Honestly speaking, it's high time someone give this internet phenomenon a proper name :P Although, I'd have called it cyber mobbing (sounds cooler :P) but well, online mobbing sounds okay as well.
What is cyber/online mobbing?
It is this phenomenon when netizens are so upset over a certain issue that they launch a personal attack against the perpetrator or/and their relatives/family/close friends, which includes spreading personal information (IC number, home address, facebook's/other social media sites'/websites' ID/username, phone number, financial information) about the supposed perpetrator or/and their relatives/family/close friends; issuing threats (physical/death threats, for example. However, it may also include other threats.) against the supposed perpetrator or/and their relatives/family/close friends via the internet; spamming the said perpetrator's or/and their relatives'/family's/close friends' social media pages/blogs/websites until the said pages are forced to be taken down; and some other equally uncalled for actions from angered netizens.
How this 'cyber mobbing' has come about?
Well, due to the anonymity that the internet has given to this new generation of 'activists' (called 'clicktivists') who fought, via the net, against things that they felt is violating human rights and such stuff, they are bolder in terms of expressing their feelings and views. However, some people may just use this as a disguise to spread their flames of hate which burn extremely well using the general emotion that the people have at the moment as kindling. These people are the sort of people who would cause a riot if they participated in a 'peaceful rally' or cause a war if weapons are involved - and now they have a new, powerful weapon in their arsenal - the internet.
My thoughts
First of all, to me, expressing one's opinion is one thing, but by doing the above mentioned things (in my first sub-paragraph) is more like 'expressing one's emotion' at a whole new level. Taking it upon yourself to 'punish' the perpetrator/s by harassing their personal and social lives or verbally/physically threatening people is considered a personal attack.
I would like to quote the author of this article on this matter:
It is one thing to express your views on the matter and yes, to even criticise the person, but it is a whole different thing to dish out our own brand of punishment on them.
There are many ways to show our dissatisfaction or disagreement on something without the need to debase ourselves with personal attacks and mob vigilantism.
Think of how we would feel if our personal details, our Identity Card (IC) number and address, and even the particulars of our family members are shared by strangers, some of whom have less than noble intentions?
Cyber mobbing is not doing anything good and just portrays the participants of such activity as immature kids. If you're unhappy about a blogger, let him/her know by posting, ONCE, on his/her blog saying so and why; if you're unhappy with an article in the news, write and submit a counter-article; if you're unhappy about the way things are, change it (in a reasonable manner)!
Clicking 'report spam' multiple times on someone's facebook page just because you don't like them and that plenty of 'other people' did the same thing too is not a valid enough reason for you to do so. Use that brain of yours and think before you get sweep along the 'wave of emotion' over a hotly debated issue and think that if you someday did something that is deemed 'wrong' in the eyes of everyone (except you) and everyone you know is treating you this way - how would you feel? Indeed, by participating in cyber mobbing/ vigilantism, you are just debasing yourself. Quoting from the Bible (I'm not a Christian btw) and, I think, from a wise teacher (Confucius) as well:
Treat others as you would want them to treat you.
There is nothing wrong with expressing your feelings, emotions and opinions (the right to express yourself), but understand the boundaries, because when you crossed that thin line between expressing opinions to making personal attacks, you are hurting someone, whom you may not know, for sure, is the main cause of the issue that you're extremely concerned about. Think about it.
S.Y.
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