How to Respond for Personal Attacks on Social Media?

We all know social media is a powerful tool that has many professional and personal advantages. Which is why we use it. But while you do have control and how you build your online presence, you typically lack control about what others say about you in online comments and on social media.

Many people have learned that the internet allows people to speak their mind almost too easily. It seems being on social media gives some people a permission slip to regress in maturity and behave like a schoolyard bully. And “children” learn what they live. The internet is crowded with interesting web sites where someone could intentionally or accidentally leave a potentially defamatory comment or post & become Cyber Criminal.

Anybody can be a Publisher — or an Attacker / Cyber-Criminal

When you’re attacked on social media, it can feel like the community has already made its mind up about you until you can prove your innocence.

In this environment of instantaneous outbursts of online posts & messages, the damage is done the instant something is tweeted or posted online in platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc. People can incorrectly take a comment you make out of context, they can share hurtful opinions (which are generally protected speech under defamation law); or expose a truth that is less than flattering to you (a statement isn’t defamatory if true).

Facebook provides guidelines for reporting violations. It suggests hiding the abusive item from your news feed, sending a message to the poster asking them to take the item down, and unfriending or blocking the person. Twitter also provides a form or reporting abusive users and details of the behaviour. It also suggests contacting local authorities to resolve the issues offline “if the interaction has gone beyond the point of name calling”.

Besides reporting an offensive tweet to the site, or reporting someone to the police if the harm is severe enough, what can you do if someone says something less than flattering about you or your organization? And what can you do to make sure you’re ready to handle a personal attack?

Steps for Responding to an Attack

1. Don’t Panic

While this seem like a social-media crisis, realize you aren’t the first person to experience the nastiness of such an attack. Don’t freak out. Suspend judgment. Don’t take what has been said personally. Resist the urge to react right away. Take a deep breath & thick about available options.

2. Figure out if (and how) you want to respond.

Try to understand the motive of the attacker: Are they just seeking attention? Are they misinformed? Are they misleading followers by sharing half-baked truth? Based on this, find the best approach. What’s the outcome if you engage with attacker & what’s the best way to minimize the harm?

The Air Force’s Web Posting Response flow chart is the simple yet effective response plan – For reference.

3. Respond quickly publicly, then take the follow-up conversation offline

In most cases, it’s better to respond instantly online (either as comment to the post or as separate post on your profile) by sending a brief. Then try to follow up in a more private way, if appropriate.

4. Damage Control: Sue them for Defamation

In general, when someone makes a false statement of fact to someone else that harmed your reputation, the typical remedy would be to sue that person for defamation or slander. Reaching a resolution often involves a defamation lawsuit that can potentially last for years.

When a person is defamed in cyberspace, it’s called as Cyber Defamation or Online Defamation. In India, one can sue under Section 499, Section 500, Section 66A, Section 503, Section 469 depending on the scenario (as on Feb 16, 2022). One can sue the attacker across globe including United States, United Kingdom, Germany, etc.