MEAN QUEENS: IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO BE AN ONLINE BULLY
There is a place for everyone, a site for each interest, and social media platforms are a place for communication. As mentioned in week 3, each social media application has a different edge and is idea-focused, but in general, they are all about communicating your ideas and opinions. However, as Internet is a miniature version of society, not all interactions are meant to be constructive or make you feel good.
What is online harrasment?
Flaming, doxing, impersonation, and public shaming are all examples of online harassment directed at a single user or users (Blackwell et al. 2017). Technically, online harassment is bullying on the Internet that targets someone's appearance, threatens their safety, or causes mental injury to another person.
What is concerning is not only the conduct itself, but also the demographic that this activity is targeting. Because young and younger teenagers have earlier Internet access, they are not becoming bullies and are experiencing bullying at a much younger age (Zhu et al. 2021). This occurs for two reasons: a lack of parental supervision and a scarcity of online resources for tweens.
What drives children to hate?
A lack of parental supervision can expose children to internet bullying in a number of ways. First, it makes children uninformed of the potential risks hiding online. Children may be exposed to derogatory behaviour or inappropriate content without understanding it is wrong or harmful. For example, on Tiktok, there was a trend of leaving passively aggressive comments in the "nice girl" style, complete with fairy or bow emojis. People who follow this trend can deliver hateful messages to authors without being disrespectful (Sie 2022).
Youngsters who see these statements will not have the mental capacity to realise that this is not in their best interests and may mimic the activity without realising it is harmful. Secondly, without open communication about online activity, children may be hesitant to tell their parents if they are being bullied. This can make them feel alone and unsure of how to handle the situation, leaving them stuck in a cycle of bullying (Khurana et al. 2014).
The lack of internet places expressly designed for tweens can lead them to platforms intended for teenagers or adults. When I was younger, my first social media sites were not Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. My parents purposefully removed the option since they recognised these platforms did not have the same safeguards for younger users. However, as children's gaming websites fade away, they no longer have a safe haven that can provide both safety, entertainment, and communication, forcing them to skip their "tween stage". They are still young and feel compelled to join platforms that are not designed with children's safety in mind. A lack of age-appropriate online groups can increase tweens' vulnerability to cyberbullying. They may encounter harsher content or communicate with older users who are less conscious of their language. Without the safety and control of a dedicated tween place, kids may be more unwilling to report bullying or seek help if they encounter it.
How to take back the steering wheel?
Children who witness online bullying frequently disregard what is happening in order to avoid becoming involved (Smith et al. 2011). The long-term effect of this behaviour would be desensitisation to abuse and other unpleasant stuff, as they believe it is normal. Completely excluding children from social media is not the solution. Instead, a multifaceted approach can effectively combat online abuse.
Educating youngsters about online safety and encouraging open discussion about responsible social media use is critical. Encourage the development of age-appropriate platforms with greater protections to provide a safer online environment for kids. Furthermore, social-emotional learning initiatives can help children manage online relationships positively. Finally, keeping social media businesses accountable for user verification, content moderation, and clear repercussions for bullying generates a more responsible online environment for all.
