Social media platforms provide opportunities to engage — whether it be through a community with a common interest or experience, a campaign built around a cause or goal, or a conversation centered on a specific topic — and lend a global platform for civil discourse and dialogue.
Unfortunately, there also are those who exploit this opportunity in order to stir the pot or seek attention. The first step to dealing with negativity is to determine whether the feedback is constructive criticism or an antagonistic attack. Overly aggressive tone or posts that are off-topic or unnecessarily controversial are generally the marks of a cyber-bully. These should not be confused with critics, who offer respectful discourse despite disagreeing or have a legitimate complaint. Rather, cyber-bullies of the worst order (known as trolls) are hell-bent on doing damage to their victims’ brand or image.
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