DALLAS, Texas. As the internet plays more and more of a central role in our lives, it opens up new avenues for personal injury, damages, and violence. According to the Guardian, a Montana woman recently became the target of online Neo-Nazi trolls. The woman claims that the website instigated what is known as a “troll storm,” putting her at the center of violent and frightening backlash from hundreds of anonymous online users. She became the target of over 700 threatening phone calls, emails, and messages. Some of the calls were alarming to the point of becoming threatening. The woman claims that she would sometimes pick up the phone and only hear gunshots on the other end of the line. Many of the messages the woman and her family received were anti-Semitic. There were times when the family thought they would have to leave their home to protect their personal safety. The woman was part of a local human rights group that opposed the Neo-Nazis in her town, and more specifically, opposed the leader of a prominent Neo-Nazi and alt-right online publication.
The woman claims that the harassment has left her paralyzed, unable to work, and has required that she see a trauma counselor twice a week. The family is pursuing a lawsuit against the website that they allege started the harassment. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the family claim that the website’s owners invaded her privacy, caused her and her family emotional distress, and intimidated the family.
Anonymous online attacks against a specific target are becoming one prominent tactic used by online harassers. According to the New Yorker, a woman who had posted feminist videos about misogynistic tropes in women’s video games received similarly targeted harassment from the gamer community. The woman has since received threats, violent messages, and had users post her personal home address to public forums.
The website facing the lawsuit for the “troll storm” plans to cite First Amendment rights in its defense. The owner of the website claims that he called for his readers to speak out against the woman and that he is not responsible for their violent actions. However, the lawsuit may come down to definitions of words. The owner called for a “troll storm.” If the woman’s lawyer can show that a “troll storm” is intended to incite certain kinds of violence, threats, or invasions of privacy, then the woman may be able to collect damages for her losses. However, if a “troll storm” is defined as merely “speaking out” then the First Amendment may apply.
As the internet becomes more radicalized with groups that disseminate hate, lawsuits like this are bound to go to court. The internet can be weaponized to invade individuals’ privacy. Hackers can steal individuals’ personal information and disseminate it to the public where it can be used against them. While political speech is free speech, speech that can be perceived as threatening bodily harm is not protected. Many of the trolls crossed the line.
So, what can you do if you find yourself facing damaging online harassment or threats? Consider seeking legal help. Online harassment can damage your business, your reputation, and may even cause psychological damages.