This archive report was first published on 3 August 2020.
Published on August 3, 2020
As a Gen-Zer, I acknowledge that I am privileged to have access to certain things that most of my predecessors would not have even dreamed of. I still remember the excitement of getting my hands on a phone and playing the mono-pixelated version of 'snakes' for the first time.
Fast forward to today, and the things that can be done with a smartphone are beyond imagination. Social media has taken the world by storm, and it's hard to imagine life without it. We use it to connect with friends and family, share our thoughts and experiences, and even find community and support.
However, one thing that we as a generation have failed to realise is that with great power comes great responsibility. Social media has brought on a whole new breed of people who use their anonymity to unleash hatred into the world. They type mocking words with ease, and their comments can have a profound impact on the people they target.
It's not just the young people who are affected by this. A 50-something-year-old man can follow a 12-year-old girl and tell her she's attractive, or that she's not good enough. And because he's anonymous, he feels emboldened to say things that he would never say in person.
Our society had already normalised predatory behaviour, but now with social media, it's easier than ever for people to hide behind a screen and say things that they would never say face-to-face. And it's not just the comments that are the problem - it's the way that social media can groom negativity and encourage people to harbour hatred.
So, is social media a friend or a fiend? The answer is not a simple one. While it has brought many benefits and opportunities, it also has a dark side that we need to acknowledge and address.
