Thread by @CCCBuryStEd

Trolling and Online Abuse - Is there a difference?
THREAD

#onlineabuse #cyberabuse #trolling #cyberstalking #kudostrolling #flametrolling

The definition of trolling is changing.

Trolling was seen as luring others online into pointless, time-consuming arguments and to ‘get a rise’ for a troll’s amusement or to alleviate boredom.

It has now become intentionally malicious behavior to specifically cause distress.

Definition of Trolling:

A deliberate attempt by to create conflict and distress by communicating inflammatory, provocative, and menacing comments to the target.

Trolling is recognized as an antisocial behavior that is perpetrated online.

Trolling is malicious in intent, with the aim of luring people into arguments and to cause harm and distress and resulting in an increased risk of suicidal ideation and self-harm. Trolling, as a word, is increasingly being defined as bullying and harassment.

In one of the first studies on trolling (Hardaker 2010) ,four distinct properties of this behavior were established:
- Aggression
- Deception (through Internet anonymity)
- Disruption
- Success (when the troll receives the desired response)

Kudos Trolling and Flame Trolling

There are 2 types of trolling:
1. Kudos Trolling - povoking others for mutual enjoyment and entertainment.
2. Flame Trolling- Abusive and intentionally malicious behavior that is not intended to be humorous but aims to disrupt and distress.

There is now growing research in the area of trolling.

A study exploring the effect exposure to trolling had on subsequent perpetration of trolling, examined examples of trolling such as:

swearing
personal attacks
veiled insults
sarcasm

A number of studies look at how Dark Triad personalities(narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) influence online behaviour such as trolling.

Results suggested psychopathy is associated with trolling behaviours and narcissism with a tendency to see oneself superior to others.

The results also found that the higher the psychopathy score, the more likely the participants would troll a ‘popular’ profile whilst the higher the narcissism score, the more likely participants were to perceive themselves as superior to the popular profile.

The effects of trolling are very different, depending on whether it is kudos trolling or flame trolling. Kudos trolling is easier to ignore and the commonly given advice ‘block & ignore’ and ‘don’t feed the trolls’ are effective in that the trolls will move on to another target.

Because of the malicious nature of flame trolling, blocking and ignoring has little effect as the trolls will then seek other forms of targeting their victim. Often, blocking and ignoring will only inflame the troll.

Flame trolling becomes the more harmful #cyberbullying.

Although both flame and cyber bullying are behaviours meant to invoke distress, cyberbullying is often personal. It draws on personal information about the victim.

Flame trolling can be short lived while Cyberbullying is enduring and often includes stalking behaviour.

Interesting to note that in a recent study, the only participants to note the ‘‘funny’’ nature of trolling were those who perpetrated this behavior.

This begs the question:
Do those perpetrating this behavior believe there is mutual enjoyment?
Or are they enjoying the potential harm others experience at the expense of their behavior?

Why the interest?

Ever since joining Twitter, I’ve observed how some accounts interact with others. Whilst there are some who like to provoke others as a form of mischief-making, or some with a robust and strident communication style, there is a specific group that stands out.

This group appears to score high in the Dark TETRAD traits of:
Psychopathy
Narcissism
Machiavellianism
Sadism

What separates them from other trolls is their sense of entitlement.

They believe they are justified in their behaviour.

And what may well have started off as kudos trolling has expanded into something much more virulent, obsessive and cruel.

This cyberbullying has included #stalking #harassment and #mobbing and has been conducted in a specific way to exact distress whilst remaining undetected.

Jonason & Webster devised a scale, the ‘Dirty Dozen’ to identify them
1. I tend to manipulate others to get my way
2. I tend to lack remorse
3.I tend to want others to admire me
4.I tend to be unconcerned with the morality of my actions
5.I have used deceit or lied to get my way

6. I tend to be callous or insensitive.
7.I have used flattery to get my way.
8.I tend to seek prestige or status.
9.I tend to be cynical.
10.I tend to exploit others toward my own end.
11.I tend to expect special favors from others.
12.I want others to pay attention to me.

Looking into what makes up the DARK TETRAD:

NARCISSISM

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a DSM-V diagnosis. The more well known stereotypes are superior, grandiose, demanding, prideful, boastful, arrogant, and self-centered but they can also be introverts.

They need and expect constant admiration, attention and affection and can be abusive when threatened or their needs aren’t being met. The disorder is both inherited and developed in childhood. Not all narcissists are grandiose. For more information:
drcraigmalkin.com/blog/narcissis…

Machiavellianism
Named after Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, often called the father of modern political science and author of The Prince in the 1500’s.
It outlines a political philosophy on how rulers are to govern their subjects.

Machiavellianism is the adaptation of this philosophy into a personality and as such is a personality construct not a disorder.
It can therefore not be inherited; rather it is a learned behavioral pattern of manipulation and exploitation of others.

