Ten Effective Tactics to Defeat Internet Trolls

A new article on Search Engine Journal says that trolls may be the bane of the internet, but they shouldn't ruin your day. Learn to purge online trolls and prevent them from returning.



The trolls have moved out of their caves and onto the internet. Unlike the mythological creatures of early Scandinavian folklore, online trolls are real, and dealing with them is never a fun experience. An internet troll, as defined by Wikipedia, is:

An internet troll is someone who takes great pleasure in being an insufferable jerk online. The more people they tick off, the better. Trolls thrive on sarcasm and insults, and they've been around for as long as the internet has existed. Unfortunately, the trolls of today have escalated into a much more malicious force of hate than the original jokesters that were prevalent back in the '90s. Now, 41% of Americans have experienced some form of online harassment.

In the full article, you'll find a list of tips to add to your arsenal, so you're ready to handle the nonsense right away and protect your peace of mind. But how do you know you're dealing with a troll in the first place?

Warning Signs You're Dealing with an Internet Troll

Just some of the warning signs that you're dealing with a troll include:

• Blindness to evidence: Trolls are notorious for ignoring facts and either doubling down on their stance or redirecting to a new topic altogether.
• Name-calling: Internet trolls aren't known for their creativity. They'll often latch onto the latest trending insult and use it in every situation. Hello, "Karen."
• Topic redirects: This is an old-school trolling technique that's still around today on chats and forums. Trolls enjoy making off-topic remarks to try and distract posters from the discussion. They'll also post unrelated images or memes.
• Condescending tone: "Why you mad, bro?" Trolls love to stoke the fire and then act dismissive when people become angry, which only triggers more frustration. And they know it.
• Overexaggerating: While most people use words that aren't absolute, there's no middle ground for trolls. Everything has to be on the extreme end of the spectrum. Instead of saying "often" or "sometimes," they'll say "always" or "never."