Just as the internet turned out to be the most democratic space which can be accessed by everyone who can use a bit of tech to better their lives and knowledge base, it has also turned out to be a hell-hole for some. Suicides, depression, anxiety, and humiliation - all these and more are associated with the internet, what with some people using it to vent their sadism out.
Well, the jury is out on this one. Canadian researchers have declared the trolling personalities who send out negativity to those who are known to them in personal lives, or simply any stranger who crosses their path, or vice versa, while they are out on their browsing sojourn.
Racism, religious hatred, sexism, sexual predating patterns, and more variety of intolerances seem to simply make their way into the internet with increased user base.
Psychologists who conducted the survey have said internet trolling to the extent of driving someone into depression or suicide or both, are the aspects of this sadistic behaviour.
Most concerning part is, most of these negative characters are inclined towards becoming psychopaths, but don't realise it majority of times - given their education and access to technology that doesn't separate them from those who engage in physically abusive behaviour.
And, the numbers are increasing with every passing minute. Because, the trolling behaviour gives impetus to those who would not have engaged in such behaviour if not for the 'anonymity' internet gives them.
However, for the ones who suffer being at the receiving end, irrespective of doing so in physical sense or in psychological manner, the extent of damage is almost the same.
In simple words, internet trolling is the manifestation of tangible sadism that we see, in physical form.
Trolling is verbally attacking someone with the intention of causing hurt, what with unregulated comments section in most opinion-based websites that put out articles, or social sites that create wide base of members, has only encouraged such behaviour. Those souls lurk around the corner, wasting their precious time, with the only hope of finding a vent to their intolerance by way of causing hurt, showering choicest of abuses on people who have an opinion or a lifestyle different from theirs.
Root of this behaviour can also be seen in the racial intolerance, or simply the anger economic imbalance created between rich and the poor. However, this cannot be termed as the sole reason for trolling to increase on internet.
Chances are, the person one trolls, will never meet them in real life makes internet a more secure way to put out the mindless negativity in the space. Remedy for this is still not known, and this cannot be remedied for, unless the troll-types recognise their own mental imbalance and decide to find a solution for it.
Internet trolls which can aid to 'disinhibility' since anonymity is assured on the net, have got the academicians worried too since this behaviour pattern can actually manifest into physical behaviour too, sooner or later. At that point, a person with trolling addiction would have turned into a more complicated case for psychologists to handle than at the beginning of it.
Families have suffered the impact of this when a troller puts in all his creativity, knowledge and time into stalking someone - friend or a stranger. While being at the receiving end is the worst place to be in, the giver doesn't get a sense of happiness in the long run either.
Though some countries like UK and Australia have come up with stringent laws to make internet trolling or cyber-bullying a punishable offence, the number of complaints is not yet sufficient to make the full use of this law.