When it comes to dealing with critics and trolls, there are various different approaches.
While certain people prefer to ignore the naysayers, keep their counsel or develop a tough shell, other people like to publicly name and shame their detractors.
James Blunt and Gary Lineker are experts at taking criticism and turning it into light entertainment for their Twitter followers, but The 1975 took a far more public approach at the Brit Awards.
In what was a fairly good night for the lads, they won the award for Best British Band before performing their hit song, The Sound.
During the performance, viewers at home noticed some strange captions and graphics that were constantly appearing on their TV’s.
Things like this.
What #BRITs2017 pic.twitter.com/mJiUvC7wu2
— natalie (@crajoon) February 22, 2017
this iconic moment were flashed on our screens when the 1975 was performing onstage, boiling hot tea… ?☕️ pic.twitter.com/ewUGeIe1BO
— jill; (@gloriousmixer) February 22, 2017
the 1975 just did: that pic.twitter.com/jkLVDZTkzb
— gabs (@holdonhunny) February 22, 2017
Given the rather peculiar nature of these messages, viewers at home were curious about what they might entail.
Was there skulduggery afoot?
Did someone just hack the ITV and slag The 1975 off for their whole performance? Surely not part of the plan? ? #BRITs2017
— Gavlaaar! (@GavlaaarRHCP) February 22, 2017
who could hate the 1975's that much that the go to the effort to hack the @BRITs
— ellie sherwood (@elliesherwood_x) February 22, 2017
Is it me or did someone just hack the TV studio station slating 1975 ?
— MattJCartwright (@MJCartwrigh1) February 22, 2017
#BRITs2017
Did they just hack the #brits
#1975 pic.twitter.com/QofDTccXgw— Becki Ridgway (@Becki_Ridgway) February 22, 2017
It turns out that The 1975’s performance wasn’t hacked at all. Matt Healy and co just fancied using the platform as an opportunity to give a metaphorical two-finger salute to their detractors.
Hell, even if you don’t like their music, that’s still a pretty ballsy move.
THE 1975 ARE BROADCASTING ALL THEIR CRITICS' COMMENTS ON A GIANT SCREEN FOR THEIR BRITS PERFORMANCE
— Roisin O'Connor (@Roisin_OConnor) February 22, 2017
The 1975 just trolled the British public with showing quotes from critics during their perfomance just after winning a BRIT – amazing ??????
— Lauren Rose (@LaurenRTunesi) February 22, 2017