Zoe Amar, director, Zoe Amar Digital and Matt Collins managing director, Platypus Digital Visit the CharityComms website to view slides from past events, see what events we have coming up and to check out what else we do: www.charitycomms.org.uk

1. How trolls impact mental wellbeing in
the charity sector

2. Why we did the research
Socialceos.org

3. 4 key things we learnt from the research
Socialceos.org
• Trolling affects CEOs of both small and large charities
• 48% have been trolled, whilst 37% said no and 15% weren’t sure.

4. 1. Trolling is affecting CEOs
Socialceos.org
● 42% found it disturbing
● 11% said that it had a major impact on them, affecting their mental health and
making them concerned for their safety or that of their family
● 11% said it had a major impact on their charity

5. 2. Trolling is often personal, targeted and
highly organised.
Socialceos.org
“ Trolling was instigated by a well known personality who should have known
better, and led to personal abuse and death threats. It was a tiny organisation
without the resources or experience to cope with this. It left me (as CEO) feeling
suicidal, as the only way to end it.”

6. 2. Trolling is often personal, targeted and
highly organised.
Socialceos.org
“Multiple tweets, emails, mumsnet and Facebook posts calling me names such as
child abuser and paedophile.”

7. 3. Trolling is affecting CEOs’ mental health
Socialceos.org
“I woke up during the night worrying about it or feeling frightened. I worried the
person would turn up at things. It was very personal & therefore disturbing.”

8. 3. Trolling is affecting CEOs’ mental health
Socialceos.org
“High levels of stress, fear, doubt, sleepless night, impact on personal life.”

9. 3. Trolling is affecting CEOs’ mental health
Socialceos.org
“I felt sick at the thought of opening Twitter or Facebook in fear of what he would
have said. Eventually it made me stop engaging online with my friends and
networks.”

10. 4. Charity CEOs want support
Socialceos.org
● More peer support
● Guidelines on how to deal with trolling
● Getter support from social media companies
● Support from funders, including with mental health
● More talking about it
Our next steps:
● Roundtable with Charity Digital Trust

11. 3 December 2019
London
#CharityWellbeing
WiFi: Amnesty International
Password: amnestyaiuk
Wellbeing in charity
communications

12. Visit the CharityComms website to view
slides from past events, see what events
we have coming up and to check out
what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk