Tag Archives: hate comments

Process Post #12

Comments, oh the power they hold. We always want comments. We want to feel like people care about what we’re putting out into the world. On an instagram post the more comments correlate to your ‘popularity’ in a sense. We love to feel supported and have that validation that our content is good, but is that validation really worth the hate that can come with it? Hate comments have a real effect on people and their mental health. Major youtubers, social media influences, and many more have closed their comment sections, so that they can keep the hate comments from accumulating on their platforms. 

I have never received a hate comment on any of my social media accounts. This is probably because I’m no one when it comes to having a following on these platforms, and I’m not a controversial figure. Even though I have not been on the receiving end of these hate comments I don’t think the solution to these comments is to not allow these comments to be posted. 

It’s unfortunate that people feel the need to pick apart people on the internet, but I do think there is a solution to this after reading what Maria Konnokova had to say in her piece in the New Yorker. She stated that “a quarter of Internet users have posted comments anonymously” (Konnokova, 2013, para. 2). This makes me wonder if we were somehow able to prevent people from posting comments anonymously if they wouldn’t post hurtful comments in the first place. I have found in life, and I think it’s pretty commonly known that people are less likely to say negative things to your face. The trouble with the internet is that these people can hide behind their screens while having anonymous profiles. I personally will not deactivate comments on my media platforms, but if I do see comments that I don’t like I think it is fair that I have the option to take them down. I want my viewers to know that I value their opinions and I want them to be able to say what on their mind, just as I am doing.

I am a firm believer that everyone has the right to their own voice, so who is to say what you can and can’t say on the internet. I think the way to go about the hurtful comments is to educate people about what these comments can do to a person. I would say from my own experiences that people are usually pretty supportive of each other, heck if bots can say they love my posts why can’t humans do the same! I don’t think this is an internet issue, but rather a humanity problem. 

References

Konnikova, M. (2013b, October 23). The Psychology of Online Comments. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-psychology-of-online-comments

Scrolling Through The Shadows

Process Post #12

3 text bubbles that contain angry and sad emojis.
Swim Creative

As an 18-year-old female who has been active on several different social media platforms, I’ve seen my fair share of negative comments. While I always knew they were unpleasant, I never realized just how much of an impact they could have on my mental and physical health.

In the readings this week, Maria Konnikova’s “The Psychology of Online Comments” explains that “negative comments can trigger our brain’s stress response, leading to feelings of anxiety and even physical symptoms like increased heart rate and blood pressure.” (Konnikova, 2013). Yes, you read that right, physical symptoms from online comments! That is serious stuff.

Comments can also affect our self-esteem, making us doubt ourselves and our abilities. I’ve definitely experienced these effects firsthand. When someone leaves a comment saying I “don’t know what I’m talking about”, or if I don’t get a “like” from a friend, it’s hard not to take it personally. It also makes me question everything I post. Even if I know that I’m doing my best and that I’ve put a lot of time and effort into my content, negative comments can still bring me down.

Joel Stein’s “How Trolls are Ruining the Internet” takes a broader look at the culture of hate on the internet and the ways in which it’s shaping our online interactions. He argues that social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have “made it easier than ever to attack and harass others, and that this has contributed to a larger culture of negativity and hostility online.” (Stein, 2016).  I’ve seen this firsthand this week at SFU, where hateful comments have exploded on the SFU Athletics social channels in response to cancelling the football team. It makes me worry about the kind of world we’re creating online.

While it’s impossible to completely eliminate these kinds of hurtful comments, I think it’s important for all of us to work together to create a more positive and supportive online environment. This means standing up against hate speech and harassment, but also actively promoting kindness and empathy in our own interactions with others.

I make an effort to respond to comments in a positive and respectful way, even if I don’t necessarily agree with what someone is saying. I ensure my comments are constructive, not critical. I think it’s important to remember that behind every comment is a real person with real feelings, and that we have the power to either uplift or tear down those around us.

As a blogger, I try to do my part by moderating comments and deleting those that are particularly hateful or hurtful. I decided that ensuring my blog is a safe and positive environment for everybody is more important than my SEO and potential site traffic. So, I am keeping my restriction on anonymous comments. While this reduces the number of comments I receive on my site overall, it limits the amount of hate comments, as people are less likely to spread hate when their name and email are attached. Additionally, comments must still be approved by me, so I can delete anything negative. I also went into my comment settings and blocked certain words. Comments that contain words such as ugly, stupid, or die, along with slurs, will automatically be put in the trash. Hate has no place on my website. As I was reflecting, I decided that I have no problem with some swear words in my comments, as my site isn’t exactly geared towards kids. However, I did block a few of the more graphic swears. I just don’t want to read comments containing those words, whether they are hateful or not. I am hoping these adjustments limit the potential hate I receive, as well as hate towards other commenters and the people I write about.

By working together to promote kindness and empathy, I think we can create a better online world—one that’s more supportive, more inclusive, and more respectful of everyone’s right to express themselves freely and without fear of harassment or ridicule.  If that doesn’t work I am all for a good old fashioned social media cleanse.

Check out benefits and ways to detox from social media here!

Works Cited

Konnikova, M. (2013, October 23). The psychology of online comments. The New Yorker. Retrieved April 8, 2023, from https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-psychology-of-online-comments

Stein, J. (2016, August 18). How trolls are ruining the internet. Time. Retrieved April 8, 2023, from https://time.com/4457110/internet-trolls/