50% chance the sender of the dm is just a profile made up by their management company.

professionalcommuter

What impetus does that give a bully to stop? Sorry but if you’re brave enough to send abuse to people online then be brave enough to accept the consequences.

Management companies making up abusers?? To get headlines?

This happens?

I see this happening a lot now and I think it’s ridiculous. If you’re so hypersensitive about a bit of criticism from a stranger then you shouldn’t put your life and children on the internet for other people’s entertainment.

Whenever I’ve seen it it’s been really petty things too, like comments about how someone looks in a dress or their teeth. Surely this sort of reaction is exactly what the trolls want and it’s better to just ignore them.

I think it's great, it gives the trolls some of their own medicine.

It happens all the time on Twitter.

Eye for an eye I suppose.

What Pristine said.

I’m still not sure. If it’s a troll account, well they’re not going to give a fuck or be hounded out. They’ll just delete account and spring up again.

Reasonable people can make unreasonable comments out of character but possibly don’t deserve to be shamed. In the example I saw today, the commenter was clearly a fan most of the time. But made a personal comment. That’s why it’s made me think, really. When’s a troll not a troll?!

Clearly vile stuff is illegal. Rightfully. This is why I don’t comment or DM people who aren’t friends IRL! Drama.