Trolling, an internet slang, is the deliberate act of making random unsolicited and/or controversial comments on social media platforms with the intent to provoke reaction and engage in an argument. Even though social media is a great way to connect with people, the trolls can wreak havoc and easily tarnish one’s reputation or brand.

They can also be so frustrating and detrimental to one’s online efforts and have therefore encouraged lurkers on social media. Sharon Kantengwa asked: How can social media users deal with internet trolling?

Avoid tagging people in your posts without their permission because it’s rude and might backfire. Inform the person that you want to tag and why the post is relevant to their audience. Also, keep the tags few, your posts authentic, simple and avoid the temptation of being a technology junky. Less will save you too much trouble.

Amy Sugira, IT specialist

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Avoid posting anything on the internet that is driven out of anger, frustration or too much excitement, as you can regret your decision later. Like they say, the internet never forgets and people will always refer to your previous posts to get at you. Before clicking the share button, read through carefully, with a clear state of mind.

Kenneth Muhwezi, Customer service agent

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If you are the kind the posts frequently, try to keep your private to yourself. That way, in case you need to get offline to break free from the trolls, you are safer. Trolls sometimes use your information to attack family or friends so keep them off your pages.

Rita Umutesi, beautician

Different social platforms have a different functionality. Crafting content and then sharing it on various social platform may not be a good idea. Avoid too many social media platforms as handling them at once can be hectic. Also, avoid live recordings, unless you are certain of what you are posting about, draw trolls faster.

Edwin Rukundo, teacher