“Dear Gabbie” is written with the simple hope of bringing a few smiles to your day and is not meant to replace the advice of professionals…especially your mom!

Dear Gabbie:

I occasionally post on a community-wide Facebook page, but it always seems as though someone sends the discussion off the rails by turning it hateful. How can we keep online discussions constructive?

Signed,

Tired of Trolls

Dear Tired,

In Michigan, we are lucky to have plenty of good trolls—I’m referring, of course, to those of us who reside in the lower peninsula, below the Mackinac Bridge! But then there are those pesky online trolls, they exist on both peninsulas—and around the world, actually. These are people who can take a constructive online discussion and ruin it for everyone.

For some reason, the internet gives many people the idea that they can say anything without consequences. Is it right to tell the person in front of you at the grocery store that they are too fat to wear that outfit? Of course not. The same principle is true online; people should think twice before giving voice to unconstructive thoughts.

So how do you stop people from hijacking or derailing online discussions? If you’re only seeing an occasional sentence here or there—ignore the troll and maybe they’ll go back under the bridge. But if they become overbearing, insulting or inappropriate, it might be time to make your presence known.

Take a few minutes to decide how important it is to you to jump into the fray. If you have the option to  block them, do that. But if the situation requires more from you, try to make your point calmly. Even better, try gentle humor. But make sure you’re able to handle any risks involved with speaking up. Even the most carefully worded reply can spark an online confrontation, but don’t let it. Say your piece and move on. Most importantly, whatever happens, don’t take it personally.

If the troll’s comments are really hateful or inappropriate, consider reporting them to a moderator or administrator. Look for a “Report to” option either within the troll’s comment or somewhere else on the webpage.

For all their attempts to get noticed, online trolls get their name from dim-witted, pitiful creatures in folklore. Remember that the next time they get under your skin.

Gabbie