Have You Been the Victim of an Online “Snark Attack”?
By Kathleen A. Matchunis, President of Connecting, Inc.
Have you ever posted a comment or published a blog which you felt was a sincere attempt to share information but then was misinterpreted online? At times, some people feel compelled to post unkind or harsh comments online when they do not share an opinion or point of view. I feel so disappointed to see so many snarky comments that people post that are hurtful and non-productive.
Why do people do this? Well, it is so easy to anonymously attack someone. For some individuals, nothing beats that feeling of self-gratification and superiority when they can challenge or attack someone on life. What is the motivation to do this, though? Many people are too insecure to confront others in person, so social media provides them with a perfect secure platform for lashing out. This could be a lack of emotional intelligence when it comes to dealing with people who hold a different point of view from our own.
We can’t always agree with what we read online and we should feel free to express ourselves and disagree whenever we feel inclined to do so. There is a respectful way to disagree with someone or question their facts. You can ask the other person where they found their information and express your disagreements in a respectful manner. Name-calling or nasty comments just reflect badly on you.
Here are some guidelines to show that you are a socially appropriate online leader rather than an anonymous “snark” who feels entitled to attack others online while hiding behind their computer.
1. Let the person know that you read their article and that you have a different perspective.
2. Express your opinion respectfully and invite the other person to engage with you.
3. Remember to use respectful language when engaging the other person, rather than getting into name-calling or communicating in a condescending manner. Demonstrate emotional intelligence!
4. Don’t take negative comments personally. Negative comments usually say more about the other person than they do about you.
5. Show people who you really are by how you handle online comments.
Will you be an online leader or an online snark? The choice is up to you! Share your ideas on what you do to avoid a “snarknado”?