I tracked down my online troll expecting a feisty ‘mean girl’… but she was a 71-year-old granny knitting in her chair
A BUSINESSWOMAN has detailed how she tracked down one of her online trolls… only to find it was a 71-year-old granny.
Lisa Johnson, 47, is a business strategist who made £4.2 million revenue in 2024 – and this success has put a target on her back for online bullies.
Despite using her platform to help fellow female business owners achieve their goals, some social media users find Lisa controversial.
The mum-of-two has less than 50,000 Instagram followers, yet regularly finds forum threads and online chat rooms attacking her, particularly in communities aimed at women.
After years of occasionally dropping into such forums, one troll in particular piqued Lisa’s interest.
Over the course of one thread, the troll’s comments became “more and more extreme”.
“She was commenting with conviction on every thread, quoting personal encounters and interactions with me that backed up each argument,” Lisa penned in an article for MailOnline.
“[She] painted an ever increasingly horrendous image of me as both a person and a business owner.
“I couldn’t let it lie, and as this particular troll-fest escalated out of control, I decided to instigate my private investigator mode, and find out exactly who this ring leader, chief mud slinger and all-round mean girl really was.”
Lisa tracked down the trolls name and e-mail address and sent her “a politely worded message” requesting a video call about the comments.
To her surprise, the troll agreed.
“I had images of a feisty woman, full of attitude and strong opinions, unafraid of voicing them to show the world what she really stood for and why ‘people like me’ needed bringing down,” Lisa shared.
“What I actually got was a 71-year-old lady with knitting in her lap and photos of her grandchildren on the mantelpiece behind her.”
The elderly woman shared that she actually thought Lisa seemed like a decent woman.
But as negativity towards the business mogul began to grow in the forum, she got “swept along” in the bitterness.
“She found she was getting caught up in a vicious circle where every comment brought her more attention,” Lisa recalled of their conversation.
“And the feeling of being an important member of the group was so alluring, she pretty much forgot what she was commenting on in the first place.”
A whopping 95% of content creators like Lisa have faced some type of online harassment, research from internet security brand Avast found in 2024.
And while Lisa accepts that everyone has the right to hold an opinion, there’s a rule she believes people (particularly trolls) should live by before expressing their views online.
She said: “If you wouldn’t say something to someone standing directly in front of you, then it’s probably wise to not say it on social media.”
WHAT ARE TROLLS?
TROLLING is a form of online bullying, with perpetrators referred to as 'trolls'.
Trolls typically post inflammatory, nasty or disruptive comments in online forums, social media or other digital spaces. The aim is to provoke a reaction, whether it’s applause from fellow trolls or upset from the victim.
Trolling is often malicious, as it targets individuals or communities to cause emotional distress.
The behaviour thrives on anonymity and the absence of real-world consequences, making it common in online environments.