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September 14, 2011 | 6 Comments

The Devastating Side Of Social Media And The Impact of “Trolling”

Bullying is disgusting and vile. I am sure everyone can agree on that. Whether it’s in the school play ground, at home, in the streets or across screens via social networks, it’s completely unacceptable. It can have a profound and devastating effect on the people it targets. The story of Natasha MacBryde, only 15 years of age, is one such heart breaking example of cyber bullying.

Having received some nasty messages on the Facebook and Formspring networks, Natasha grew increasingly isolated and depressed. She feared that she no longer had any friends and had been accused of “hiding behind make-up”. Sadly, on 14th February, she took her own life. Now, there may well have been other factors which amounted to her decision to end her life, but the cyber bullying was clearly a factor. She had come home from school crying just weeks before claiming she had lost all of her friends. This article is not just  about the impact online behaviour has on victims of bullying. Yes, in this circumstance, the most tragic outcome prevailed. But it gets worse for Natasha’s memory and her grieving family.

Soon after her death, family and friends put up a Facebook group dedicated to her memory. A place where they can write to her, remain connected with her and share memories. A lovely thought. But her memorial page was then a victim of “Trolling”. Sean Duffy*, 25, who had never even met or heard of Natasha before her tragic death, started posting outrageous and hurtful comments just because he deemed it entertaining and funny. For those who may be unfamiliar with the term Trolling, here is a quick definition,

trolling” – a term used to describe the trend of anonymously seeking to provoke outrage by posting insults and abuse online.”

Trolling Is Bullying

Mr Duffy, posted hurtful and demeaning comments and videos on YouTube and Facebook about her and her death. This even included calling her a “slut” on her memorial page.  This type of networking behaviour caused immense distress and hurt for her family who frequently monitored the page and understandably so. Having lost a daughter so suddenly in such a manner, no family should then face ridicule by online networking bullies. And trolling is a form of bullying. It inflicts great pain and distress on the families of those involved. The manner taunting and horrible remarks are the same formula as any other type of bullying. Having already taken her life because of cyber bullying, Natasha now faces even more in death.

What’s more, is that this is not the only death that Sean Duffy took advantage of on this manner. He would sit and scour the Internet for stories like Natasha’s and then intentionally write hurtful messages on Facebook. Another example of his disgusting online addiction, is the story of Lauren Drew, 14, who died during an epileptic seizure. On Mothers Day, he wrote on her Facebook wall “Help me mummy, it’s hot in hell”. In fact, he did this to a handful of grieving families over a period of time.

He is now facing an 18 week jail sentence for his online exploits.

Bad Karma

Did Sean Duffy think about the impact his actions would have? I don’t mean just for the families and the memories of the dead but I also mean for him? If he finds it so easy to start up hateful pages and groups or gatecrash on someones pain in Facebook, what’s stopping others from setting up pages dedicated to hurting him in return? There is precedent for this.

One man within the social media circles we’ll refer to him as “RQ”, happened to stumble upon the name of and home address and phone number of the individual who made the BNP website. BNP is a radical right wing nationalist party here in the UK. They are generally considered hateful and very few people agree with their views and beliefs. RQ set up a hate group for the man who made their website listing all his personal details with a slogan closely resembling “get out of Cornwall”. Yes, he made a website for a somewhat morally unjust political party, but as a web designer, that is his job. More to the point, people are free to have any views they wish and support and political party they like. To set up hate groups on Facebook in unacceptable, particularly when you are listing personal information in there which could set their life in immediate danger. It is not morally correct to swap one hate for another.

There is nothing to stop people who have strong feelings against Sean Duffy from doing the same and putting him on the receiving end of his own bullying tactics.

Key Take Away

Social networking is meant to be social and social implies fun and friendly. But this is not always the case. Online bullying and victimisation is increasing and with the web being free and people having the right to freedom of expression, hurtful comments and trolling can not always be monitored or stopped. Should Facebook and other networks try and reign in this behaviour? Some would argue yes because of the impact it has on victims and their families, whilst others would say people have the right to say what they like, regardless of how hurtful and disgusting it is. The truth is, there is no right or wrong answer and even if there were, it would be impossible to stop this type of online social behaviour as the Internet is just so big with so many places to incite hatefulness.

*Editor’s note: Just after this article went live it was brought to our attention that Duffy suffered from Asperger Syndrome so we felt we had a duty to mention it as it could have been a contributing factor to his actions.

