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Guest Column by Achina Mayya: Social Media Toxicity
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Whether you’re a content creator or consumer, here’s how to avoid the hate all over social media platforms
Remember when social media was a place to feel good, and extend our alternate selves digitally? Me neither! I do not recollect the last time I consumed clean, old-school, remark-free, attack-free, and judgement-free content seamlessly on any social media app. Every third post has something unappetising. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with creating content of any form, crossing the thin line of ‘humiliation’ is sort of becoming a much-practised trend these days.
Recently, an international content creator became infamous for creating absolutely demeaning, misogynistic, and homophobic content. People like him are fundamentally a threat to society and young minds who consume only digital content today. Fortunately, many leading platforms deleted the troublemaker’s account. But, we may not be fortunate always, so here are my two cents to content creators and content consumers on how to navigate the digital world of hate and toxicity.
Responsibility is highly underrated
Washing one’s dirty laundry on social media says a lot about one as a person, the background they come from, and the filth they carry in their head. Being one’s true self doesn’t mean one has the authority to demean, attack, abuse, or harass any person or community at large. Period!
Being considerate, understanding people’s vulnerabilities, respecting diversity, and not making fun of insecurities is the most valued skill that creators must inherit or learn. Content consistency, relevance, innovation, etc, everything goes down the drain if the content is morally reprehensible.
Pro tip: Consider getting the content reviewed by a close yet diverse group of friends or peers before uploading, and humbly delete if someone highlights a legit issue.
You control your digital feed
If you are an avid content consumer, please never indulge in trolling, always report objectionable content, never re-share or DM content that may trigger anyone, always skip content that has a trigger warning that affects you, etc.
‘What you seek is seeking you’. Maybe this piece of wisdom was precisely written for a social app algorithm. When you actively consume toxic and violent content, the algorithm throws similar content to your feed. Therefore,
Every time toxicity trends over the web,
Looking to entice you,
Just take a small step,
Report, unfollow, and block a few!
Achina Mayya creates YouTube videos with Varun Mayya on educational topics.
I Say Chaps is a column that allows passionate, creative people a platform to have their say.
From HT Brunch, September 3, 2022
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