Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor is no stranger to getting trolled. Neither are journalists like Barkha Dutt and Rana Ayyub. So, on Wednesday, they changed their profile pictures to the one below, in support of Hindustan Times’ ‘Lets Talk About Trolls’ campaign. They were appealing for people to show support and condemn internet trolls.
I support @httweets #AntiTrollingDay #LetsTalkAboutTrolls. I've changed my DP, have you?
— Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) April 26, 2017
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/4q5Hc6bKiq
— Harinder Baweja (@shammybaweja) April 25, 2017
Join @RanaAyyub and others to support #AntiTrollingDay. #LetsTalkAboutTrolls https://t.co/9cdLcKvRSA pic.twitter.com/kdBaVfS1PK
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) April 26, 2017
.@BDUTT, @RanaAyyub and @mehartweets support @htTweets’ #AntiTrollingDay campaign. We’ve changed our DP. Have you? pic.twitter.com/pcBj1YbrLI
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) April 26, 2017
There were many people who tweeted in support, and changed their profile pictures as well.
#LetsTalkAboutTrolls pic.twitter.com/4nDFR5eKr7
— sαηcнαүεε (@_CheeSe_Cake___) April 26, 2017
#LetsTalkAboutTrolls pic.twitter.com/Ugr2myAHQd
— JennyMinoz (@Minoz_jenny) April 26, 2017
https://t.co/oRc8QQrmOu
— H. (@Miister_H) April 26, 2017
please sign this petition, thanks. :) #LetsTalkAboutTrolls pic.twitter.com/5U3LpOEyNu
With you @sonamakapoor ! #LetsTalkAboutTrolls pic.twitter.com/0vMrTpiMbR
— Sushri Sahu (@SushriSahu) April 26, 2017
@htTweets #Letstalkabouttrolls was humiliate, abused by a gang when I was criticising Congress, eventually I had to quit the discussion
— Save Kulbhushan (@rajivazad) April 26, 2017
I support @htTweets campaign #LetsTalkAboutTrolls
— Nida Hasan (@hasanida) April 26, 2017
This is important. Report your online abuser. Stand up to these faceless bullies. #AntiTrollingDay #LetsTalkAboutTrolls https://t.co/glPsOMQghe
— Rohit Vats (@nawabjha) April 26, 2017
Soon enough however, there was a counter campaign on Twitter, with an accompanying picture. The counter-photo too featured the word ‘trolls’, much like HT’s photo. But instead of the red ‘x’, there was a green tick on it.
#NewProfilePic #AntiTrollingDay #LetsTalkAboutTrolls pic.twitter.com/6KQ1b2xMtU
— Aniruddha (@AniruddhasT) April 26, 2017
#LetsTalkAboutTrolls is Bullshit.
— Deepak (@KodelaDeepak) April 26, 2017
Condemn abuse. Criticism in any form always welcome. Only ppl who have something to hide will fear trolls.
What followed was many people using photos of the journalists and celebrities supporting the ‘Lets Talk About Trolls’ campaign and replacing the text in them with their own mocking messages.
Need i say anymore, courtesy @rishibagree. Brilliant
— srisri (@cong_mukt_desh) April 26, 2017
cc begum @bdutt #LetsTalkAboutTrolls @htTweets pic.twitter.com/fAydgk2mHE
My latest wish sallu miya. #LetsTalkAboutTrolls pic.twitter.com/tTsTOM0OH4
— Biggest Troll (@Shubhamdoneria) April 26, 2017
@ashishbhadoria1 #LetsTalkAboutTrolls #AntiTrollingDay @rishibagree pic.twitter.com/cTyFln3hKt
— vedahamrey (@vedahamrey) April 26, 2017
As one troll proclaimed, trolls deserved support because, “trolls are the mirror of the society”. Improbably, however, he also claimed that trolls are also “against online abuse”.
Use this as your DP to support trolls. Trolls r the mirror of the society. #LetsTalkAboutTrolls
— You (@purana500) April 26, 2017
P.S. we are also against online abuse pic.twitter.com/RttTQ9vXpz
The trolling on view here was just the tip of the iceberg, milder versions of the toxic fare that many Twitter users, particularly women face. Many campaigns against trolls have been launched in the past, including Chinmayi Sripada’s petition – “Large scale shut down of accounts which tweet rape threats against women!”
Chinmayi, a playback singer, had started the petition after she received threatening messages, including threats of rape, when she expressed her opinion on Twitter. "It is the responsibility of Twitter to ensure that their platform is not used for promoting violence against women," she says in the petition. You can access it here.