Pondering positive ways to deal with online negativity seems to be a trend – maybe even a blooming social norm! Because, in response to social cruelty like the recent tragic trolling of Robin Williams's daughter Zelda Williams, other people sympathized, defended her and started thinking of ways to counteract cruelty like that. Negativity grabs our attention more than positivity, New York Times … [Read more...] about Dealing with the nasties online
social cruelty
Beginning of the end of #purge, revenge porn or social cruelty?
We so want to believe it: that the fact that Twitter and Instagram are actively taking down #purge-related accounts signals "the tipping point of this particular phenomenon – and its end has begun," as professor, author and cyberbullying expert Sameer Hinduja writes in an informative blog post. It's very possible we're seeing the tipping point of this week's hot Hollywood premiere-inspired … [Read more...] about Beginning of the end of #purge, revenge porn or social cruelty?
A courageous target turned upstander
Read Caitlin Seida's story for a great example of resilience and how to be an upstander online. Caitlin had publicly posted an unflattering Halloween photo of herself, forgetting to make it private, and the photo – along with plenty of nasty comments – went viral. What started out to be a fun Halloween became a nightmare. "I don’t generally view my body size as positive or negative – it simply … [Read more...] about A courageous target turned upstander
Hurting others hurts us: Study
Although the victim is usually the focus in discussions about the impacts of social cruelty, everybody involved in it feels some pain or distress, research shows. Two recent studies offer fresh insights into the impacts on bystanders, both those who witness cruel behavior and those who feel compelled to participate. First the latter, from the University of Rochester. "When people bend to … [Read more...] about Hurting others hurts us: Study
Teens, social media & trolls: Toxic mix
This is and isn't about technology. Mostly isn't. But digital media allow for and expose a dangerous blend of two very different aspects of humanness, one destructive, the latter normative: social cruelty and teenage vulnerability (a lot of focus recently having been on the female variety). The cruelty, the extreme version called trolling – which feeds on outrage and weaponizes cultural … [Read more...] about Teens, social media & trolls: Toxic mix