Breeding negativity: Trolling, cybercrime navigate to the dark side of social media

CHENNAI: As the saying goes, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”. Technology has certainly woven itself as a life which none can stay away from. Social media being the predominant component that dominates the framework, which has sort of altered consciousness in the online realm.

Not-so-new-age concepts that have stemmed from this substructure are trolling, cybercrime, cry bullying, and many more. Spreading negativity on social media is a cybercrime when they involve harassment, threats, or privacy violations, often stemming from anonymity and a desire for attention or power.

“Social and psychological factors play a role, with trolls often seeking validation or expressing personal frustrations. The influence of media cannot be ignored, as body shaming and derogatory comments are often normalised in entertainment, presenting them as humour,” says Thenmozhi Pandian, a social media researcher from Chennai.

There is also a bandwagon effect. When one pertains to spreading a certain frame of thought, especially negative, it plants that notion into another person’s mind and what you see next is a ripple effect.

There is also an urge to have control over any situation and the fear of a lack of attention which can often make people fail to see the bigger picture.

This behaviour is exacerbated by a lack of strict regulations and governance over social media. However, with advancements in AI and software, we now have the capability to monitor and control harmful comments. “The media also has a role in changing the narrative by moving away from humour that targets individuals based on their appearance or personal traits. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach involving legislation, education, platform accountability, and cultural change towards more empathetic online interactions,” Thenmozhi explains.

A few known faces from the digital creation space from Chennai talk to us about their introduction to the medium, the kind of trolling they face, and their outlook to this breeding negativity.

Negativity, not a reflection of my identity

As I began to share my ideas, I noticed the potential of social media to foster change and representation. I felt a strong desire to amplify queer voices, recognising the importance of visibility in a society that often overlooks us. I understand that not everyone will resonate with my message. But that’s the beauty of social media; it forces people to confront different perspectives.

Through my journey, I’ve learned that authenticity is powerful. The space has enabled me to share my journey and advocate for the cause of transgender community. I had once discussed my transition openly. The response was mixed. While many were supportive, I also faced a barrage of comments questioning the validity of my body and expressing queer-phobic and trans-phobic sentiments. Questions about my deadname still arise, showcasing the persistent lack of understanding and respect for transgender identities. Unfortunately, social media can amplify these negative voices, allowing those who may not have the courage to confront me in person to express their hatred online.

I believe audiences on social media often lack the nuanced understanding that comes from real-life interactions.

To cope with this negativity, I remind myself that the hateful comments are a reflection of the individuals making them, not of my identity. I surround myself with supportive friends and communities both online and offline. This network provides a counterbalance to the negativity and helps me stay grounded.

—D Prazzi, beauty and lifestyle

Validation balances the by default trolling

I started with my social media journey during lockdown as a result of boredom and a bad break-up. Spending 3-4 hours every day towards writing, shooting, editing, and posting a video was therapeutic in every sense which helped me take my mind off things. In the journey, I fell in love with the process and since then there has been no looking back.

As a kid who was always hungry for validation, social media has been rewarding every day. Any opinion we put out no matter how soft, serious, or satirical, we end up getting one set of people who are always going to have a different opinion. Sometimes, it comes out in the form of trolling, and sometimes, just pure hate. I don’t think there is an escape, no matter what kind of content you do.

I tend to look at it with a practical approach. It is a place where you can be extremely validated, and the trolling is the balance that is there by default. Just like how there is equal good and bad in everything that we do, I tend to see it as a hurdle and part of the process.

— Arjun Manohar, music and comedy

Delete and block is my mantra

My journey into comedy sketch videos began during the challenging times of the COVID pandemic. I felt a strong urge to share a bit of laughter with others struggling to cope with the situation. By capturing slices of life and observations from my home, I aimed to provide a much-needed escape from the harsh realities.

Two things have taught me patience - my child and social media. The nature of the platform is that things don’t always go as planned. There are times when your most anticipated video doesn’t perform as expected, despite best efforts. This has taught me the importance of perseverance and the ability to bounce back from setbacks.

I’ve been lucky that my child has never been trolled or subjected to any kind of negativity. I do put up videos with her, but it’s very rare.

There are instances where I have had random faceless trolls who’ve said really nasty things, body-shamed me and called me names. Initially, it did bother me, but now I am so busy with work, my kid, and my family, that I honestly do not have the time to even bother about what people say. Delete and block is my mantra.

—Sindhu Sreekanth aka RJ Sindhu, comedy

My online fam takes care of it!

I didn’t really decide to be a content creator, it just happened. I have always loved making videos and have been making them since 2012. I would make a fun video once in a while. So I made one in my mother tongue ‘Dakhini Urdu’ in late 2021 and it went viral. Many people were requesting me to do more videos and as a joke, I announced ‘Okay one video every day at 7 pm’ and forgot about it. The next day, I had people asking, ‘It’s 7 pm! Where is the video?’

The space has taught me a lot of things, the first one being ‘don’t take it too seriously’. I know creators who go so deep into this that it really messes with their mental health. Not everything on social media is real and if you just change the way you look at it as just a form of entertainment and forget about it the minute you close these apps, you will be happy and thriving in real life.

I actually don’t get a lot of hate and I feel like I’m pampered that way by my audience. But when there are hate comments, it’s always from the men. They call me ugly, fat, not funny, overacting, swear words, religion shamed, and whatnot.

The online hate doesn’t bother me at all like I actually get a good laugh out of it, not gonna lie! It helps that my followers, especially the girls, are always there for me! I love my followers and the community that I’ve built. If I have a hate comment, you will see my online family going at it leaving replies to them.

-Zoha Sanofer, comedy