The impact of social media on life in the 21st century has been incredible. Sites like Facebook and Twitter have connected long lost friends and families, facilitated revolutions and created job opportunities for many in these trying economic times. Social media has enabled many conversations that would be difficult to have on other channels and powered many movements that have pushed us forward as a people. But despite these, the rise of social media has also seen the rise of trolling - a cancerous ill that still exists amongst sections of our community.
The notion of how far
we have developed and moved away from the days of mindless thuggery
and prejudice is often put forward but a look at Twitter feeds and
Facebook pages often reveals that as a human race, we have not moved
anywhere as far away from these things as we like to think.
Rarely does a week go
by without a public figure deactivating a social media account. In
most cases, the closure is a result of unprovoked, vile and hateful
abuse directed at them and their families. Racist abuse, threats to
children (born and unborn) and explicit death threats are only few of
the many ways these people suffer; all because they are making
attempts to connect with their adoring fans.
The element of freedom
of speech plays an important part in social media. It facilitates an
environment conducive to debate and discussion in an open and honest
way that is often the most productive and progressive. But in a
rather interesting twist, it is this same freedom of speech that
empowers the vile minority to target other members of the social
media community with abuse and hate.
While we can argue
about the technicalities of freedom of speech, it important that we
do not overlook the right to insult and be insulted. In our bid to
rid social media of the rotten apples, we should not cushion
ourselves so much that we get rid of the frictions that often open
our eyes to uncomfortable truths that might otherwise be difficult to
come about. We must bear in mind that any move to 'protect ourselves
from insults' will most likely involve a level of legislation, which
is not always the most straightforward route.
Many arguments have
been made for and against censorship and higher levels of control but
I believe more legislation to control social media activity, although
intended to cure the cancer of vile abuse, will end up destroying the
heart and soul of what makes social media the channel we all love and
everyone wants to be involved in.
I believe the long term
solution to the problem is to educate people, not about how to use
social media but in taste and propriety. To educate them about what
is profitable and to refrain from encouraging this vile behaviour in
a way that has seen many perpetrators given celebrity status. I
believe the abuse we see from these trolls comes from the absence of
an understanding and appreciation of what is acceptable and
commendable and we need to speak up against it.
The solution goes
beyond social media as it reaches into everyday life with matters of
manners and courtesy. If we can create a real world community that
doesn't tolerate or glorify hate and abuse, we will be one step
closer to ridding social media of trolls and brutes. It's not going
to be the easiest thing to do but if we can put this at the top of
our list of priorities, it will go a long way to inform our use of
social media.
As much as we have to
accept that we will never entirely rid society of the bead eggs among
us, we should always endeavour to work together as a community to
show what the majority stands for. I have no doubt that most people
who use social media are well intentioned and upstanding members of
society but until we drown out the evil of the trolls, we will have
to contend with our works being qualified by theirs.
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