Social Media: The Wolf Behind Sheep’s Clothing
Written by Elizabeth, one of our literature writers, and edited by A. Ni, one of our editors!
Social media has undeniably become an inextricable part of our lives. Whether it be for entertainment, news, or socialising, we cannot seem to distance ourselves from it, especially in the context of FOMO (fear of missing out).
Albeit, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Social media, though at times manifesting addiction or “doom scrolling,” is a universal connector and has broadened our individual perspectives whilst providing people of all backgrounds a voice, ensuring—at the very least—a pseudo-equality. On the Internet, underprivillged minorities have the opportunity to wield as much influence as the privilleged, the Internet’s veneer of anonymity allowing those without social clout to circumvent preconceived biases, which -- according to the University of Washington --- are held by up to 95% of people. Reinforcing the point on anonymity’s power, is the prominent phenomenon of misinformation, with many dubious conspiracies revolving flat earths or government-funded spy birds spawning followers numbering in the hundreds of thousands even in spite of their founders’s anonymity.
Privacy is a given premise that the entirety of online society is built upon; without privacy, few would dare post the innovative sometimes bizarre content the internet thrives on. (Case in point: the long list of expletives present in every Twitter thread). With anonymity, comes the freedom to be yourself with no consequences, and it is generally acknowledged that this anonymity is often freely granted on the internet. And, if not granted, that opinions and content posted on the internet would at least be detached from everyday life, bearing little significance.
Pursuant to that, widespread privacy provided by the internet is something few would think to dispute, paradoxically giving rise to the exploitation of minor chinks in this outlet of expression and the pressing question of how to further safeguard our privacy.
As social media has progressed, it has developed new features—such as Instagram’s ‘Stories’ and ‘Close Friends List’—that have made posts seem less permanent or significant (through time-sensitive content and curated privacy features respectively). As a result, consumers have fallen into a false sense of security, seeing such features as a sign to share more flagrantly and recklessly — the naked emperor who walks down our streets.
It is not uncommon to click on the circular profile icons at the top of our screens to see tiny white text on a black screen, passive-aggressive quips and socially incongruent thoughts — courtesy of the power of the screenshot™ — bared for all to see. While it may not seem fatal or even embarrassing to watch yourself shake around bottles of booze when wake up the next morning after your latest rager, it is dangerous to know that while you were incognizant, your casual following became the latest serial stalker.
The range of active posters is remarkably concentrated amongst a few key groups: activists, celebrities, and clout-chasing teens. Teens, by no means un-tech-savvy, possess remarkable agency and dynamism on the internet, easily floating between anonymous confession pages, pirated websites, seedy chat rooms and Instagram comment sections. As such, they come across and interact with a remarkable amount of people, the diversity reflected in their followings.
It is highly unlikely to know 1,000 people in real life and communicate with them regularly, yet, this is not a rare number in the world of social media followings. According to the New York Post, 70% of kids in the US would accept a friend request regardless of the sender.
In the era of Tiktok, teens have been exposed to tantalising images of wealth, glamour and popularity. Average people like Charlie D’Amelio have skyrocketed to internet fame through ridiculously easy means; gone are the days where stardom means 100K USD worth of acting lessons, manager salaries and ‘experience’ salaries. Stardom has, ironically, become relatable—and people are rabid to grasp that taste of fame, to join their idols on their shiny golden pedestal. In pursuit of such fame, they may favor public accounts and be blinded to the risk of internet vulnerability.
Other reasons behind teens' indiscriminate acceptance of followers include internet clout culture, where numbers are used to determine worth—especially when your follower count often equates with social currency.
In a definitive period of their life, insecure teens are not just susceptible to pressures of online society but easily taken advantage of. The vulnerability of teenagers is especially easy to exploit, considering their unique position along the fault line of childhood and adulthood. Face exploitation, and you’re an accountable adult. Protest, and you’re a poor, unknowing child. Government legislatures, more focused on younger kids, also tend to leave loopholes for predators to easily manipulate adolescents, their importance easily undermined.
With the vast diversity of the internet, it is therefore extremely likely that each teen has at least one malicious individual lying dormant in their follower count, ready to pounce at the first notice of carelessness.
A Google search. A mobile GPS. A start of a car engine. An attractive adult. A mention of oddly similar interests. A careful stroke over a bruised ego. A teenager lying gagged in the backseat of a car.
MoCHIP reports that teenagers account for 81% of kidnapping victims. And the volume is rising. In the US, the number of people prosecuted for human trafficking has increased by 80% in 2020 alone, and as the internet becomes more and more sophisticated, recent years will continue to project this trend.
Kidnapping is not the only tragedy that threatens modern teens. Be it mistakenly given nudes, online identity scams or verbal harassment, online dangers pose great challenges to teenagers’ mental and physical health. The extreme nature of the consequences that arise from clicks on a screen often erupt into familial wedges, depression, grief and lifelong traumas that riddle all enjoyment of life.
Even on a less extreme scale, oversharing of information online often arms people with information that they could use to hurt others. It may even cause drama to spark between two hurt parties. Said in the heat of the moment and without moderation, emotional rants or lackadaisical comments can often result in unintended consequences.
People’s minds are isolated. We never know if someone is malicious, agitated, genuine or hurt. Lacking this epistemic access, we cannot presumptuously put importance on our momentary inclinations and self-interest or weigh our decisions in a vacuum. Instead, we must broaden our viewpoint and our considerations so as to ensure our own safety and limit the harm we may cause others. We must be willing to embody the vision of the internet we want.
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This piece was written by one of our literature columnists, Elizabeth. Reach 'em at @molesnout on Instagram!
This piece was edited by one of our editors, A. Ni. Reach 'em at @lukareyknees on Instagram!
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