What do you think about online violence?
Social Media has lots of positive impacts on people and it has deeply shaped our society in ways beyond our expectations. Almost everyone doing business around the world has shifted their businesses and existences online. Social media has brought business connections, relationships and partnerships together, and it has given voice to thousands and millions of people to fight for their rights and to have a better future. But social Media also has it's ugly and negative side, where the worst of humanity manifested.
DEFINITION OF ONLINE VIOLENCE.
Online violence is the act of using online digital services to engage in activities that leads to harm against the physical, psychological and emotional state of an individual 's well-being. It can be in form of hateful language that insults, threatens, mock or degrade an individual base on their identity or other traits. However, Digital technologies and innovations can be used to foster community and enable communication among family and friends but It can also be use to commit crimes, promote extremism, sow divisions and monitor another political opponents.
Online violence can be experienced by an individual or group and it happens online through computers, smart phones, or during Internet games etc. Even though online violence takes place online, it also affects people offline and has real world implications.
Online abuses comes in the form of trolling, bullying, stalking, luring, impersonation using fake accounts to humiliate someone, harassment, threatening, hate speech, recording and distribution of sexual assault, offensive comments, defamatory comments and blackmailing. Attacks are most common on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp, TikTok, dating apps etc and it has bred an escalating online violence.
Young women, girls, boys and even children and babies have been exposed to online violence and half of those who have been abused or harassed on social medias have suffered mental and emotional distress as a result. The most common type of online abuse is body shaming, use of insulting language(s), threats of sexual violence and deliberate embarrassment.
Some people who have been abused online either delete their online page/ accounts, or deactivate their accounts for some time. And others due to the fear of been abused or insulted reduced their rate of commenting on posts or stopped commenting at all.
Online abuse can hurt people and thereby, leading to physical harm, isolation, depression, and suicide.
The problem of online violence and abuse is one of the greatest challenge the Internet faces today. It is an issue that cannot be fixed with simple and easy solutions because online violence is like a wild fire which has spread and become more complex than the impertinent attitudes we see in comment sections and it can extend to physical spaces.
To address online violence, government should implement laws against online violence.
- Online bullies should be made to pay levy and fines for offences, and threatening conducts.
- Technology operators , designers and platform admins and moderators should be encouraged to implement measures such as a ban on anonymous fake accounts and
- Criminal persecutions for online abuse.
Conclusion, I think online violence is a repeated behavior, which is aimed at scaring, angering or shaming those who are targeted. Anyone can experience online violence, even infants are trolled and abused online. Online violence can come in the form of sending hurtful, abusive or threatening messages, images or videos, spreading lies about someone or posting embarrassing photos or videos etc. The feeling of being harassed by others or being laughed at can prevent people from speaking up or trying to deal with the problem thereby causing emotional stress, physical stress, depressions and even death to those who had experienced the online violence and abuse.
One effective method to address the spread of online violence is for the government to enact laws specifically targeting online violence.
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Thank you very much. I'm glad enjoyed it.
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As a naija boy that graduated from the school of vawulence.. no room for peace!!! Give it to them hot….😂😂😂😂
Beautiful write up… indeed, if this online bullies are been fined or sentenced to court like bob risky, they won’t be disturbing the peace of the social media space
I will not bail you if they jail you🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Thank for stopping by
Very wicked somebori…😭😭😭😭