New ways to fight Internet 'trolls' in a nasty political season

Who let the “trolls” out from under the bridge? And how has this onslaught of vitriol and hate become so prevalent?

I’m asking out loud because in this super-charged and mean-spirited political season, the trolls have gone wild. As a journalist I know I’m not alone in being called all sorts of horrible names by trolls — and that my treatment is far from the bottom of the barrel. But, believe it or not, journalists are people, too. I’ve got two siblings, four nieces and nephews, a husband — and yes, even feelings.

Here’s what’s got me all riled up: In my last column I wrote about rogue drivers pretending to be from Uber, after I was fooled by one. This is public service journalism: Highlight a problem so others aren’t taken for a ride (in this case literally). I mentioned in the column that my mother is quite ill, which had distracted me from paying attention to my surroundings. My bad, I acknowledged.

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Out came the trolls, some calling me “plain stupid” and one who posted: “Now you're whining because you were too 'distracted' to do anything else. Good thing you're not DEAD instead of 10 dollars poorer.” Another guy tweeted: “your mother is dying of cancer and you’re worried about the price of a rental car. #shameonu.” He followed up with, “I’m guessing that your (sic) Jewish,” because of the stereotype that all Jews are cheap.

Calling me stupid is one (rude) thing, but how did we get from there to anti-Semitism? Granted, this wasn’t nearly as awful as what happened to author Laura Silverman, who wrote that after she tweeted outrage at an allegedly anti-Semitic graphic tweeted by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump she was subjected to a torrent of abuse. “One person sent me a picture of a frog wearing Nazi garb and standing in front of Auschwitz’s gate with the caption ‘You get a gold star!’” Others, she wrote, told her “to take a nap in an oven.”

When did it become even remotely acceptable to publish attacks like these in public? Many blame the Internet and social-media platforms, which I think is hardly the case. But more about that in a moment.

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In case you’re not familiar with the term “trolls,” here’s how the website Vice defined them:  “(They are) the sadistic ne'er-do-wells of the digital realm, the misanthropic misfits of information age. Unlike a normal person, when a troll enters an online discussion, he is not seeking truth or clarification. All he wants to do is inflict pain, ridicule, and humiliation on a targeted person.”

Make no mistake, the trolls are certainly having a field day in this year’s presidential campaign, which according to a new Zogby survey from Allegheny College is now considered the most uncivil in recent American history. Among its many findings,the survey showed that in 2010, 89% of respondents had said commenting on another person’s race or ethnicity in a political debate was not OK — but today only 69% agree. Six years ago 81% said commenting on someone’s sexual orientation was not acceptable; now only 65% agree. It’s hard to say whether trolls have lowered our sensitivity to such comments, or our increased tolerance for insult has encouraged trolls to emerge.

Either way, said Allegheny College president James H. Mullen Jr., "These findings are stunning and deeply disturbing for everyone who believes civil discourse is essential to the long-term health of our democracy." I couldn’t agree more.

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In recent months, as a gay man who also writes about LGBT issues, I’ve also been called just about every one of the worst anti-gay epithets, which I won’t repeat here — not only because USA TODAY rightfully won’t publish them but also because I don’t want to “amplify (the) hatefulness,” as Whitney Phillips calls it. Phillips, a literature professor at Mercer University and author of This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship Between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture, has this advice for people like me: “Don’t retweet, reblog, or repeat the horrible things people post, even if you’re doing so to critique them.”

I agree with that advice, and Jeff Jarvis, a CUNY journalism school professor told me: “Generally, one should never feed a troll, for a true troll’s motivation is to goad a reaction out of his target and when we react, we give them what they want and only encourage further bad behavior.” He wrote the books: Geeks Bearing Gifts, Public Parts and What Would Google Do?.

But even Jarvis admits, “There are moments when the trolls go too far and must be called on it. There are moments when the troll's victims deserve to have their say.”

Silverman, after first ducking her head from the incoming fire, says she then remembered the prophetic words of Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel: “Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” She then posted screenshots of the troll attacks and asked her followers to report and share. I took a similar tack with mine, but I never used the troll’s name (except when it appeared in a screenshot), which means he never got the hit, kick, or fame he was seeking in attacking me. And the support I got from friends was so powerful.

So, what are the best ways to respond to trolls? My two experts gave me great advice for the waning days of the campaign (and, no doubt, beyond):

THE TAKEAWAY:

• Make sure you don’t enable trolls: Don’t fall for the harasser’s goal of “further spreading hatefulness,” Phillips says. Post a positive message that places nasty expressions in context and explain why the troll’s language is unacceptable.
• Don't downplay the power of words: Don’t diminish a comment’s impact by simply chalking it “up to trolls.”  “If something communicates violent sexism or racism,” says Phillips, then I call it violent sexism or racism, not ‘just trolling.’”
• Change your own behavior, advocates CUNY’s Jarvis. Don’t just be a bystander if you witness hateful trolling — instead be an “upstander” who defends the victim. We may be powerless to change the behavior of trolls, haters, or harassers, but we don’t have to stand by in silence.
• Use available tools to protect yourself: You can block trolls on Facebook and Twitter — it may not change them, but at least you don’t have to see them.  

One last thought:  It’s all too easy for us to point fingers at “trolls” as though they are the villains. Not so fast. They are us and we are them. Or as Phillips says: “It’s a problem of us.”

Agree or disagree with my advice? Let me know in the comments section below.

USA TODAY columnist Steven Petrow offers advice about living in the digital age. Submit your question at stevenpetrow@gmail.com. You can also follow Petrow on Twitter: @StevenPetrow. Or like him on Facebook at facebook.com/stevenpetrow.