~Articles mentioned in this post: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-14239702

~Articles mentioned in this post: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-14894576

~Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhiima

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Author:Nikki

I'm Nikki. I guest post on various blogs and websites about all things social media, technology and marketing.
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  • http://twitter.com/EhKho Irene Knight

    What happened to that poor girl and many other kids like her is heart breaking but do you think someone incapable of social interaction is entirely aware of the consequences of their actions?  I watched the news yesterday about Duffy and they spoke about his Aspergers like it was the common cold.  No, I’m not excusing or defending his behaviour but I’ve noticed that you’ve not even mentioned his affliction or taken it into account.

    • http://wearesocialpeople.com Tammy Kahn Fennell

      Hi Irene,

      I was here while Nikki was writing that piece, and it looks like the original source never mentioned it. Autism is definitely a very tough thing, and I’m sure it could have contributed to his actions. I think the key point of this article was not to attack Duffy, but more to show how social media can contribute to these things. It is equally condemnable what that person did to the BNP member in Cornwall, even if many people thought he deserved it.   

      We are in the business of promoting social media for good. But, every once in awhile we feel it’s our duty to show the darker side of it.

      Thanks for bringing up a missed fact. I’ve approved your comment so anyone who reads this will be able to see it.

      ~Tammy, CEO of MarketMeSuite and Editor of We Are Social People

    • http://wearesocialpeople.com Tammy Kahn Fennell

      I actually just put an editor’s note in the post as well.

  • http://twitter.com/digitaliprod Digital I

    One sad man with Asperger’s doesn’t excuse the actions of so many people who use the relative anonymity of the Internet to spew propoganda, specious arguments, and downright lies in defense of their hate agenda. Even supposedly “rational” people can get whipped up into a mad frenzy if a blogger or blog commentator takes opposition to some point they hold dear.

    Yet if these people were in a room with the other parties to the conversation, they’d hopefully act with more civility and common courtesy. Not everyone will, of course, and clearly maturity is the key factor, but we need to make the civil use of social media a frequent and widely supported message, if we are to turn this tide. 

  • http://twitter.com/EhKho Irene Knight

    You’re welcome! I completely agree that his actions were vile and that he needs to face the consequences of his actions but I’m willing to bet he has parents that have tried endlessly for years to get him help and support that will work for him and he, like many others are failed by the system. 

    He definitely needs to be banned from using the Internet or perhaps some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to give him a chance of learning how to behave properly and then a ban?

  • Kissmyass

    Friendly Public Service Announcement

    This is the dumbest shit I have ever read. Everyone gets bullied at some point it’s called life, get over it. The world is not a nice place, and if you want that type of environment go play in the sandbox in the back yard. Why would you take what anyone says on the internet seriously? It makes utterly no sense. It is in bad taste to post things like that on dead kids walls, however you will never be able to stop it. You sent a dude to jail for 18 weeks for posting rude shit. Someone now has 18 months to focus on how he is going to gain retribution, how to remain anonymous to the authorities. It takes very little know how to do this, and anyone can do it. Why not teach children conflict resolution rather than try to shelter them into ignorance. Here’s a hint when you grow up you are going to have to deal with jerk-offs daily! isn’t it doing the kid a bit of a disservice to lie and act like that isn’t true. Sit them down and say

    “It is true you have no friends, you may only have one or two real friends in your entire life none of these people will matter to you in five years. Focus on getting good grades and planning a professional career for yourself. Understand that the majority of the people you encounter are assholes, and that is just the way it is. If you show weakness people will feed off of that, your quality of life and success will greatly increase if you accept see things for what they are, and not what you want them to be.”

    If you honestly expect me to pity someone that killed themselves over facebook you are tool. That is like saying “He died because of the microwave” REALLY?

    Trolling is completely harmless, but stupid people take it seriously and do stupid shit because they care what others say. THAT’S the problem, NOT Trolling. I troll, I get trolled, and guess what when I get trolled I LAUGH because IT’S FUNNY! Would I make fun of someone that kills themselves over preteen blabber on the internet? Fuck yeah! they are retarded for doing it, and it shouldn’t be happening. The problem is not bullying, or the internet, or facebook. All of these God damned kids have gone soft.

    My favorite is when you have little pricks on the internet that talk shit. For example this is what you come to the internet with.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy4gGs8_90w 

    And this is how you leave the internet.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scyGo7tkC4I 

    If I had a family member die for some retarded reason, I would EXPECT to get trolled/bashed THAT IS JUST WHAT THE INTERNET IS.