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EvilS
The EvilS (Almost) Ultimate Guide:
Twitter Privacy & Dealing With Idiots
Twitter Privacy & Dealing With Idiots
On the back of the thread started earlier by the ever lovely Biba about Twitter it came to my attention that a few members here are having issues with online trolls and how to protect themselves from them. I am here to guide you with my nerd like knowledge.....
All the below guides are for you to do on a PC/Laptop/Mac. The mobile version/phone app for Twitter do not offer the full range of options and the most important ones can't be accessed on them.
Twitter Settings - Just Where The Hell Are They?
A lot of people may struggle to actually locate where the setting for Twitter actually are. They have done a good job of hiding them. First log in the site and click your display picture on the top right hand corner. This will bring down a drop down menu where the settings link is located.
Or if you're lazy click HERE
Privacy Settings
Once into the settings you are going to want to click Security and Privacy on the left hand menu.
The most important option in here is for your DMs (Direct Messages). Twitter in there infinite wisdom have it so anyone can send you a DM by default. Not only is it a good idea to turn this off to protect yourself from trolls it is just good practice. Companies are slowly realising this is on by default and are beginning to spam users with ads and whatnot. I highly recommend you turn this OFF. The option is at the very bottom of the Security and Privacy settings page.
Also on this screen I highly recommend you UNTICK the following options.
- Add a location to my Tweets
- Let others find me by email address
- Let others find me by my phone number
- Tailor ads based on information shared by ad partners
- Do not allow anyone to tag me in photos
- Do not allow anyone to add me to their team
Should I Protect My Tweets?
Twitter has a great option if you are really privacy minded and this is the Protect My Tweets option. You may have noticed accounts having a grey padlock next to names.
This means they have enabled this option. What this means is that only there authorised followers can see there tweets. The user must approve users to allow them to follow. This is a great option if you are having issues with a troll or just wish to take a step back from an open Twitter. I currently have this option on and tend to turn it on and off as and when. Sometimes you just get a lot of egg followers in one go and they become annoying. With this on I can mass stop them from following.
You should keep in mind that with this option ON people cannot retweet you and conversation featuring your @ will not be seen by people not approved as a follower. I've decided that the world will just have to do without seeing my brand of wit and comedy for the moment.
What Is An Internet Troll?
An internet troll is by definition:
Vile, Cuntish, Small Minded, Cuntish, A Bully, Often Homophobic, Often Racist, Cuntish, Idiotic.
They take pleasure from causing hassle, hitting on women that don't want to be hit on, sending photographs of there penises and just all round like to cause a nuisance.
What Should I Do If I Encounter A Troll
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience"
If you have the misfortune to encounter a troll be it some slag from Berkshire or someone that likes the play Minecraft in real life the number one tip I can recommend and one I highly suggest you use is to just simply ignore them. The thing with internet trolls is they have a brain much smaller than the rest of us. They get bored very easily and move on if you do not engage with them. I can't stress this enough, just ignore them. I know it hard advice to follow and they will make you angry but it really is the best course of action.
If you do feel like replying to them, just be polite, explain they are harassing you and you wish for them not to contact you any more. DO NOT swear at them, belittle them, make them look a fool or call them names. They will take a screenshot of this and use it against you when they ultimately try to get your Twitter account suspended. Oh that's right, the number two hobby (after being a twat) of a Troll is to get your account suspended. Trust me the hassle of getting a banned account back active is the same if not worse than dealing with Trolls in the first place.
If you do find yourself angry and typing out a message to one of these pricks before you hit the send button take a step back do an activity to calm yourself down (knowing you lot here I suggest some sex). Then go back, read the message and ask yourself "Will this give the troll ammunition against me?" if Yes, delete and see advice number 1 of this section
Not Twitter But Good Advice (Well I Think So)
Sitting next to the IT department in work I know the dangers of people having poor/easy to guess passwords. So I will pass on the advice he gave out that I continue to use to this day 8 years later. Make your password unique to each site you visit, you're probably thinking i'll never remember all those. Here's the trick. Take a colour, object, number, symbol, then the name of the site with a capital letter as your password. As an example
Purple Alligator 47 ! Twitter
So the password would be purplealligator47!Twitter
This is obviously an example DO NOT use it lol. Its easy to remember as you'll always remember a purple alligator and it's unique to every site you visit.
Is This Moron Still Going....
This is a quickly put together and somewhat jumbled guide/random thoughts as I went along. But I do hope it of some help. Knowing me I will be constantly going back, tweaking and adding to it. I can also sense my coolness dripping away with each and every post I seem to be making lately....in fact I can already hear Bibas keyboard typing out the word NERD as we speak......
But trolls really annoy me and I can never say no to anyone needing help so there you go.As a selfish note, if you're thinking "That EvilS seems like a really swell individual I would very much like to buy him an alcoholic beverage". Instead please send £1 to The Everyman Appeal (i'm a very cheap date!)
The Everyman Appeal Donation Page
If you still have issues or questions then please feel free to send me a message and I will do my best to help you or offer advice. I'm here a lot (damn internet enabled phones!) so will always do everything I can to reply.
....and yes i've been made aware my Twitter pic is very much like the Homepride logo. It will be changed shortly!
#EvilHelpdesk
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