What do WhatsApp statuses tell?

THE coming in of new media which is largely a result of internet and global technological growth has brought about an end to the era of letters although it has its own fair share of controversies that are linked to each and every user’s understanding of the social platforms.

This has bred the question, are social media platforms supposed to be arenas where people download their emotions and personal feelings?

Although WhatsApp and Facebook which are the two common social platforms in Zimbabwe enhance communication efficiency, understanding and probably appreciation differs from one user to another.

It is these and others that have probably been causing a lot of talk in the homes, sometimes to the point of splitting marriage bonds and other relations. Of interest however, are the statuses that people post on their Whatsapp and Facebook platforms, some of which will be pregnant with meanings.

Insults, expressions of joy, bereavements, feelings, anger and any other superlatives that one can think of find their way on these social media platforms. According to a blogger, social media user and socialite Delta Ndou, these social platforms allow people to vent without having to confront those who have offended or hurt them. It allows them to feel like they have hit back without having to engage the person they are displeased with. It is a way of getting even without being held accountable. She said social networking sites tend to blur the lines between the public and private personas of individuals.

“WhatsApp for example is viewed as an intimate or personal space. How people self-express via their statuses on WhatsApp is often revealing as they tend to communicate from a deeply personal and presumably private space. In terms of being ideal, it depends. Some people avoid confrontation and this is an outlet for them. You might even call it cowardice. Other people are confrontational and will tag the individual to humiliate them which is not ideal because social networking sites are not the best places to resolve conflict unless the intention of the offended party is to get revenge not reconcile.

“Sometimes status updates are thinly veiled attacks, deliberate, provocative, cruel and malicious. In those instances where malice is the obvious motive, that behaviour morphs into trolling, cyber bullying and online harassment. But in such cases many will hide behind ambiguous wording or vague phrasing to claim they have harmed no-one because they named no specific person,” she said.

Some even make it their business to change their statuses each and every time their feelings change while others, however, see these platforms just as nothing serious to communicate personal feelings with and on.

It is on WhatsApp where statuses like, “Chimbondimira ndine stress”, “Some people suck”, “Heartbroken”, “Betrayed”, “Am in love”, “Not feeling well”, “Liar”, “Rest in peace mom” and many others that communicate different messages to different targeted people.

This is largely so because there is no hard and fast rule on what should and should not be written or said at any given time, giving the user the freedom to communicate what they feel like on these platforms.

The danger of it, however, is that the status that is changed often and that communicates a feeling or that is insulting may be misdirected because while it may be targeted to a single someone, it is open to view by other people on one’s contact list if it is on WhatsApp.

Interestingly, however, the issue of communicating on statuses is not limited to a certain age group. It cuts across all age groups as some elderly parents who are technology savvy take the platform to communicate with their children in a subtle and almost indirect way with such statuses that expresses an internal feeling as, “Neglected by own blood”, “Hating a parent is like hating God”, “Suffering like I am barren”, while some couples take their war out of the matrimonial home turf to the social media platforms with such messages as, “Being married is like being in jail”, “I could have stayed single”, “For the sake of my kids”, “Married to a monster” or and “Married to a reckless spender”.

Social media users expressed mixed feelings on the issue of statuses with some saying it was wrong to direct feelings, insults and anything personal on social networking sites. Njabulo Mguni said the moment one communicates their personal feelings and emotions to a wide and sometimes unconcerned audience, they would have failed to deal with their targeted audience.

“The moment you see someone looking like they are telling everyone what they feel then there is a problem, either of fearing confrontation and or wanting to attract the sympathy of the outsiders who may not be aware of their personal situations,” he said.

Another social media user Nosizo Chuma defended personal statuses and messages on profiles saying people were different and react differently to life situations. She said people take social media platforms to download their emotions and get people to talk about their problems and in the process get soothed by the advice they get from friends.

She, however, added that people should be selective of their messages and urged against posting domestic issues on social media saying the advice was usually detrimental.