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T‘Sigejana’.

AFTER THOUGHTS GUESTVWOIRCITEER

HE week is not over yet, but so much has happened one doesn’t know where to start. When writing this article, my head was literally spinning – social media is abuzz and one cannot catch a break! We can generally agree that social media has improved information flows, outreach, mobilisation, and fundraising (this one is particularly important because we have witnessed social media come together to take a few people to school, build needy people houses and pay for medical expenses of people we’ve never even met); however, social media has also increased surveillance, political polarisation, the spread of misinformation and harassment.

My interest today is particularly on the harassment. Harassment is witnessed every day where people take their personal vendettas to social media, hide behind fake social media profiles to harass, demean and expose others. The issue with harassment on social media is that it creates a disconnect between the subject and the harasser. People are far less likely to insult someone in person but feel emboldened when they have a screen to distance themselves from their target.

It’s a natural human instinct to defend oneself when being attacked; that is why you find situations escalating to heights they really shouldn’t have. Aggressors find pleasure when you lose your mind trying to defend yourself and you often find that people who are not related to the issue will be the ones who bring petrol to the fire. People are bored, so they will do anything to keep themselves entertained, and unfortunately that means your pain will entertain them. But in the realm of the internet, you firing back at an abuser is like adding oxygen to a wildfire. By engaging with their insults or threats, you are giving them exactly what they want. Therefore, whenever possible, it’s best to stay silent and not risk escalating a situation.

Express

Recently, there was an issue involving a public figure where a frustrated young lady took to social media to express her displeasure in the public figure. The story made rounds and became a trend, but because the affected people did not respond in any way, it quickly died down. They simply watched as it unfolded while the aggressor gathered support from bored social media users, and unfortunately two days down the line, everyone had forgotten about the issue; the power of not clapping back.

As opposed to the issue of another public figure who was once accused of a heinous crime. And in panic and trying to justify himself, he escalated the situation and made it far worse than what it would

have been had he just kept quiet. But if you’re being harassed to the point where silence is not an option, try engaging with the aggressor positively. For example, rather than getting defensive, offer something constructive.

It may be easy to say that it’s ‘just Facebook’ or ‘it’s only a troll’, but that doesn’t negate any emotional impact social media harassment has on you. Know that it’s perfectly okay to feel frustrated, isolated or anxious about the harassment you’re facing. Online life is very much real life as well. So, if you’re feeling stressed, talk to a friend or a professional to help work through your feelings.

Incident

Do not go to social media to express those feelings because that opens doors to more harassment. I remember, a few months back, an incident where a pupil was caught on camera being beaten by another, and the video trended on social media. A few days later it emerged that the victim had committed suicide. So it is normal to feel shame and be scared, find someone to talk to. Just make sure it’s a safe space because that person may also use the same social media to harass you because of your pain.

Luckily, the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act protects you if anyone online threatens your property or safety, you may want to report it to the police in addition to the social media platform. Although they may feel like they will not be able to take action on the report, this creates a paper trail, so you have formal documentation in the event that the social media harassment escalates. I pray that the harassment we witness and experience daily on social media eventually stops, and hopefully the law will be stiffer as we get used to the fact that social media now runs our lives.