Nowadays, all modern communication relies nearly exclusively on online technology, due to the rise in popularity of social media and the internet. What came next was the emergence of various internet issues. Cyberbullying and online harassment are particularly problematic for women and young people who use online platforms. However, with the increased problematic content, the current online security measures might not be sufficient to deal with the surge (Mudgway & Jones, 2020). The purpose of this article is to explore the prevalence and people’s attitudes toward bullying harassment, violent content, hate, porn, and other problematic content that circulates on digital platforms, as well as who is responsible for the problem and how can be done to stop it from happening.
“Social Media” by MySign AG is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
The current state of dissemination of questionable content on digital platforms
Bullying can be defined as any action that causes another person to feel threatened, purposeful, persistent, harmful activity directed towards another individual or group, including but not limited to victimization, offending, and gender dynamics. Name-calling, online rumor-spreading, and making threats are some of the most prevalent types of cyberbullying. Due to the anonymity with which cyberbullying may be perpetrated and the victim may not even be aware of the perpetrator. What’s more, with the ease and speed with which information can be disseminated online, it will be challenging to control or prevent negative content from being uploaded online once it has already started (Patchin, 2019).
Since the spread of smartphones and the popularity of social media, even today’s communication technology enables young people to connect online through the sharing of images, videos, and other content. However, due to a lack of online oversight, bullying now has changed where, when, and how it happens (Anderson, 2018) Cyberbullying is a significant illustration that can occur anywhere there is online social interaction. This explains how disruptive or harmful behaviors can be made worse by the development of current communication technologies. The shift from traditional forms of bullying to online via online platforms illustrates the, which highlights the potential dangers of relying too heavily on online technology (Abaido, 2019). Another important example is harassment, especially against women. Different forms of discrimination against women can be seen in today’s society. In real life, it has impacted every sphere, including family, education, job, and so on. Even these unfavorable gender relations are replicated online, exposing women to sexist, misogynistic, and violent information. (Mudgway & Jones, 2020)
“Diccionari visual de la societat xarxa: 1) Cyberbullying” by Joan Carles Torres is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Who should be responsible for stopping the spread of problematic content
In response to all kinds of negative information and problematic content appearing on digital platforms, who should be responsible for stopping it? Online bullying is viewed as a serious issue by the great majority of teenagers when using online platforms. Nearly the same percentage of adolescent who says they have bullied others online as those who say they have experienced cyberbullying. Obviously, this trend needs to stop. Most young people believe that important groups like teachers, social media companies, and politicians are not being held accountable for addressing the issue. In contrast, teens had more positive ratings of how their parents dealt with cyberbullying (Haupt, 2018).
As the three most widely used social media sites Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as such, they must take preventive measures to combat cyberbullying and offer solutions when it does occur. In addition, as most of the people who are cyberbullied are adolescents, therefore schools should take responsible as well. Schools should provide effective solutions to the cyberbullying problem when it does affect students. Additionally, by defending bullied individuals and disciplining bullies, they can directly combat cyberbullying on campus (Asa, 2010). However, the most responsible people are their parents. Children and parents now face new difficulties because of the Internet’s lawlessness and randomness, in which digital platform has the ability to conceal the identity of the aggressor, and schools are powerless or unwilling to take action against bullying. Therefore, parents have a significant portion of the blame as they are the only people who can keep an eye on whatever social media sites their kids are using, and who are in the best position to know if their kids are engaging in or experiencing cyberbullying. As a result, parents need to teach their kids how to use social media responsibly (Kevorkian, 2022).
Additionally, harassment can occur via a variety of channels, including email, chat rooms, blogs, and social media. Since internet information may spread quickly and harassment can easily worsen if you don’t act promptly. Usually, it entails harassing a person or group of people, therefore we should be held responsible for this (Richards, 2021). Some individuals who experience online harassment are unsure of whether they are genuinely being harassed; they may be perplexed by these difficulties and wonder how to report it, or can I make a police report. In general, harassment is described as a pattern of action that is repeated to intimidate, hurt, upset, or demean the target. Therefore, if you have ever been the victim of online harassment through digital technology, including threatening communications, sexual harassment, impersonation, or identity theft, then you should be extra careful not to expose personal information and take legal action to protect yourself (Services, 2021).
