One of the perils of digital citizenship is the rise of digital conflict. Trolling is one such example of digital harassment and conflict. The anonymous nature of online commenting also allows people to feel like there aren’t repercussions, however for the recipients of this harassment it can have very real consequences.
A study conducted by PEW research centre from 2020, found that two thirds of survey respondents under thirty years old have experienced online harassment (Vogels, 2020). I myself have experienced online harassment, otherwise known as trolls, sending negative messages on Instagram. Even though you don’t know these commenters, an online message can still have an impact. I can’t imagine how it would feel to have hundreds of negative comments directed at me at once. to their actions (PennState, 2015).
A good example of the significant impact of online trolling can have is in the Love Island UK A recent Vanity Fair article took a deep dive into the tragic deaths associated with the stars of Love Island UK, and indeed online trolling ad negative comments online was cited as one of the causes which contributed to mental health concerns of some of the reality tv stars. Sophie Gradon was a Love Island UK star and sadly she committed suicide in 2018. Prior to her death Sophie had spoken about the negativity directed toward her leading her to a dark place mentally (Vanity Fair 2022). Sophie had previously said “On leaving the show, I descended into quite a dark, dark place owing to the amount of negativity focused towards me… I started to believe what these people were saying about me was true. (Vanity Fair, 2022)”.
This raises questions around whether corporations have a responsibility to combat online trolls, or to help with the mental health impacts. The Love Island production company has introduced a duty of care protocol where includes mental health support and counselling, and guidance on how to deal with social media trolling (Vanity Fair, 2020).
Digital citizenship has brought positives, but certainly online trolling and harassment is the underbelly which needs to be taken seriously.
References
Peele, A. (2022, June 2). Inside ‘Love Island,’ From the Tragic Suicide Deaths to New Mental Health Protocols. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/06/how-love-island-became-a-tv-reality-of-sex-fame-and-sometimes-tragedy
PennState, 2015, Anonimity and Social Media, PennState, https//:sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2015/10/26/anonymity-and-social-media/
Vogels, E, 2020, The State of Online Harassment, Pew Research Centre, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/01/13/the-state-of-online-harassment