You do not have to be a celebrity before tantrums are thrown at you on social media. Very few people care whether you are right or wrong, they just criticise. Before you know it, you are at the top of the trends on Twitter. Ironically, what you said may not be as a result of a tweet or Instagram post but an interview. A good example of this is the backlash Falz faced after he chastised some musicians for glorifying Yahoo Yahoo (Internet Fraud) in their songs. Another example is the case of Kemen in Big Brother Nigeria who trended for days because of the encounter he had with Tboss. The impact of these backlashes can be between mild or severe depending on the individual. Hence, if poorly handled, it can escalate into something you never imagined. In line with this, Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency shares ways to deal with social media backlash.
Delete offending materials
If you tweeted or shared a post that is causing quite a controversy, you should delete it immediately. Do not try to be defensive or justify it unless you want it to spiral out of control. Even when it does, you should still delete it. Regardless, trust social media trolls, they would screen grabbed it. Do not mind this. The important thing is that the post should not be found on your handle or page.
Have friends around you
For individuals who face social media criticisms, they should have their friends and family members around them. The fact is they cannot go through this on their own. When the backlash gets to them, all sorts of thoughts begin to get into their head including committing suicide. That is the extent it can push some people. With trusted friends around, you will feel loved despite the shots you are getting on social media.
Leave social media for a few days
There are uncountable trolls on social media who just want to make you feel bad. They reign abuses and curses on you. If you are still with your phone, you may be tempted to reply. You do not need to. Just abandon your social media for a few days and return when everything has died down.
Apologise if you are wrong
To err is human to forgive is divine. In this case, you should not concern yourself about whether you will be forgiven or not, just apologise and move on. Some will even come at you for your apologising.
Ignore
You can give it the silent treatment and continue with your life. You are getting attention notwithstanding if it is negative or positive. This is easier for celebrities.
See a psychologist
You can also see a psychologist especially if the person’s self-esteem has been battered and shattered.
– Adeniyi OGUNFOWOKE
PR Associate @ Jumia Travel