In the technology field, internet security is normally associated with creating firewalls, protection against viruses, and elite password verification all with the purpose of protecting your information.  With the popularity of social media platforms not going anywhere anytime soon, it’s important to discuss a form of competitive sabatoge: strategic trolling.

Evolving beyond just being annoying, trolls are becoming strategic in direct targeting and are even hired by companies to criticize and harass competitive brands and voices online.  Strategic trolling serves two purposes: to gain influence over your followers by discrediting your reputation online through social media,  and to cause technical disruption by posting false, misleading content through sites and blogs affiliated with your brand. Here are the top 4 strategic trolling tactics that ruin brands:

1. Leading you into the honey trap via interviewing. A honey trap is when a brand rep is lured into an opportunity which may benefit the bran on the surface, but later places the rep in a compromising position.  You may be asked to do an interview where the mood of the discussion may take a controversial turn. The purpose is to get a reaction out of you on record.  Unless, you have a trained media representative for your company or brand, stay on course by avoiding honey trap-like invitations that function as set ups.  

2. Change or alter your photos on social networking sites. This tactic has become especially popular among those who are photoshop-savvy.  Images are deemed questionable depending on the context of which they are presented.  For example, being photographed walking with a member of the opposite sex can get you accused of cheating if a troll is creative in building a malicious, yet convincing story around it.  Monitor photos of you posted on the net as well as who has authorization to share them. The longer questionable images stay public, the easier it is for them to spread.

3. Writing or creating a false review about your services.  Basically, someone who claims to be a former client or user of your product writes a blog or creates a Youtube review bashing it for the sole purpose of discrediting you.  Perform Google and social media searches every other day to see what people are saying about your products and services. Be prepared to set the record straight. Resolve online complaints head on and quickly by responding with solutions.

4. Interceding your business deals with the intention to stop them. This can be something as small as posting negative comments continuously on your site or as big as emailing your partners with false information about your company.  Please know that leaking confidential information about your clients online is illegal and punishable in most state courts. However, if trolls can prove that the source of the information is from you than you will be at fault and accountable to the backlash.  

You can further protect themselves by making privacy and security a priority in the social media management of your brand.  Make sure you have a confidentiality statement included in your contracts even if administered via email. If an intern or another person is running your social media profiles, create posting rules and guidelines for them to follow.  Review and audit all content scheduled to be published on your site publically and have any comments moderated. Remember, you control your image online, so be diligent in protecting it.