internet trolls | David M Masters

Just like anything in life, we all do different things for different reasons. How does that apply to how you use Facebook? It depends on what kind of person you are and what you get in return from using Facebook. Here are the Top 20 Types of Facebook Users. Which one are you?

Top 20 Types of Facebook Users

1. FB TOE DIPPERS

Some Facebook users aren’t really users at all, they’ve simply dipped their toe in the water to see what it’s all about. They may have friend requested you, but are rarely online, or interact with anyone inside the Facebook community. May log-in to look around for a while, but not ready to jump in, yet. Their life is probably consumed with activity in the world which exists outside of Facebook.

2. FACEBOOK NEWBIE

The Facebook Newbie can range in age from four (with parent’s permission) to ninety-four and they want to interact using Facebook but break all the unwritten social networking rules. They innocently offend and interact inappropriately, but it’s all kind of entertaining to watch someone so naïve spreading their wings and learning to Facebook. We laugh, we cry, and we help them along as best we can, so as not to scare them off.

3. CASUAL FACEBOOKER

The Casual Facebooker is a step beyond the FB Toe Dipper in that they do log in periodically to interact with friends and relatives using Facebook. They don’t spend too much time logged in and do not take full advantage of the tools or resources of value to this powerful social media platform.

4. FACEBOOK ANNOUNCER

Some people have to announce everything that’s going on in their life, such as, “I just woke up,” followed by myriad details about what happens throughout their day complete with photo documentation, and commencing with, “Good night.”

5. FB LONELY HEART

Then, there are the lonely hearts, in various stages of amóre who wear their hearts on their sleeves. Either they’re blissfully in the throes of romantic love, or they are heartbroken beyond compare (and may vacillate frequently between these two extremes).

6. OUR FB OF GREAT SORROWS

Our Facebook of great sorrows group is constantly airing the wounds of their depressive pain and discomfort about everything bad that is happening to them, or someone or something else. It’s as if they are determined to make everyone on Facebook feel as awful as they do.

7. FB ATTENTION SEEKER

Attention seekers will use any means to break through the white noise of Facebook’s drone. They will use pain and suffering or success and happiness (augmented by photos of babies and kitties) to get the attention (and likes) they so desperately seek.

8. FACEBOOK GAMER

Lifeless gamers are the folks who have so much free time on their hands they waste it on mindless games which abound on Facebook, and they annoy the non-gamers with relentless requests to join them in a game or to take an action or click on something, so they can get points or advance to the next level.

9. FACEBOOK SELFIE

The selfies are all about themselves, frequently take and post pictures of themselves (selfies), often changing their profile picture, and letting us see them placing themselves in various environments to take and post yet another selfie. They usually see themselves as one of the beautiful people or don’t (and hope that all this selfie-ism will make them feel better about themselves).

10. FB ROCK STAR WANNABE

The I-wanna-be-a-rock-stars are those Facebookers who hope to be recognized for their talent or rock musician bravado by posting pictures of themselves in makeup, attire, and various performance poses (with or without music gear) to be discovered and make the transformation from wannabe to a real rock star.

11. FACEBOOK TAGALONG

Then there are the obsessive taggers who tag hordes of disinterested and/or unassociated Facebook users to various photos and events in the hopes of getting the coveted like(s) thereby validating their efforts and/or life.

12. DON’T YOU WISH YOU WERE ME?

The don’t-you-wish-you-were-me-ers are constantly updating their Facebook timeline with photos of amazing activities, places, and events they are participating in, in real time. It’s not photoshop, there are just bragging on Facebook, while most followers are both impressed and jealous.

13. FACEBOOK CREATOR

The creators actually create, add, and share valuable content with the Facebook community, everything from original artwork, poems, thoughtful stories, wisdom, and memes. They are not self-seeking, only using Facebook as a means to share their creative abilities (and some are quite amazing).

14. FB PHOTOJOURNALIST

Facebook photojournalists are Facebook users who have purchased a nice digital camera and take pictures of everything from bugs and wildlife to still life and landscapes (and everything else imaginable). They assume you’re having access to their Facebook account to peruse their immense photo gallery (galleries) will impress you. If you are at an event they attended, they are likely to post a photo of the event and tag you in it, if they can.

15. FB FAKE NEWS REPORTER

False news reporters abound on Facebook. These folks are waiting for the next unbelievable and shocking news headline/story to flash upon their timeline, then proliferate the information by immediately sharing it with all their friends, insisting they do so in kind to save the world from such an injustice (or whatever the meat of the fake story might be).

