Cyberbullies take advantage of the unique psychology of online communities to attack, intimidate and hurt others. Here is what makes trolls tick— and how to stop them
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When 25-year-old Caitlin Seida dressed up as Lara Croft from the movie one Halloween, she posted a picture of herself enjoying the night's festivities on Facebook. At most, she figured a few friends might see the photograph and comment.
The picture remained in Seida's social circle for more than three years. Then one day in 2013 a friend sent Seida a link with a cryptic note: “You're Internet famous.” Clicking the link took her to a site called the International Association of Haters, where her Halloween photo—which she had posted publicly by mistake—bore the oversized caption “Fridge Raider.” Hundreds of commenters dragged Seida through the mud for wearing a skimpy costume while being overweight. “Heifers like her should be put down,” one commenter wrote. “What a waste of space,” another piped in.
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