Social media has become an integral part of our lives. However, its misuse can have detrimental effects on individuals and society. There is an urgent need to promote digital etiquette to curb social media abuse.
The Rising Menace of Social Media Abuse
The unregulated nature of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has led many to use it for nefarious purposes. Some of the most common forms of social media abuse are:
- Cyberbullying – Using social media to intimidate, threaten or harass someone. It causes psychological trauma.
- Spread of misinformation – Circulating false information as genuine to mislead people. This includes fake news and doctored images/videos.
- Trolling – Making provocative or offensive comments to incite reactions and disrupt discussions.
- Hate speech – Using speech to promote racism, xenophobia, homophobia and other forms of discrimination.
- Invasion of privacy – Sharing private information or photos without consent to malign someone.
- Revenge porn – Sharing intimate photos to blackmail or take revenge on a person.
These frequently manifest in the form of abusive comments, messages or posts targeting individuals or groups. According to a Pew Research study, 41% of US adults have experienced some form of online harassment. The anonymity afforded by social media emboldens trolls and cyberbullies.
The Need for Promoting Digital Etiquette
To address online abuse, social media companies are relying heavily on content moderation. However, the sheer volume of user-generated content makes this an uphill battle. Relying solely on top-down interventions by corporations is insufficient.
There is an urgent need to promote digital etiquette among social media users to encourage responsible online behavior. Digital etiquette refers to the norms of respectful conduct on the internet. Some key principles of digital etiquette are:
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Assume good faith – Approach online interactions by assuming users mean well until proven otherwise. Don’t automatically view differing opinions as attacks.
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Fact check information – Verify information for accuracy before sharing. Evaluate source credibility.
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Consider human dignity – Remember there are real people behind usernames. Avoid offensive or dehumanizing speech.
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Respect privacy – Don’t share personal details or photos of others without consent.
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Don’t feed the trolls – Disengage and report trolling instead of responding.
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Credit sources – Provide attribution when sharing content created by others.
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Disagree respectfully – Express differences in opinion in a thoughtful manner. Don’t resort to personal attacks.
Advocating Digital Etiquette through Public Awareness Campaigns
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Promoting digital etiquette requires raising public awareness and influencing social norms. Educational campaigns should be launched, especially targeting youths.
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Social media companies can prompt and nudge users to be more considerate in their interactions through platform design changes like Twitter’s prompt to read an article before retweeting.
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Influencers and public figures should exemplify responsible online conduct that their followers can emulate.
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Schools and colleges should educate students on digital citizenship and online ethics. Digital etiquette can be made part of the curriculum.
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Rewarding positive behavior through upvotes, likes and shares can shape social media culture to be more civil.
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Public service advertisements (PSAs) to popularize catchy slogans like “Don’t be a troll, be a role model”.
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News media should highlight inspiring stories of online kindness and empathy. This can encourage others to follow suit.
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Online communities like Reddit can leverage community guidelines and moderation to set positive discourse norms.
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Fact-checking organizations should continue to counter misinformation through timely debunking of fake news and hoaxes.
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Law enforcement needs to take complaints of severe abuse and threats seriously and pursue legal action when warranted.
A multifaceted approach is required to make digital etiquette an integral part of online culture. With concerted efforts on these lines, social media can become more enriching and constructive for everyone. What we need is empathy, ethics and etiquette, not just algorithms.
