A technological advancement unlike any other, social media’s impact on society is both undeniable and pronounced. As an outlet for expression, communication, and connection with others, a lot of good arose from the surge in popularity of social media. Yet, when you look through all the glitz and glamour, you see a harsh truth that offers more harm than any good could counter.
In a generation constantly surrounded by likes, comments, and reposts, our norm consists of constant stimulation and entertainment. It’s all we’ve known, and with that, the protective animosity of saying whatever you want without fear of the consequences. As a generation, we have grown accustomed to the shield of our screens, and consequently social media, as protection against confrontation of any sort. As such, nothing is stopping online users from writing and ultimately posting words of venom.
In light of a resurgence of JCP accounts for seniors, such as JCPconfessions – an account that allowed for the anonymous submission of anything the user wanted, there has also been a revival of conversation regarding cyberbullying. Cyberbullying, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is: “the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.”
It’s essentially the exploitation of an aspect of social media meant to encourage self-expression, to harm others. The ability to hide behind a screen has allowed people to say whatever they want, whenever they want with a shield against any consequences.
I mean, how could anyone prove @user239034023 was really the person sitting next to you, criticizing some random girl on TikTok’s every action? You can’t. That’s the answer.
As for how it relates to JCP, many accounts have risen in popularity with varying titles from JCPconfessions to JCPhatepage, providing the perfect channel for anyone to express their inner thoughts. Now, what’s so tempting about these pages that they elicit so many responses? The fact that they’ll never have to be confronted with who is affected by their words since no one can prove who sent it in. A perfect recipe for disaster, where unkindness is the seed and the only thing that grows is hurt.
This isn’t just a JCP thing though. It’s a worldwide issue. Anyone can be connected with anyone else in a split second, armed with the ability to say whatever they want about the person and never have to see them again.
A lot of people do not understand the gravity of cyberbullying as it seems to be a distant phenomenon, not really affecting them or anyone they know. Yet, according to the World Health Organization, “One in six school-aged children experiences cyberbullying.” This devastatingly high statistic demonstrates the solemnity of the issue as the likelihood of you knowing someone who has experienced cyberbullying is alarmingly high.
Yet, mystifyingly, no one is forcing them to say these hurtful things. Nothing forces them to call a girl ugly, call another person stupid, etc. Not only does social media offer the glorious aspect of anonymity, but it also gives everyone the ability to make things disappear instantaneously
No super-force drives you to move your fingers and type out hate comments from your account, so why not simply scroll? No justification exists that requires broadcasting pessimism and hate to people you don’t even know. It really only takes a couple of seconds to think before you speak, to think about how your words may impact another person. Those couple of seconds may seem pointless, but if everyone did it, the internet would transform into a much more welcoming, enjoyable place to spend time doom-scrolling on.
With that being said, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one is forcing you to share it and hurt others. Rather, take the high road and scroll.
