Your Digital Self: A Mirror Or A Mask

We live in the 21st century, where almost everything is controlled by technology. It is safe to say that the world revolves around social media platforms. Well, maybe that is not the best way to put it. The world may not primarily revolve around social media. However, social media plays a significant role in the world. Social media platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram have developed over the years to accumulate crazy and different news from different corners of the world. As I mentioned, we live in a world where almost everything is connected by clicks and calls. Gone are those days when humans communicated with friends and families through pigeons, smoke signals, and other methods. Now, you can check up on a friend who is in another country just by pressing a few buttons. Thanks to these social media platforms we can also share our ideas and opinions about different subjects from politics to business, fun, lifestyle, and other topics.

As long as we have a cell phone, an active internet connection, and a working data bundle, we are free to watch whatever reels we want, post whatever posts we like, and make whatever comments. However, does that mean that we should misuse this opportunity and start posting literally anything at all? It is like registering and having a legal gun. The fact that you have the gun doesn’t mean you should go out and start killing people. This brings me to today’s Hive Learners’ prompt: SOCIAL MEDIA CALL-OUT. Should the things we say be enough reason for dismissal? For example, a person gets dismissed from their place of work for saying negative things online. Is this the best approach or do people have the right to say anything to anyone at any time?

First off, it is important that every adult knows the ins and outs of social media. Yes, there is no doubt that social media platforms are there to crack our ribs. Bloggers and content creators go to great lengths to make us laugh and at the same time, put money into their pockets. However, just as our rights to have fun and write about anything we like are almost limitless, we should know that they are limited. There are rules that we must follow. You cannot just wake up one day and write on the internet that the governor of a particular country killed 500 people when he did not do so. It is important that we verify facts before sharing to avoid spreading false rumors or news. Another important rule is to avoid cyberbullying and harassment.

There are people on the internet who wake up every day and their sole purpose is to taunt others. It gives them joy and they see it as a hobby. Little do they know that this habit can come back to haunt them.

The big question is: what is the relationship between our social media accounts and our individual identities? The things we say on the internet show who we are in real life and that is why we need to be extremely careful about the things we say. Imagine working for a company with a good reputation and then they employ you. You are already a representative of them when they employ you. If they check your account and see that you are associated with them and they see pictures of their uniform or buildings on your profile, it could impact their image. Now, imagine if all you do online is body shame people. Wouldn’t that be a stain on the company’s reputation? In simple words, ideas shared on social media are more than enough reasons to dismiss someone from school or a place of work.

People should understand that the internet is not a place to make other people's lives hell. Recently, I came across a Twitter thread. Apparently, a woman posted a picture of herself on Twitter, and then another Twitter user (who is a pilot) came and replied with a hurtful and senseless comment. He said, “You don’t even look rap*ble.” The woman clicked on his profile, saw that he worked for an airline, and then she reported him. You can guess what happened following that. Yes, the man got fired. Social media is a place to cruise and have fun, but at the same time, do it with sense. Be careful about the things you say on the internet.

Thanks for reading.

Thumbnail is generated using AI

Posted Using INLEO