For the umpteenth time in a few weeks, my stomach flipped when my phone pinged to let me know there was a notification on my Twitter account.

As someone who mainly uses Twitter to keep abreast of the latest news and barely posts on the platform, I knew exactly what it would be – another message from the increasingly obsessive Twitter troll who seems to have developed a somewhat unhealthy personal grudge.

Accurately reporting on comments made by a democratically elected Member of Parliament is apparently the root of this particular troll’s venom.

In a society now dominated and influenced by social media, bullies who never grew up from name-calling in the playground have instead taken up the hobby of spewing the hatred and bitterness that evidently consumes them to their echo chamber of supporters online.

With healthy debate and conversation now a relic of the past, hastily thrown together tweets tagging in individuals, along with their company bosses and colleagues - and with little regard of the defamation law – has become a sport for some.

Fair game?

It’s always been the ‘joke’ that journalists are fair game for criticism. If I’d got a pound for every time I’d told someone what I do for a living and they responded with, ‘Ooooooh, your paper makes a wonderful lining for the cat litter tray’, I’d be rich enough to quit work.

After 18 years in the industry, I’m old enough to remember the days when people had to write a letter, stamp it and post it to tell you they thought the piece you wrote on the latest housing development delay was rubbish. At least back then they had the courtesy to sign it with their real name.

These days, there’s no need for all that effort. In an instant, an anonymous troll hiding behind a fake name has the platform to say whatever they want. Ironically, it tends to be the people who proudly signal their virtue and boast in their bios of being kind that are the worst culprits.

Bullies cross the line

I believe passionately in free speech. It is the bedrock on which every democracy survives and thrives and I’m lucky enough to count many brave men who fought for our right to speak freely as friends.

But when anonymous bullies can target individuals with increasingly personal insults, and outlandish accusations that call into question your professional integrity and leave you concerned that there’s a sinister agenda at the core of their trolling, there is a line that has been crossed.

The abuse journalists receive on a daily basis is becoming an issue that needs to be called out and dealt with. It’s no longer so funny being the butt of the joke, because the days of light-hearted criticism and banter are long gone.

Comments sections that were once a friendly forum of debate have become toxic. Even the most innocuous article is met with a barrage of vitriol that inevitably descends into personal insults towards the reporter who wrote it.

I’ll never advocate for a blanket ban on anonymous accounts, but there has to be some consequence for those who persistently target individuals with abusive messages. It is unfair that journalists whose names, pictures, social media handles, contact numbers and email addresses are publicly available should face unjust abuse by people who lack the courage to reveal their own identity.

Margaret Thatcher once said: “I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”

It’s a cheap shot to abuse the reporter working tirelessly to bring you news that interests and educates. And, while the former Prime Minister was thick skinned enough to laugh off the personal insults hurled at her, the same can’t be said for us all – particularly younger members of staff just trying to do a difficult and demanding job.

Local, impartial journalism is the beating heart of every community.

Our reporters live in the area they report on and love it as much as you do. They care about the people who live in it too, and they care about reporting on the things that matter to people.

They work to expose injustices, interview residents about heart-breaking experiences, create lasting legacies for lost loved ones, and write articles that inspire and influence change.

Sure, we’re not always perfect. And any criticism pointing out genuine spelling errors or stray apostrophes are more than justified.

But without those journalists you’re left with social media hysteria, one-sided messaging from organisations who only want you to know certain things, and a lack of scrutiny of those in a position of authority.

'Stop and think'

Most local news outlets are doing their best with limited resources – and there’s real people at the heart of them working themselves to the bone to produce daily newspapers, 24/7 online coverage and social media content.

It’s not the sports reporter’s fault that Weymouth FC lost a match or signed a player you think is undeserving of a place in the squad. It’s not the news editor’s fault that your elected MP has a stance on a national issue you disagree with. And it’s not the reporter’s fault that a planning application you opposed has been given approval.

When TV presenter Caroline Flack took her own life after years of vile abuse by strangers online, the nation collectively called for more kindness.

But plastering hearts, rainbow flag emojis, and ‘#bekind’ messages over your social media bios does not a kind person make.

Maybe, before pressing send on the message you’ve typed out to the journalist you think is fair game for simply reporting on what the council leader has said, perhaps stop and think that there’s a real person on the receiving end of your abuse – and that person is brave enough to show their face.