Week 10: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance
In todayâs hyperconnected world, we love to celebrate the internet as a space of freedom, creativity, and activism. But behind the emojis and hashtags, thereâs a darker reality: online harassment. Itâs an uncomfortable but necessary conversation we need to have as responsible digital citizens.
Online harassment is not just rude comments or petty drama. It can include hate speech, cyberstalking, doxxing, sexual harassment, image-based abuse, and targeted campaigns of intimidation. For many, especially women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color, these attacks are not just onlineâthey spill into real life (Jane, 2017, p. 2). Research by Plan International found that 58% of girls worldwide had been targeted by online abuse, and for young women, the figure is even higher (Plan International, 2020).
So why arenât social media platforms doing more? Social media governance is a messy mix of corporate interests, legal loopholes, and global inconsistencies. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok often rely on community guidelines and content moderationâtools that are reactive, not proactive (Gillespie, 2018, p. 49). Meanwhile, algorithms reward virality, not safety, often promoting harmful content because it generates outrage and engagement.
But change is happening. New laws like Australiaâs Online Safety Act 2021 now give regulators the power to demand the removal of seriously harmful content. Meanwhile, creators and activists are fighting back through humor, advocacy, and support networks (Vitis & Gilmour, 2016, p. 10). And some brands are stepping up too, recognizing their corporate social responsibility to protect both consumers and influencers.
Being a good digital citizen today means more than just staying polite online. Itâs about calling out abuse, demanding accountability, and using your platformâno matter how smallâto make the internet a safer place.
References:
Gillespie, T. (2018). Custodians of the InternetâŻ: Platforms, Content Moderation, and the Hidden Decisions That Shape Social Media. Yale University Press. https://doi.org/10.12987/9780300235029
Emma A Jane, Misogyny Online: A Short (And Brutish) History. (2017). European Journal of Communication, 32(5), 504â504. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323117730203d
Plan International. (2020). Free to be online? A report on girlsâ and young womenâs experiences of online harassment. Plan International. https://plan-international.org/uploads/2022/02/sotwgr2020-execsummary-en-3.pdf
Vitis, L., & Gilmour, F. (2016). Dick pics on blast: A womanâs resistance to online sexual harassment using humour, art and Instagram. Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal, 13(3), 335â355.











