Thursday, March 29, 2012

Anonymous trolls: Not just for blogs!

There has been much talk on the interwebz of late about trolls. Actually that's a lie, it's not of late, it's always. There is always someone unwilling to put their name to a comment for all sorts of reasons, not just to flame (though that's normally the case). But you're deluded if you think not putting your regular email address on a comment or blocking out your name in a tweet somehow grants you traceless anonymity.

The other day I met up with my Aunty Steffi (not her real name, except for the Aunty part), in the city on her lunch break. She has only just found her way to the world of Facebook and all she knows of blogs is that I have one and it's where I word vomit occasionally. She pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table for me to read.

"This was on my desk when I got in to work yesterday" she said, her face defiant.

Click for larger image

"Oh my gawd you have a TROLL!" I screeched. A totally appropriate response given our food court location.

As someone who has been teased for laughing too much and too loudly, seeing this cowardly unsigned letter made my blood boil.

Now this could have been an awful story. I could be telling you how Steffi was so upset by the letter that she now feels uncomfortable going to work. That she has let this cretin win... but that's not the case. Because all of the women in my family are of the kick-arse variety.

"That's terrible, Steffi! What did you do?"

"I stuck it up above the kitchen sink and wrote next to it: 'Can the person who left this on my desk please come and see me so we can discuss this like adults'"

Her colleagues have rallied around her in support and the ongoing "Shhhh you're breathing too loud" jokes that have started since the discovery of the note are made loud enough for whomever printed the note to hear. She won't go down without a fight... and she most definitely will not go quietly.

And just like all things on the internet, all things in an office are traceable. The IT department can, within minutes, find out which computer sent that document to the printer...

So, Steffi's troll, welcome to the 21st Century where there is no such thing as anonymity. Douche.

Have you been bullied at work?

12 comments:

  1. I certainly have received one or two troll msg like that at work. It sucks when people dont man up and come to speak to you like adults! FFS.

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  2. What a gutless act. Your Aunt sounds awesome, tell her to laugh her arse off! Oh and to fart really loud too - that's what TJ15 said to do lol

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  3. Whoever wrote that needs to be counselled in acceptable workplace behaviour. How childish! Love the way your Aunt responded.
    x

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  4. I'd start bringing smelly lunches to work

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  5. no, never been bullied at work but i've heard of it happening to plenty of people - seriously what are we back at fucking school?

    your aunt rocks - seriously, love her approach and even happier to read that all her colleagues, the ones who she's supposedly "annoying or disturbing" - are supporting her so well!

    hope the bully gets outed - i'm all for people letting others know if something is bothering them but be BRAVE ENOUGH TO PUT YOUR NAME TO YOUR COMPLAINT!! otherwise it's just words that mean nothing and i [and most others] won't take any notice of! hell we probably won't take much notice of them even if you do put your name to it!

    ~x~

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  6. I can't believe that actually happens. Yes, indeed, Mr/Ms Lame, you are sitting in the same office, so if you have an issue, ADDRESS IT IN PERSON! Or just let it be, out of courtesy and common sense.

    I wonder if one of the people 'rallying' around your aunt is in fact the anonymous author?!

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  7. Hi miss glow,

    Love your style - and aunt stefi's too x.

    No I haven't ever been bullied at work but I've been bullied on my blog and twitter AND it's still going on.

    I think I will publish the direct emails, the attempted comments and the innuendo tweets from the blogger to expose them and show the world this so called "lovely" person is a TROLL AND PARISITE just like Aunty Stefi's.
    I wonder if regret and sorry would be in her dictionary.

    Keep up your fabulous work as always,

    x Loulou

    PS TROLLS are low-lifers and always will be!

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  8. Uggg! What is that? I see this all of the time these days and I think to myself, why don't these people have the balls to say it to their face? If I have a problem with someone, I let them know! It certainly gets problems solved a lot quicker and usually a lot more amicably! I'm lucky enough not to have been bullied at work, but I was at school and it did effect me, but I've learned to deal with it and move on.

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  9. oh wow!! Wish I had the courage to do that!! Go your Aunty!

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  10. I would like to say I can't believe people would do that, but I have worked in a few environments where that kind of thing has happened. It's still ridiculous! Glad your Aunty stuck it to them - I probably would've cried into my coffee.

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  11. OMG that is hilarious! I think I'm going to write Mr Black a troll note and leave it on his pillow. This snoring shit has GOT to stop. He won't ever know it's me, will he?

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