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Trolling: A New Journalism?

Look no further than the comments sections below the articles on this website and we realise that there is a very active platform for racists, bigots and misogynists et al.

One thing the digital age does offer is a readily accessible platform from which to exercise our right to democratic dialogue and practice free speech, not unlike Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park. All should have the right and opportunity to play out the frustrated journalist or social commentator and share personal views on life and the world.

Unfortunately the digital version of Speaker’s Corner does not represent the same adequately researched, articulate and well-spoken arguments borne out of the struggle for civil liberties and democracy in Victorian Britain.

Online news resources and their forums are exposing the worst characters we might come across in society, and are now collectively identified throughout the media as “trolls”.

There is nothing wrong with having an opinion, but a glaring truth is that we are in-essence not very intelligent beings, whether that be intellectually or emotionally.  For the majority, views and opinions are largely shaped by upbringing, education (or lack of it), our influences and environment. These opinions are generally not based in first-hand knowledge or conscious and logical assessment of experiences and emotions, whether our own or those of others. Empathy is a rarity.

The result is that the opinions and responses voiced online are often little more than thinly-veiled animosity and abuse, offering little true intellectual input or value to the argument at hand.

For South Africans, our political views are particularly diverse and fractured, and not always derived from reasonable discussion, but by the indoctrination and experiences of our tumultuous past. We might share an awareness of the victories and injustices defining our history and current social and political landscape, but how we voice our concerns via public forums is often unhelpful to the issues at hand.  

South Africa’s consistently high crime rate fuels an ongoing online debate, and rightly so. Unfortunately the nature of the debate exposes a dark side of reasoning in the causes of crime and how to deal with criminals. Though some online respondents do offer worthy reasoning and food for thought, a majority reverts to the same depravity, undignified mudslinging, racial and cultural stereotyping and blatant bigotry to extol their views.

The same applies to the ongoing argument raging forth on these pages of religion versus science, or God versus Evolution. Whatever the stance, there remain contingents for both arguments using the online platform to force their views only through insults, spite and derogation. The irony is not lost…

Whatever the argument, an online presence offers anonymity. The digital stage is easily accessed by the disenfranchised, the deliberately mischievous, and quite frankly, those incapable of satisfying the criteria for commendable personal debate. The majority of reprehensible posts to online forums, Twitter or Facebook, would unlikely be repeated in face-to-face discussion with the same respondents.  Anonymity lowers the bar in terms of respectful dialogue, and does overshadow the chance and value of meaningful debate.

With the spread of traditional publications into the digital sphere and the flourishing of citizen journalism, we are no longer immune to society’s broad differences of opinion and the resulting controversies. An interactive digital world gives us the opportunity to weigh up the controversial views or opinions of legitimate columnists, against a readership responding via the forums.

This fluidity exposes the columnist to an instantly communal platform with accelerated response times, not associated with print and other media. This is where the trolls get opportunity to spread their gospel of deliberate indignity and discord.

 In the Twitter age an errant opinion or comment has the ability to propagate into the deepest corners of social media within minutes. Professional columnists might enjoy some protection by reputation and their parent publication, but digital connectivity easily leads commentary or opinion into a decidedly personal and of ten dark realm.

As a consequence, trolls seeking out the blood of opinion are now a very real aspect of journalism. Unfortunately this type of citizen interaction brings with it a dark side and need for caution. In these digital skirmishes, there is no entity setting the rules of engagement such that discussions are civil, meaningful and humane.

Trolling has literally become a way of life and livelihood in some forms. Science, industry and medicine constantly take a bashing on social media – the disgruntled, religious groups, advocates of pseudo-science, conspiracy theorists and blatant ignorance are the drivers of countless forums, blogs and other media platforms. Much of his frenzy is often based on little more than anger, misguided ideologies and zealous belief, and not fact. Companies and individuals are targeted, often unjustifiably.

Truth, logic and reasoning are the victims in a public domain prone to hype, scaremongering and emotions. Face it, these days nothing beats a good witch hunt via Facebook or Twitter. It is easier to share the hell out of the literal than investigate the facts.

A sad reflection on society are several recent and well documented cases of online trolls targeting female journalists in particular. Female editors, columnists, academics, celebrities and television presenters expressing opinion and even facts, have faced threats as extreme as death and rape for simply doing their jobs. These must be particularly sad and atrocious individuals lurking in online society.

Derogatory and sexist comments are regularly and shamelessly directed at women having an opinion. This is quite evident in male dominated fields such as sport and technology. When stuck for intelligent and reasonable counter arguments to female opinion, this special kind of troll will resort to insults relating to sex, feminism, sexuality and even appearance. Feeble minded, if not frightening…

Public humiliation has become legitimate in the digital age. Perpetrators of hate speech and bigotry are regularly called-out in public for the views or responses. The Twitter wars are a fine example of how rapidly a misaligned or deliberately spiteful or vicious comment can escalate. In a few text characters many have in an instant lost their entire credibility, career and even livelihood.

People need to be accountable for what they say, regardless of the platform, or the level of their participation.  

Trolling impacts the lives of real people – this is what is overlooked. Politicians, celebrities, criminals and even victims of crime, disease and misfortune are all uniformly abused and vilified by a cretinous contingent with an internet connection or a Twitter feed. Have an opinion by all means, but be logical, civil and humane.

On a lighter note, there are those with a decidedly mischievous streak targeting the trolls and the focus of their ire as entertainment, and a great form of practicing satire. Trolling the trolls, if you like. Fact is, satire is not well-understood by the literal masses and offers the more intelligent commentator a great platform to sow derision and elicit a digital feeding frenzy from the one dimensional minds in our society.

Understanding and appreciating satire is an integral tool in evaluating society and how mature we are as individuals. Most don’t get it though. Unfortunately our obtuse responses to alternate and humorous views of the world expose our shortcomings in emotional and intellectual immaturity.

Murdering cartoonists, deriding feminine opinion and ability, or flogging writers and journalists in both literal and imaginative senses tells us that the human mind still has much evolving to do. 

We desperately need freedom of expression, and should defend it fervently; but that expression has to be civil, humane and reasonable. This is the only manner in which we will learn from a diversity of views, and open our minds to how some of society reasons. It is cathartic and a mechanism of growth.

The old saying tells us to keep our enemies close. So we should also know what our enemies the trolls are thinking long before the time comes to defend ourselves and society from unreason and discord. Trolls do not think ahead.

US academic Susan Herbst has put it quite well…  “Journalists and editors ... know that incivility is just more interesting, and therefore profitable, than civility.”

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