Cyber-harassment

By Akola Thompson

SINCE making its debut, the Internet has been regarded as something which could possibly better the lives of mankind. It symbolizes easier access to abundant information and entertainment; and even helps us to do mundane tasks we might not be too up for — such as shopping, or booking a ticket.

With all these good things, however, there came several bad ones — which we still have not been able to fix, and which, in many instances, we do not really see as a problem. One of those things is cyber-harassment.

As the incidents of online abuse increased, we have found ourselves using the blanket term cyber-bullying. We use this term because we saw online bullying as something that only teenagers would participate in; but we have, however, since realized that the relative ease with which anyone can, in seconds, write a post or make some disparaging comments makes cyber-harassment not restricted to any one age group.

That’s why I always find it a bit disconcerting whenever I see persons having cyber-bullying campaigns without addressing the fact that there exists a seemingly intrinsic need within adults in our societies to shame persons for one thing or the other. While focusing on youths is good, such campaigns need to look at the entire issue of cyber-harassment, because adults are increasingly becoming active in this issue.

One of the biggest dangers of cyber- harassment, I believe, is the sheer magnitude of its reach. We are no longer restricted to bullying in small spaces, as the Internet’s wide reach can see large audiences from around the world comment upon someone from Guyana, regardless of whether they know them or not. We have, in recent months, seen persons’ names become trending topics, and all manner of vile things being said about them.

I can understand the need to criticize, but many do not understand how thin the line is between criticizing and bullying; and in the safe confines of the cyber world, no one really holds back their damaging comments.

There is the common mistake of many to not see cyber-harassment as something serious. They often have the flawed opinion that it is not really bullying, and it can easily be solved if one would only go offline. They do not realize how this new-age bullying is not that vastly different from the traditional schoolyard bullying we have all heard of or known about.

Studies done over the years have shown the damaging effects cyber-harassment can have on a person’s psyche, and how hard it is for victims to cope with the reality that thousands and thousands of people are simultaneously judging them.

Persons, particularly here in Guyana, also subscribe to the belief that we do not have a strong culture of cyber- harassment, and that there aren’t any really harmful effects that can come from it. We believe that, because the Internet removes us from what can be considered direct physical harm, we aren’t doing anything wrong when we promote bullying, or engage in it ourselves.

From causing low self-esteem, depression, and even physical bouts of illness and fatigue, cyber-harassment can often lead to suicide. A casual check on the ever-resourceful Internet would show that thousands of suicides around the world have been attributed to persons being bullied online.

One popular case which certainly renewed the conversation on cyber-bullying came in 2012 with the suicide of 15-year-old Canadian Amanda Michelle Todd. Blackmailed into exposing herself to someone she had met on the Internet, Todd developed anxiety, depression, and panic disorders after her photos had been posted online. She had to be removed from her school on account of the bullying she experienced, and ended up changing schools twice more when the photos resurfaced in every new place she went. It was not long before Todd first attempted suicide by drinking bleach and began engaging in self-mutilation. She once even overdosed on her anti-depressants before finally successfully committing suicide.

We, as a society, need to realize the debilitating effects our words and actions in the cyber space can have on those being bullied. While not all cases end in depression or suicide, there exists the very real possibility that families and friendships can be destroyed on account of the bullying.
There is also the likelihood of victims of cyber-harassment experiencing economic instability if employed, as the shame they may experience may cause them to willingly leave their employ or eventually be fired.

There is no justifiable reason why one may engage in cyber-harassment; and it is time for us to think before we post, comment, or share something that could possibly endanger those being targeted.