How can we act with empathy and positivity when we're online?
digital dilemma: a situation in digital life where it's not always clear what's best to do
Imagine a good friend of yours posts a selfie on social media, and he's got a brand-new look that you're just not loving. How do you respond? Would you "like" the post anyway? Would you ignore it? Would you make fun of him?
This is an example of a digital dilemma, which is a situation in digital life where it's not always clear what's best to do. Sometimes, these situations have the potential to cause someone's feelings to be hurt. This type of situation is not uncommon online. And it can be tough to know what to do. How you respond can affect both someone else's feelings and what people think about you.
What makes this a digital dilemma?
What do you think each person in the dilemma is feeling? Why might the situation be hard or challenging for each of them?
Imagine options for how the situation could be handled. Come up with as many ideas as possible. What would have resulted in the most positive outcome, where most of the people feel good or taken care of?
Sometimes situations can be more complicated than they first seem. When dealing with digital dilemmas, it is important to keep in mind any additional context and how that might change the right course of action.