How to defeat your enemies on the Internet

 Internet News
Aug 052012
 

So what do you do if someone is being mean to you online? Cry? Sit there and take it? No. You survive. You prevail. Here’s how to beat the bullies.

Take threats seriously

Look, if someone threatens you with physical harm via the Internet, go to the police. No matter what. No exceptions.

But if things are less severe …

Take it offline

If your friend is being a jerk on the Internet, try to hash it out off the Internet. As magical as it is, the Web just isn’t a good way to express sincerity. Odds are, you two will misunderstand each other online and exacerbate your spat. Just bury the hatchet face to face.

Tattle on them

It’s easy to talk smack online. And it’s just as easy to whine to the authorities about it. There is shame in telling on people in kindergarten, or in the mafia. But not online. Snitching is just a tool in your belt, not a sign of weakness.

Twitter doesn’t have a formal policy against being mean. But actual threats, privacy invasion, and spamming are all verboten — as are “abusive” tweets, which is a little nebulous. If you think you’re being abused, not just in the midst of an argument, report the infringing messages here. If Twitter agrees with you, your antagonist will either be warned or suspended.

The same goes for Facebook: Every post can be reported directly to Zuckerberg’s Internet police — and luckily for you, victim, Facebook is much stricter than Twitter. On paper, at least.

MORE:  How to defeat your enemies on the Internet – Technolog on NBCNews.com.