“Cyberbullying” by Diari La Veu is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
How to be stopping the spread of this problematic content
In the modern world, cyberbullying is a serious issue. Many kids report having encountered cyberbullying in their life, however, only one in ten victims of bullying, which includes cyberbullying, report their abuse to a parent or other trusted adult. They might not want to get harmed again, they could believe they deserve to be bullied, they might be too afraid to tell anybody, or they just don’t know where to turn or who to talk to (Frejd, 2016). Social media companies need to answer for the problematic content that appears on their platforms. Since cyberbullying and harassment are linked to larger cultural and socioeconomic concerns, supervision alone won’t be enough to stop cyberbullying and harassment, so it’s important to make sure platforms are held accountable and the answers and tools they offer are effective. Currently, the majority of the main social media platforms employ measures intended to combat cyberbullying, and it is the industry’s duty to make sure that kids, teachers, and parents are aware of these tools. For instance, online sites have established safety or support centers that offer guidance on what to do when cyberbullying happens and how to assist kids both on and off the platform (Milosevic, 2019).
As the people most exposed to teenagers, teachers, can also help stop this problem from spreading effectively. Schools may instruct kids on how to defend themselves from these dangerous abusers as well as others. Children may learn about cyberbullying and how to spot potential warning signs from school. In order to respond appropriately and come up with solutions that can aid children when they come across an instance of online harassment or bullying, teachers and school administrators need to educate themselves on the many forms of cyberbullying (Haupt, 2018). If what digital platforms and schools offer is how to prevent cyberbullying from occurring, parents are more concerned with offering psychological consolation when bullying occurs. Cyberbullying is a relatively new risk that can have long-term repercussions. Focus on your child’s online world as you would any other aspect of your child’s life. If you believe your child is being bullied, talk to them about it, and make sure that they can tell you anything and that you would support them. It is very important to show your children that you love them and will protect them (Kevorkian, 2022).
Conclusion
In conclusion, due to the popularity of smartphones and social media, anonymity on the web and lack of online surveillance, which cause the dissemination of problematic content such as cyberbullying, harassment and so on is still a serious problem in society. The responsibility for tackling the numerous harmful messages and problematic information on digital platforms should fall on significant roles like social media firms, educators, and parents. Moreover, to protect ourselves, it’s crucial that we should exercise extra caution not to disclose personal information and employ a variety of legal tactics to prevent these negative things from occurring.
References
Abaido, G. (2019). Cyberbullying on social media platforms among university students in the United Arab Emirates (pp. 407-420). Taylor&Francis Online. Retrieved 3 October 2022, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2019.1669059?scroll=top&needAccess=true
Anderson, M. (2018). A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying. Retrieved 3 October 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/\
Asa. (2010). Who should take the responsibility for Adolescent Cyber Bullying? | WebSpy Vantage 3.0. Retrieved 6 October 2022, from https://www.webspy.com/blog/who-should-take-the-responsibility-for-adolescent-cyber-bullying/
Frejd, S. (2016). 5 Ways to Stop Cyberbullying. Retrieved 8 October 2022, from https://justbetweenus.org/everyday-life/christianity-and-culture/5-ways-to-stop-cyberbullying/
Haupt, A. (2018). Who Is Responsible for Stopping Cyberbullying? – LearnSafe. Retrieved 6 October 2022, from https://learnsafe.com/who-is-responsible-for-stopping-cyberbullying/
Kevorkian, M. (2022). Parents Can Prevent Cyberbullying. Retrieved 6 October 2022, from https://www.pta.org/home/family-resources/safety/Digital-Safety/Parents-Can-Prevent-Cyberbullying
Mudgway, C., & Jones, K. (2020). As use of digital platforms surges, we’ll need stronger global efforts to protect human rights online. Retrieved 3 October 2022, from https://theconversation.com/as-use-of-digital-platforms-surges-well-need-stronger-global-efforts-to-protect-human-rights-online-135678
Milosevic, T. (2019). Can social media tools be used to stop cyberbullying?. Retrieved 8 October 2022, from https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/1001/1079472-can-social-media-tools-be-used-to-stop-cyberbullying/
Patchin, J. (2019). Cyberbullying Data 2019 – Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved 4 October 2022, from https://cyberbullying.org/2019-cyberbullying-data
Richards, A. (2021). Part 1 – The rise of online abuse in lockdown: how to deal with online harassment. Retrieved 8 October 2022, from https://www.farrer.co.uk/news-and-insights/the-rise-of-online-abuse-in-lockdown-how-to-deal-with-online-harassment-stalking-and-revenge-porn/
Services, B. (2021). How To Stop Online Harassment: What Are Your Best Options?. Retrieved 8 October 2022, from https://www.boscolegal.org/blog/how-to-stop-online-harassment/
