Process Post #12
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/
