Freedom of speech does not include the freedom to insult, defame, slander, abuse, or intimidate others. There is a clear distinction between the two and trolls often use freedom of speech to harm others. Many people do not understand that freedom of speech does not provide protection from criticism or consequences of speech. Freedom of speech will be a contentious issue in our generation, similar to how abortion and civil rights were in the past. AOL chat rooms and gaming forums in the mid-to-late 90s helped to foster trolling. Some people believe that trolls play a useful role in encouraging critical thinking and calling out-group thinking, unscientific thinking, illogical thinking, and posts based on untruths. However, the bigger problem is that today’s society links self-worth to online presence and reputation, creating over-sensitive personalities and a breeding ground for trolls. Furthermore, there are some people who want to control society by restricting certain activities and promoting fear. This is a battle for our own souls and will create division and conflict.
The Power of Anonymity
It is true that anonymity on online forums and other platforms allows people to say things that they may not say in real life. The anonymity provided by a username and lack of traceability allows people to make explicit and vulgar statements, particularly in the case of trolls who post inflammatory content to cause distress to others. Some argue that the internet can be a breeding ground for racism, sexism, and vulgarity. However, it is worth considering if people would continue to make such statements if anonymity were removed.
Global Political Trolls
Trolling existed long before the advent of social media, and has been a fundamental aspect of the internet for early internet users. However, the nature of internet trolling has changed in recent years. In the last US presidential election, there was an unprecedented amount of negative political ads, which are believed to have originated from the candidates themselves. These ads generated more hate than ever on social media, and this hate continues to persist even after the election. Now, politically motivated trolls often turn every topic into a divisive argument, diminishing the value of social media as experts and well-informed individuals avoid engaging in the conversations. As a result, only the hateful trolls are able to make their voices heard.
