Troll Face Girl | Credit: My Face When

Internet trolls have a deadly weapon. It won't physically destroy you on the spot, but it will suck the life out of you ... but only if you give it life in the first place. Words have never been this powerful ever since they get to roam in the world wide web.

Anyone can be a troll or be accused to be engaged in trolling activities.

A comment on an article titled Twitter Must Tackle Trolls Say Police caught my attention and I feel the need to expand a little on it.

The reader basically states that trolls are exercising their freedom of speech and that if this is constricted, than, gee, it is a mockery on basic human rights.

When trolls get mentioned on the news, I believe we need to be more specific. Trolls come in many hilarious and equally sickening forms.

There are trolls who entertain and believe that they're playing a troll role. Then, there are trolls who get called trolls because their ideas don't conform to the group that they happen to share their thoughts with. These trolls are pretty harmless. You don't like what they're saying, move on, put them on your ignore list.

In other words, they do not have power just by sharing whatever it is that does not resound with your own ideas about a certain topic. In fact, you can view them as a source of silly entertainment. If you can't, just follow this advice: Do Not Feed The Trolls, or DNFTT for short.

According to the Smosh Pit, there are 18 types of trolls having a reign of power on the Net. I bet you've been at least one of the troll types mentioned and that's alright. We all have this natural tendency to troll.

Behind anonymity and a screen, trolls/just about anyone can be lax with the way they represent their opinions. Free expression on the Net can be used to the fullest potential but without personal responsibility, people can become faceless bullies.

Yes, we are all free to share our opinions. However, it is just plain criminal to go around harassing, threatening and inciting pure hatred against people behind the safety of a screen.

I strongly believe that not all trolls are bullies and vice versa. Bullying, however, is a crime regardless if it plays out on the Net or in real life. For those who are facing cyber-harassment in Malaysia, do know that you have the right to lodge a report with the police. Get better informed by reading the articles below:

How To Deal With Online Harassment
Don't Become An 'Accidental' Outlaw

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