Machiavellians are cynical, deceptive & believe it is better to be feared than loved. Unlike Narcissists, they do not make exaggerated claims about their significance or accomplishments.
Unlike Psychopaths and Sadists, they are too calculating to risk vengeful or cruel behaviour.

PSYCHOPATHY
Psychopaths are under the Anti-Social Personality Disorder umbrella listed in the DSM-V along with Sociopaths and Sadists.
A psychopath has the ability to create an entire persona in direct contrast to who they really are.

They are very calculating and callous and lack a conscience.
Psychopathics are pathological liars, remorse free, and dangerous.

Their personality is both inherited and developed through a traumatic and abuse childhood.

Psychopaths, unlike Machiavellians and Narcissists, can instantly read the emotions of others and calculate how to use it to their advantage without any emotional response. They have no problem hurting others, but it is always for a purpose, unlike Sadists.

SADISM
Sadists are a part of Anti-Social Personality Disorder now. In the past they had a separate diagnosis under the old DSM formats.
The name Sadism comes from Marquis de Sade (1740-1814) a French philosopher, writer, libertine and the author of 120 Days of Sodom

His works combined philosophy with sexual fantasies and violence. Sadists crave cruelty. It is not clear whether this is inherited, developed or learned. Not all sadism is sexual or involves killing. Sadists find it exciting or pleasurable to inflict pain on others.

When we think of psychopaths, narcissists, machiavellian or sadistic personalities, we tend to look at the extreme end but all these behaviours occur on a spectrum. At some level we all have these traits and that needs to be acknowledged .

It is also CRUCIAL to recognise these personality types in their most benign form. That is not to say that someone possessing one or more of these personality types must be a narcissist, sadist, psychopath or machiavellian but WHAT the traits look like from an inception point.

Which brings us back to the subject of trolling and online abuse. Referring back to how the only participants seeing the ‘‘funny’’ side of trolling were those who perpetrated this behavior.

Do those engaging in this behavior believe that they there is mutual enjoyment?

Or are they enjoying inflicting harm? Research found that internet trolls have high scores of every day sadism.

Whilst there is an overriding view that these trolls are pathetic creatures looking for attention, such an view downplays the seriousness of their perpetration.

And to better understand the motivations behind those who commit online abuse, we need to better understand the many tactics employed by abusive personality types- especially those who want to be seen as NOT abusing.
The perpetrators who reside below the radar.

As someone who has been raising awareness and better the understanding of #coercivecontrol, I have been struck by the many similarities shared by certain online abusers and coercive and controlling ex partners. This is especially true of those who partake of online #mobbing.

Put simply, #mobbing is bullying of an individual by a group. This can be family, peer group, school, workplace, neighborhood, community, or online.

It is almost always malicious and relies on rumor, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation.

Mobbing campaigns rely heavily on the reluctance of bystanders to intervene which only adds to the distress caused to the targeted individual.

One of the main reasons bystanders do nothing is because they are simply not aware of how mobbing campaigns operate.

The ringleaders behind the mobbing campaigns are very secretive.

They would never admit what they are doing. They play the “I've done nothing, it’s someone else “ card.
Their aims are:
*Character assassination
* To ensure others distance themselves from the targeted individual.

* Recruit others to abuse on their behalf ( #abusebyproxy) using information with a special significance aimed at the targeted individual, knowing that the bespoke targeting will cause immense distress.
* Inciting others to mock, goad, provoke the target into responding.

* Ringleaders will build up their network of proxies to perpetuate the falsehood that the targeted individual is the problem. It allows them to *retire* some of the original proxies who are then replaced with new proxies to keep the mobbing sustained & the abuse hidden.

The reason is to more effectively * turn the tables* and direct the abuse away from the mobbing campaign and onto the target whilst giving the impression the target is belligerent and antagonises others. Even better if the mobbing campaign has successfully provoked a reaction.

They will use that reaction to make their point that the target is THE problem, the target is abusive, harassing, stalking etc etc.
The ringleader relies on the knowledge that the target is hyper vigilant and will be aware of a smear campaign specifically targeted towards them.

BUT
Because of the bespoke nature of the abuse, not everyone will be privy to the triggers and so will be oblivious to what is going on.

The natural reaction for a victim of #mobbing is to highlight what is going on &the common response of those around the victim is disbelief.

So, what often happens is that victim becomes increasingly desperate to point out what is happening but, because the ringleader has been able to retreat, only the proxies are visible. So the abuse is effectively invisible in plain sight.

The person targeted knows that the information has come from the ringleader because the information is very specific and is not common knowledge. This may include partial or full posting of telephone numbers, addresses, names of pets or children and other bespoke references.

All of this is designed to get ‘under the skin’ to provoke a panicked reaction. The more that proxies post information that could have only come from the ringleader, the more the victim will try and expose the ringleader in an attempt at ‘I know it’s you, you can’t hide’

The ringleader will , at this point, decide to come out of the shadows and accuse the victim of making ‘ false allegations’. They will vehemently claim innocence knowing that most people will not have figured out their intricate web of abuse.