Digital Hate and Trolls: the online playground of bullies
Behind the screen and in the online sphere, bullying and trolling has advanced alongside technology and found its foothold in the services we integrate into our daily lives for ease and enjoyment.
We are constantly plugged in; we walk around with our phones in our pockets, laptops in our bags, and a wifi connection at home ready to sync up with us before we even unlock the front door. At the touch of a screen we can view the latest news, receive directions, order food, and keep in touch with our loved ones. While the digital cyberspace has created many positive opportunities, a portal has opened to make way for a movement of online hate, violence and harm.
For many, the benefits of social media include greater collaboration, communication, accessibility and community, however these online platforms also provide an environment where trolling and bullying present a true danger. The avenues to the negative discourse and malicious relationships on social media are propelled by the option of anonymity; users are given the ability to hide behind a screen or username and hand out a declaration of ill intent and deliver hurtful actions ‘unseen’.
The power behind these actions of trolls and bullies can lead to serious consequences, often impacting demographics summed up by adolescents and minorities who face the brunt of the violence online. Ostini and Hopkins outline that “power and control extend beyond the physical world to the online world and frequently produce real world effects” (2015). Cyberbullying increases the capacity of harassment and additional abuse that vulnerable members of society are continually subject to.
Trolls and bullies exist predominantly in the online sphere, and navigating the world of social media includes the uncomfortable and unwarranted interaction with online users who choose to create their conflict behind the facade and false protection of a screen. Cyberbullies create lasting impacts on the lives of real people, so in the wise words of Harry Styles remember to treat people with kindness, and report any harmful content you may come across in your internet surfing.
References:
Ostini, J & Hopkins, S 2015, ‘Online harassment is a form of violence’, The Conversation, 8 April, viewed 25 May 2021, <https://theconversation.com/online-harassment-is-a-form-of-violence-38846>.
