16. FACEBOOK INTOLERANT

The Facebook Intolerants are the users who are so immersed in a particular thought pattern or belief system, that they are completely incapable of seeing the other side of any issue and will argue via negative posting, slamming anyone who does not agree with them, to try to start an FB fight online. This is a form of abuse, but one that pays off, when two sides (opposing Facebook Intolerants) of any emotional issue get fired up.

17. FACEBOOK MARKETER

Facebook marketers can be relentless, and Facebook encourages them to market their wares and services to other Facebook users. As annoying as the marketing may be, Zuckerberg is trying to make the advertising experience much less offensive than other types of advertising you might see on the Internet (and the revenue from these “sponsors” is what keeps FB free, and Zuckerberg rich). Other FB marketers are using other types of Facebook interactions to connect (and annoy) their potential customers.

18. FACEBOOK MANIPULATOR

Facebook Manipulators are the sneaky Facebook users who are well-versed in the use of all the Facebook features and filters. They generally have a devious side but are not malicious in nature. You might look at their profile while logged-in from your account and see one thing, and from someone else’s account, it could look very different, for whatever reason.

19. FACEBOOK STALKER

Not to forget the Facebook Stalker (AKA Internet Trolls using Facebook) who possesses and maintains several alternate identities on Facebook just for spying (and commenting on) profiles of Facebook users that might rather be unmonitored (for whatever reason) by the real person in question.

20. FACEBOOK PREDATOR

Facebook Predators are those who may or may not create fake Facebook profile accounts to defraud or otherwise take advantage of Facebook users who may not possess a decent BS-filter, leading to loss; loss of dignity, loss of mental health, loss of finances, time, or life itself. FB-user beware.

Did I miss anyone?

Add a type of Facebook user that may not have made it to the Top 20 Types of Facebook Users below

Whenever you reach out to do good in the world, expect a backlash from ignorant people who just don’t get it. Not only do they not get it, but they have declared war against you and everything that you stand for, and they will stop at nothing (while hiding behind the Internet) to try to embarrass, defame and humiliate you via the World Wide Web.

The first thing to remember is that these people are not innately evil in any way. For the most part, they are lonely and pathetic people with little to live for, who have likely been abused or otherwise victimized in their pasts. Lashing out to authentic, heart-centered people promoting a better life are easy prey, and belittling them, in some way makes them feel a little better (or a little less bad).

So, try not to take the cyberbullying personal, when you’ve shared something intimately from your heart, then get viciously attacked by an Internet troll (hater) who does his best to hurt your feelings and break your spirit.

How to Deal with Haters

So, what to do when you’re attacked via social media?

The best course of action is nothing. That’s right, just ignoring it is the best course of action when dealing with haters. Do not respond or try to defend yourself because that just adds fuel to the fire. Just accept it for what it is. A victimized person, who is hurting inside, who can think of nothing better to cope with their pain than to victimize someone else, and using a somewhat anonymous vehicle, like the Internet, is a perfect way for them to strike out, without much risk.

Then there are the people who care about you and know that your inattentions were pure and resonate with your point of view. Your supporters might rally against the cyberbullying, in an attempt to vindicate your good name.

It Could Be Worse

I know, I thought the same thing. A few years ago, when I was viciously attacked via social media online by a psychopath rallying sadistic Internet trolls to join in slinging hate and discord about me, some other social media users were influenced to join in on attacking me, because I had been targeted as an evil person.

Immediately, my friends began to defend me and respond to the insensitive posting of the haters. Even though my energy was greatly depleted (the attacks ensued due to the loss of my son in Afghanistan) I tried to quickly respond (privately if I could) to beg them not to respond, because just as I had expected the controversy began to turn into a full-on battle.

As people stopped defending me, the Internet trolls and cyberbullies went away looking for other prey to post inflammatory comments about, for there is no satisfaction for them in attacking someone who will not result in someone expressing their being hurt, upset or becoming argumentative. This left the psychopath to remain alone as the only person left standing who continued to try to defame me.

Apologies and support started to come my way, after a while, from people who had been misled by the psychopath and his temporary herd of minions, after they had discovered the truth of the matter and realizing that they had been duped.

Follow Your Heart

Speak your peace, share your heart and let nothing dissuade you from sharing your innermost desires for goodness, love, and hope for a better, brighter world.

Do not defend, or strike back, just let it go, let it be and it will fade away or find somewhere else to go. No need to judge, criticize or poke fun at the haters, because their situation is probably worse than you can imagine.

Just be aware that there are people out there who are hurting, and while it’s true that “Haters are gonna hate,” realize they, too, are doing the best they can with what they have.

Your true friends and followers will respect your integrity by seeing you continue to smile and wave through the positive responses and the bad.