Blog · Lunch Talk
How scientists can cope with online negativity
We welcomed Bert Pieters, polarization and disinformation expert at Mediawijs and BENEDMO, for a lunch talk. He shared his tips and personal insights on coping with negativity on social media. Below, we’ve summarised his guidelines into a plan for dealing with online hate and negative comments.
Different strategies to deal with online negativity
Online negativity is a complex issue with many possible responses, and each situation is unique. Still, some general guidelines can help you decide on the best reaction — or whether to react at all.
Consider, too, who you are or want to be online. If you’re an active communicator, people will expect you to respond to questions and comments. Think about how your online identity could be used against you: sharing too much personal information openly might be exploited by those who oppose you.
Preventive measures
Several preventive measures help: using separate accounts for personal and professional content, or thinking carefully before posting — especially on topics that provoke strong emotions, such as religion, politics or the environment. You can also decide up front whether to allow comments on a post or video.
And consider the platform: some are more conducive to heated discussion (e.g. X), while others allow more one-sided communication (e.g. Instagram stories).
Consider your audience
When facing negative reactions, it helps to understand who you are targeting before deciding whether to respond. You might show support to individuals being attacked, or provide fact-checks for the silent readers who follow along without participating. And it helps to understand who is behind a reaction: concerned citizens with reasonable questions, frustrated individuals, people who misunderstand your research, organised activists, or trolls. Addressing trolls rarely changes their behaviour — engaging with them often isn’t worth the effort.
Effective ways to respond
First, decide how much time you’re willing to invest. Quick responses with fact-checks are time-efficient; dialogue is more time-consuming but can have more lasting effects.
Start a dialogue and ask questions to understand perspectives better — find out why someone shares a message, or why they’re angry. This can be public or private, depending on the situation. When information is incorrect, refute it factually, in a non-pedantic way.
If things get too heated, consider removing the content, disabling comments, or blocking and reporting the account to protect your mental health and stop further harassment. Always document and report illegal activity to the authorities where necessary.
Practical tips
- Set your boundaries. Clearly communicate the limits of acceptable interaction.
- Don’t amplify negativity. Don’t retweet or react to negative messages, as that boosts their visibility.
- Use positive reinforcement. Acknowledge and thank positive interactions to balance the narrative.
- Take breaks if needed. If overwhelmed, go offline temporarily and ask friends to monitor the situation. Always prioritise your own wellbeing, and seek support from colleagues or friends.
Resources
To help you make consistent decisions about when and how to engage, Mediawijs created practical (Dutch) flowcharts and guidelines, freely available on their website. The Council of Europe also offers guides and an online tool to analyse a case of hate speech and identify the most appropriate response.
Mediawijs flowcharts on how best to respond on social media (also translated into English).