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wikiHow to Respond to a Blog Attack

So you have a blog. A Myspace, Facebook, LiveJournal, or something else. Normally, you get comments from your friends or from people interested in what you have to say, but today is different. You open your inbox to see that you've been singled out for an attack. What's the best response?

Steps

  1. 1
    Take a deep breath. Be calm.
  2. 2
    Read through the comments to understand why you're suddenly being attacked. Is it something you have said or done? Is it a stalker? Are you being mistaken for someone else? Is it a hate incident? Why exactly are you being attacked?
  3. 3
    Closing comments, deleting comments, and judicious use of your ban options often seem to be good ideas, especially in the midst of a large attack. They may be good options, depending on the type of attack, but otherwise they should be used very selectively if at all.
  4. 4
    If the attack is a simple hate attack (e.g. you did nothing, and you're being attacked for your race, gender, sexual orientation, culture, appearance, etc.), screencap and delete the material and ban everyone involved in attacking you. Alternately, you can close the comments but leave them visible and comment on the incident, if you choose.
  5. 5
    On the other hand, if the attack is over something you've done, but there's a lot of false accusations, trolling, or hate from some users, screencap everything, delete defamatory accusations and trolling and ban users involved in such conduct, but don't delete legitimate complaints or ban people simply for disagreement. Acknowledge the legitimate complaints (see apology, later).
  6. 6
    Screencap everything involved, especially if you plan on using deletion as an option.
  7. 7
    If the attack is over something you have said or done, you have three best options. You can delete everything and/or friends lock the place in question until the attackers go away, you can stand your ground, or you can apologize.
  8. 8
    If the attack is over a false accusation, from a stalker, hate-based, or from trolls or spammers, you can and should make a public or private response, along with noting openly why you banned/deleted/closed comments on an entry.
  9. 9
    If you apologize, do so sincerely, without passive-aggressiveness or excuses. The article on apologies here is a good start. Be aware, though, that apologizing can sometimes open the gates for more problems. (see warnings)
  10. 10
    If you choose to stand your ground over your behavior or what you said, keep in mind that this will earn you friends and enemies. It may also make you a permanent target for stalkers or people who think you're a "lolcow" for doing it.
  11. 11
    Ask yourself if it's worth it - do you really want to be known as the person who started a 10 page fight over the size of a rock singer's genitals? On the other hand, being known as the person who got into a fight over whether a board's "no inappropriate comments ever" rule might be a little less laughable.

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