The internet is a marvelous place, full of hilarious cat videos, Chuck Norris memes, and more shoes than you could ever hope to wear in a lifetime. It’s also full of… Trolls. Those mean, vulgar commenters who love nothing more than tearing people to virtual pieces. Trolls gravitate towards public online forums where users interact, and YouTube is a prime troll target. You’ve got lots of options for dealing with these scumbags, and we’re outlining a few of our favorite tips below:
Keep Your Personal Information Private
YouTubers are notoriously public, sharing everything from makeup tips to live zit popping videos (ew ew ewwwwww). One thing you should NEVER make public? Your personal info. Keep a P.O. box for mail, a separate business-only email, and never release your full name, address, phone number, or email address online. Ever. We can’t stress this enough – you do NOT want to be the target of a troll who decides to take their grievance to the real world.
Ig.Nore.
You went on YouTube because you had something to say, and any time you post public things online, you’re inviting trolls to come to the party. It’s important to develop a thick skin when it comes to trolls; they’ll insult anything, and you just happened to be in their line of sight. Ignore ‘em, and keep on with your life. If they start going after your subscribers, however, it’s time to take action.
Address the Issue at Large
Trolls want to be responded to by name. They’re craving attention. Don’t do it. Post a vlog where you talk about “recent comments” and address an issue head-on. If trolls were pointing out something you did wrong in a video, own up to it! Admit you were wrong, but then remind people about good internet etiquette and general manners. Be a force for online positivity!
Lather, Rinse, Delete (and Repeat)
If you’ve got the time, you can manually delete and/or block every single troll from your YouTube channel or blog. While satisfying, it’s not the most efficient route, as it’s easy to create new burner accounts and start the troll comments anew. There’s something to be said for vigorously clicking “block user” and relishing in the temporary silence, though!
Yuk It Up
Humor is a great tension diffuser, and you can sometimes stop a troll in their tracks by turning their comments into a friendly joke. Never try to insult them back – just pretend what they were saying was the world’s greatest one-liner! Making light of a troll’s comment is a quick and easy way to diffuse tension.
Unify Your Community
Look at popular YouTubers like Grav3yardgirl – her “Swamp Family” of subscribers is at 8 million and counting, and she frequently posts videos, Instagram photos and tweets about staying positive and ignoring rude criticisms. Create a nickname for your subscribers, encourage them to talk to one another in the comments, and create a community where people feel safe and happy, and are comfortable reporting trolls.
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