Study: Internet trolls are just as mean in real life

Internet bullies are just as mean in real life, according to a new study.

The study, from the political science department at Aarhus University, debunks the long-held theory that people are only nasty while posting anonymously online.

It also found that people who are nice may choose to avoid all political discussions online – whether the forums are hostile or not, according to the study published in the American Political Science Review.

The researchers did find that the hostility levels of online political discussions are worse than offline discussions, but that the frequency of behaviour was about the same online and in real life.