Auto-trolling

Auto-trolling, self-cyberbullying, digital Munchausen or digital self-harm is a form of self-abuse on the Internet.^[2][3] It is usually done by teenagers posting fake insults on social media, attacking themselves to elicit attention and sympathy.^[2] A study in 2012 found that about 35 per cent of those who did this felt better.^[2][1] Studies in 2016 and 2019 found an increase in prevalence in American adolescents rising from 6 to 9 per cent.^[3][4][5] In a 2011 study, boys were more likely than girls to admit to digital self-bullying.^[6] In a 2022 study published by researchers Justin Patchin, Sameer Hinduja, and Ryan Meldrum,^[7] US youth who engaged in digital self-harm were between five and seven times more likely to have considered suicide and between nine and fifteen times more likely to have attempted suicide.

Statistics from a report by the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center^[1]

Though digital self-harm can be done in various ways, it is usually done in a public or semi-public setting.^[8] Researchers Rinjani Soengkoeng and Ahmed Moustafa suggest that there are three types of digital self-harm.^[9] These are:

• social development (either determine if one's friends would defend them or prove one's resilience)
• personal gain (sympathy or entertainment)
• manifestation of negative emotions (which can derive from mental health issues, stressors, or social rejection).^[9]

These appear to be common reasons for digital self harm according to Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin's 2017 study of American middle and high school students.^[10]

Contributing factors

Common correlations to digital self-harm include bullying,^[11] depression, negative emotionality, and sleep deprivation.^[12][13][14] There is also research that suggests digital self-harm and physical self-harm have similar causes and motivations.^[15] The two seem to be positively associated with physical self-harm^[16] and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.^[17]

Prevention

Identifying and preventing digital self-harm is arguably more difficult than its offline counterpart. For one, it is hard for parents to monitor their child's online presence.^[14] Taking away internet access completely is usually impractical, as the internet is important for gaining important information from the outside world.^[18][8] There is a need to create strategies for digital self-harm prevention, as it is not the same as physical self harm or suicide.^[18] Due to anonymous apps such as Yik Yak, Whisper, and Secret, it is more difficult to track digital self-harm without possible invasion of privacy. Research by Dr. Sujita Kumar Kar suggests that "calling out" the behavior of digital-self harm may be counterproductive.^[12] Instead, encouragement to change online behavior may more beneficial in the long term.^[12]