Cyberbullying and Hate Speech Are on the Increase .. What Are the Causes and Consequences?

The spread of the Internet and a large amount of social media have contributed to the spread of the phenomena of “cyberbullying” and “hate speech” in an unprecedented way, especially with the number of those connected to the Internet in the world reaching 4.34 billion people, [1] which opened the way for many to exploit platforms Communicating in practicing their actions against individuals or groups by following a policy of intimidation, intimidation, mockery, and belittling, deliberately and aggressively.

Racism and hate speech have witnessed a remarkable increase in all parts of the world, despite the efforts to impose censorship and restrictions on the large space for the expression of opinion provided by social media by the companies that run them. Caused by hate speech.

As the number of Internet users increased, groups seeking to spread hate speech found space and space to organize themselves, recruit new members, and promote their actions to a wider audience.

Sociologists in many countries have noted how social media posts and speeches posted on websites have been the cause of the violence. for example:

Experts in Germany found a direct relationship between the publications of the extremist German " Alternative " party against refugees and the attacks on them. Researchers Carsten Muller and Carlo Schwarz noted that the increase in attacks, arson, and other attacks was preceded by publications promoting hate speech. 

In “ Myanmar ” Buddhist nationalists and military leaders worked to incite against the Muslim “Rohingya” minority before and during the ethnic cleansing campaigns against them, and they claimed that it might soon replace the Buddhist majority, despite their percentage not exceeding 2% of the total population. To the United Nations, the inciters use Facebook as a tool to spread hate speech against the Rohingya.

It stated in Article III of the Convention on the "Prevention of the Crime of Genocide and Punishment" of 1948, that "direct and public incitement to commit genocide is a crime."

On this basis, two media executives were convicted during the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. 

 

Means of cyberbullying:

“Electronic bullying” is one of the most dangerous types of bullying, because the perpetrator in it is anonymous most of the time.

The bully may practice its action by sending messages through various applications, social networks, chat rooms, blogs, and online games.

Examples of forms of cyberbullying:

Mocking and spreading racist messages through private messages or comments on social media.

Inappropriate comments on personal photos and videos and their circulation without the permission of the owner. 

Liking and re-circulating abusive comments, photos, and tweets.

Editing photos and spreading rumors about the victim to harm his reputation.

Impersonation and sending threatening and extortion messages to the victim from an unknown source.

Espionage and penetration of the privacy of the victim, and the leakage of private information about him.

An anonymous phone call aims to spread false information and distort the victim's image. 

Every person has the right to be protected by law from such interference or attacks.

Damage Caused by Cyberbullying:

“Cyberbullying” causes major harms that vary in degrees according to the victim's age, life experiences, and ability to control his reactions. Among these damages:

Psychological harm to the victim, which may lead to suicide at times.

The reflection of his preoccupation with the harassment he is subjected to on his work and his academic level.

Loss of self-confidence and the desire to isolate themselves from the surrounding community.

Hacking the victim's accounts or his mobile phone.

The victim lost important data and files.

Opinion of a specialist in psychology:

Psychosocial support specialist “Samah Salameh” spoke to Syrians for Truth and Justice about the motives behind some practicing cyberbullying, how to recover from its psychological effects, and deal with children who are exposed to it.

What are the causes of cyberbullying?

Salameh indicated that some people may resort to the practice of cyberbullying, in an attempt to control and control others, or out of jealousy and intent to harm, especially in light of the bully's being anonymous to the victim, in addition to the bully's addiction to repeated aggressive behaviors, and added that the weakness of the laws Controlling bullying behavior also contributes to the presence or frequency of this behavior.

What are the ways to treat its effects?

As for ways to treat the psychological effects of exposure to bullying, Salameh explained that work must be done to enhance the confidence and self-esteem of the victim and to help him participate in community activities that contribute to building friendships and improving social skills. He has major emotional symptoms that hinder his ability to work and accomplish.

Children and cyberbullying

As for children's exposure to bullying, Salameh emphasized that parents should monitor their children's behavior and pay attention to any changes that may occur to their performance, to see if they have been subjected to electronic bullying, in addition to the emergence of signs such as nightmares and disturbing dreams, neglecting school homework, being absent and not Focus, social isolation and withdrawal from activities that were popular with them, change in eating habits, in addition to suffering from fear and anxiety, and the appearance of signs of anger.

How do parents act?

Regarding how parents deal with the child who was subjected to bullying, “Salama” said that they should start notifying their child of safety and support, and move away from blaming him or criticizing him, and enhancing his self-confidence by educating him about what he was exposed to and providing him with the necessary immunization methods to avoid recurring these situations in the future. And the door to dialogue with him was opened, in addition to consulting psychologists to educate him about the correct ways of dealing with these situations.

Tips to avoid cyberbullying:

Not responding to anyone who tries to lure, threaten, or ban you right away.

Inform close people about any harmful behavior on the Internet.

Avoid sharing personal information and private life details with strangers.

Not to open suspicious messages and links to avoid hacking operations.

Establish strong passwords for devices and accounts and avoid sharing them with anyone.

Put a sticker on your device's camera in anticipation of any hack.

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