Communication on the Internet: The Lawless Land

The internet allows us a little more freedom than what we are accustomed to. But that small amount of freedom is dangerous when it is in the hands of those who are willing to abuse it.

BY: KHALIL ADEN

Photo courtesy of IAmMrRob

“It must have been a few months ago when I was scrolling through Instagram requests to see if anyone I knew added me. Some were people I knew but I saw a request from an account that had a username with an old friend’s name in it. Almost immediately after accepting the request, I got a DM from that account. They were asking me all these weird questions like ‘Remember me?’ ‘Ofc you don’t, you don’t know me, but I know you.’ ‘Where do you live?’, ‘I wanna be with you forever.’ ‘What are you wearing?’ ‘Can you send nudes?’ Clearly this account didn’t belong to the old friend. I’ve never blocked someone so fast before. That must have been the most alarming interaction I’ve had online, I’m glad it didn’t progress any farther.”- Anonymous

The internet has created a culture of “everything goes.” Whatever you wish to say on the internet can be accomplished, and that is an issue. It creates a culture of toxicity that goes unchecked and becomes the norm. Take the above quote for example. It’s common for women, non-binary, and transgender folks who have any type of social media presence to have an experience like this. 

Usually, it starts off slow with a DM or private message with greetings. As a guy you might compliment her photo or laugh at a joke she makes. You slowly try to build some chemistry and the conversation is going well. Finally, after exchanging a few words, you make your move. You’ll ask her if she's interested in hanging out sometime. Maybe grab a bite to eat. Or, you could be delusional and inflammatory and request nudes from this woman. Or send some of your own unsolicited nudes. The latter is one of the most uncomfortable positions you could put a woman in over the internet. Yet it seems to be common these days. This weird behaviour of coming into a stranger’s DM and inserting yourself into their life or seeking sexual photos is creepy. It’s very predatory-like, especially when you begin to ask questions like “where do you live?” When speaking to people in real life, whether you’re seeking a relationship or friendship, you don‘t say “Hey, what’s your address?” during your first meeting. The lack of accountability on the internet has allowed people to feel empowered. There are men out there who would approach you like this because they have no shame, to begin with. But the large scope of the internet mixed with lack of punishment gives people the courage to act in this way. 

Women on the internet are prone to harassment. Whether you have a solid three hundred followers or three hundred-thousand. Women have been dealing with the brunt of harassment on the internet for a long time now. Overtime, laws have been created to address this issue of harassment. In Canada, there’s cyberbullying legislation which applies to anyone who is a victim, regardless of age. You could be charged with cyberbullying or other criminal offences that happen to take place online such as harassment, uttering threats, incitement of hatred, etc. But the court proceedings are extremely costly as well as emotionally draining. If you don’t have a large bank account or the emotional space to commit to prosecuting these harassers, you’re essentially helpless in your situation.

Its important that we take heed of the language that we use on the internet because of the fact that there are those who are willing to act on what they say. When you allow people to say whatever they want, it builds their confidence to act out on their word. Take the gaming streaming service Twitch, recently there have been cries for help from women on twitch who are being harassed and stalked by viewers in their chat. More and more people have been finding out the addresses of these streamers and stalking them. In one instance, a streamer by the name of SweetAnita had come out and stated that a man had been harassing her in real life. Someone who was in her chat room had sent her messages about killing her. After multiple complaints sent to the police regarding the stalking taking place, this man decided to take it a step further. This person had found out where Anita had lived and rented an apartment in her town. This is when the stalking began to increase and became extremely dangerous. He discovered her home and had slept in her backyard this led to an assault taking place and police had arrested him but he was released shortly after. The police were irresponsible and it led to Anita being chased down the street with a knife. Luckily she was able to get a restraining order and he was charged, but it took a lot of convincing for the police in Britain to act in the first place. Something that took place online and was dismissed for a very long time until it manifested into something real and very dangerous. 

There needs to be something that can stop this interaction from happening. If someone sends a message or types into someone’s chat about finding out where they live or potentially harming them, they shouldn’t just get their  account banned and go on about their day. If a message is alarming, you should be able to report that message directly to authorities.The strength of anonymity is unquestionable. There’s power in being able to create an account with a name like “toaster427” and saying whatever you want. Especially when there isn’t an easy way to find out who's behind the account unless you own the website. This security is what fuels people to become something that isn’t acceptable in society. Which I would say is the most attractive thing about social media in general.

We tend to dismiss the behaviour of many on the internet due to the way that the internet is presented. We don’t treat the internet as an extension of our society. Which is why we question the meaning and the interpretations a lot more when something is posted on Twitter rather than it being said in public. Body language and tone are a lot easier to interpret when you can see it live. We just end up dismissing the person who said it like some crazed basement dweller and go on about our day. Because there are so many of us using the internet, the actions and words of those who aren’t a celebrity or political figure aren’t given the same attention that’s needed. But if you were to target someone like a politician in a tweet, there will be repercussions. If you were to call for the death of the prime minister of Canada on Twitter, the RCMP will quickly show up to your home with your tweets in their hand questioning you about your motives. But cosigning destructive ideas isn’t as dangerous as you may think it is. Many platforms allow you to speak your mind as long as you aren’t targeting specific people.  

The solution to this issue is complicated. Private social media apps have their own rules that can prohibit hate speech, harassment, bullying, etc. Some websites, such as Twitter, will be more strict with their rules, where websites like Facebook aren’t big on censorship. What makes it so difficult is the fact that people want the freedom to say whatever they want whenever they please. This leads to these people seeking out those with similar ideologies and even going to secret chat rooms or websites to feel comfortable expressing their insane viewpoints. Censorship and deplatforming are common topics on the internet that discuss whether those with hateful views or those who commit harassment should be allowed to express their opinions on public forums. Many disagree because they would be harmful to free speech. Free speech is fine, but when your speech targets specific people because of gender, age, race, etc., issues arise. Targeted harassment shouldn’t be hidden under the guise of free speech. What makes it difficult when it comes to stopping hate-speech, you would effectively be limiting free-speech. Canada already has laws here that pertain to hate-speech and people continue to speak their minds. Even in politics there is still a sphere of Left, Right, and Center. Ideologies are still able to exist amongst one another. 

Photo Courtesy of Aria Dines

The things that are shunned upon in society are being brought to light due to the internet. The activities that take place, whether it’s in the deepest crevice of the web or on your Instagram feed, need to be treated with the same urgency as in real life. There are real fears when it comes to our usage of the internet and the things that we say to each other. The comfortability of typing out death threats and slurs is a culture that has been ignored for too long and has gone unchecked. We often forget that the people who act out on the internet are the same people we walk by everyday. And that is a danger in itself.