Trolls.
In the age of social media, it’s impossible not to encounter them. I remember when I first started Icing & Glitter, I’d get so hurt any time a troll commented something negative. But then, over time, I realized it’s not about me.
Trolls are like bullies. And I learned very early on that bullies are the way they are because of their own insecurities. They have issues which they project onto other people and try to bring people down to make themselves feel more confident. It’s actually really sad, which is why if someone says something behind my back or tries to put me down, it doesn’t bother me. I just feel sorry for the person saying those things because they obviously have some deep-rooted issues which they have not yet dealt with.
And this is exactly how I deal with trolls. I get my fair share of hateful comments. I’ve been called fat, I’ve been told my content sucks, and on one occasion, I’ve even been accused of supporting terrorism (LOL). Honestly, feeling bad about it is a waste of my time and energy. And think about the kind of person you have to be to hide behind a screen and leave hateful comments on a stranger’s profile. Like just think about how unfulfilled those people must be.
That being said, I choose to block negative comments on Instagram. I think content creators often face this conundrum – to block or not to block haters. Here’s my opinion: there is a big difference between constructive criticism and trolls. If someone is leaving a comment that is meant to criticize me in a constructive way, I welcome it. I would never ever block that. Because the intention is positive. But those people generally end up DMing me.
However, when someone leaves a comment saying ‘you’re fat’, or ‘you look ugly in that dress’, I believe it’s my right to block them because it’s negative for no reason. I’ve always wanted Icing & Glitter to be a safe space. I want to cultivate a positive community filled with women who are supportive of one another. And if someone wants to pollute this space with negativity, they can go elsewhere. I don’t want those comments to be visible because it brings bad energy. Not only that, I think leaving comments like that gives trolls permission to behave that way. It makes them feel like what they’re doing is acceptable.
So I’ve found the best way to deal with them is simply to block and delete. Whether you choose to do this is up to you. But one thing I highly suggest is to never engage with these people. A defensive comment is the fuel to their fire. It gives them a thrill and they will just clap back with something even more unreasonable.
Point here is, when it comes to trolls a) don’t let them get to you, and b) just get rid of their negativity. It’s your space, you can protect it and regulate it.
How do you guys deal with trolls?
PS – check out my post on the camera equipment I use to shoot my pictures and my breakdown of sponsored posts.