You can’t swipe right or left on Instagram, but one thing’s for sure: you’ve seen women on it, and women are treated as if you could swipe right or left. One scroll could take you places you’ve never been: the hot new product advertised suggestively, the full face of makeup, the fake identification cards and a fifteen-second story of a bar’s interior with the hashtag #goodlife as a badge of honor. 

As a platform with a specialized algorithm centered around content with a high amount of engagement, the plight of the woman is this: how do I keep myself relevant, or worse, how do I keep presenting myself as likable enough? In the unending content stream, the woman is subject to many anonymous eyes behind the screen, constant public scrutiny, comparison, and many other things that go hand-in-hand with her daily struggle, one of misogyny, discrimination, and the fight for equality. 

Instagram is a dangerous, unfriendly place for a woman’s peace of mind.

The rise of misogynistic meme accounts with usernames such as antifeminists have used Instagram as a platform for hate speech, rape jokes, and bigoted views, with some remaining active to this day. An analysis by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) studied DMs sent to high-profile women such as Amber Heard revealing a statistic of about 90% of senders of hateful DMs remained active on the platform even after reporting, warning about the ‘systemic failures to protect women from cyber misogynistic harassment’ in the study. Thus, the platform has proven to become a hub of sexism, misogyny, and discrimination.

Moreover, Instagram’s main features include posts, stories, and Direct Messages (DMs), with an interface emphasizing a constant stream of photo and video content circulating around one’s account. In this content stream exists a culture of comparison and competition between women, be it in engagements, price of dress worn, or even something as trivial as a shade of lipstick. In a study by Stapleton et al in 2017, the results indicated that when a young person's sense of value depends on other people's approval, the amount of time they spend on Instagram is more considered.

Used widely by celebrities, musicians, and influencers, Instagram is commanded by users with large followings, with people like Kim Kardashian once commanding $1m per post during her peak, opening a conversation on how Instagram is often capitalized on and used as a marketing tool. Often, the Instagram algorithm also makes use of vulnerable moments and private content such as DMs in order to sell you products according to an article by Quartz, uncovering its problematic nature especially in the lifestyle content sphere.

Instagram is often presented as a way of finding new opportunities in business with the rise of “Instagram brands”, making use of high user visibility, engagement, and the possibility of collaboration, according to Paradigm Marketing. However, a study revealed that Instagram’s business model often perpetrates deceptive practices and exploitative means of advertising. Instagram, also hailed as a platform for self-expression in a study by Riquelme et al, still has its shortcomings with studies revealing its selectiveness in empowering certain races or social classes.

So the next time you come across a #goodlife story, or post carousel, ask yourself: what makes these photos satisfying to the poster? It might be self-expression, but it might be something far more sinister, scarier, more harmful. It might be born from the pitfalls of the very platform you use every single day. It might be the result of a cycle of inequality still persisting even as we modernize, regroup, and evolve. Or maybe it might just be because the patriarchy doesn’t disappear, it just reinvents itself.

Was there ever a time in your life when you felt completely alone, wherein most people would ignore you while others were against you? Did you try to run as fast and as far as you could, only to find you couldn’t escape that despair? Or, did you try to call out for help in the middle of a crowd just for your only response to be silence? And, most importantly, are you tired of this?

Well, you’re not the only one, as cyberbullying, an intentional and repeated attack on an individual through the internet, remains prominent in today’s digital age. In fact, it is teens who have suffered the most in recent years since in a world where feeling accepted is related to keeping up with the latest trends, the slightest hint of rejection is tantamount to a thousand cuts. And, repeated incidents can leave scars on one’s self-esteem and social life.

While, yes, traditional  bullying can cause more dangerous injuries to one’s physical health, cyberbullying is more difficult to stop. This is due to the anonymity of offenders online, the permanent nature of harmful posts, and the larger number of witnesses present as internet users; this can cause the ones being attacked to feel more alone than ever. This sense of isolation can trap people in a never-ending cycle, where they continually see faults in themselves to cover up, even if they’re actually areas that should be allowed to shine bright. As a result, these individuals feel the need to shroud themselves in the darkness further to hide their demons, despite their thirst for the light of others. Teenagers especially fall victim to this as they want to be seen as perfect as possible to fit in with their peers. They likewise can’t cut themselves off or risk being taken away from the world wide web as it's a main bridge to our world nowadays, and the posts will remain there anyways. What difference does it make if you look at them or not? Anyways, it’s their problem alone to solve as growing adults, right? 

Furthermore, many examples of this darkness consuming other’s lives have been reported in real life. Cases of mental health degradation have risen more than ever recorded, some of which include depression, isolation, negative viewpoints on the world, anxiety, self-blaming, social suicide, and even the normalization of suicidal thoughts. However, while those who do eventually see the ones being bullied, most others never see the side of those who bully. These people, while portrayed as villains, are usually broken in their own ways and sometimes become misguided into believing attacking others is a way to be powerful. But, in doing so, they sacrifice their humanity, reputation, and any means for a healthy social life, in turn isolating them as well. And, the worst part is, they won’t notice that this won’t heal their broken shards. They are definitely not in the right, as people do suffer internally due to their actions, but in order for darkness to start thriving, something has to carry the weight of being the one casting the shadow.

This is why awareness needs to be raised, especially as many social media platforms still remain unsupervised and unfiltered. There needs to be a change on both sides of the equation, otherwise cyberbullying and mental health degradation will just continue with each generation. We shouldn’t see each person as an individual, but another one of us that’s silently suffering. In a way, these bullies and bullied ones are, like us, victims in our own right, waiting to shine our light.

Have you ever wondered whether the class clown still smiles when they get home? Cyberbullying is a growing issue in today’s digital world especially for students who live online just as much as they do in real life. We often talk about physical bullying in school matters, but online harassment is more constant and more dangerous in many ways. It doesn’t just leave bruises you can see with your own eyes, but it leaves scars that run deeper than you think. 

Cyberbullying is not just those “mean comments online.” It is a serious threat and danger that affects mental health, academic performance, and the overall well being of students that experience this issue. I witnessed this happen back in Junior High School. I am a Grade 11 Atenean and some of my friends have experienced cyberbull;ying that damaged their confidence, mental balance, and ability to focus in school. That’s why it is important to talk about why this matters.

First, cyberbullying increases the risk of depression and anxiety among teens. According to UNICEF, young people who are bullied online report higher rates of mental health issues and even suicidal thoughts among them. These are not just numbers we’re talking about. They are real people who are possibly your own classmates or friends struggling silently behind their screens.

Second, most victims do not speak up leading to more cases. A study in Children and Youth Services Review shows that many teens are afraid to report cyberbullying because they fear being judged, ignored, or even bullied more by people around them. Thus, silence does not mean safety.

Some might argue that we can’t stop cyberbullying because people will always find ways to stay anonymous anywhere online. However, it may be partly true, but it does not mean that we need to stop trying. There are platforms that create stronger reporting tools and schools can educate students about online behavior. And, we can all help promote empathy in digital spaces. These steps may not surely end cyberbullying completely, but the steps can reduce the harm and help protect others.

We may not be able to fix the internet overnight. But we can start in our schools, even our group chats, and our friend groups. We can choose not to laugh and make fun of hurtful comments. We can call out bullies without hesitation. We can stand with the victims.

As a final point, cyberbullying doesn’t stop when the school day ends. It follows students home, in their bedrooms and into their thoughts. We might not be able to delete every cruel and hurtful comment online, but we can work together to make sure no one has to face them alone.

Imagine you are a high schooler. It is the weekend. You are eating with your friends and having a good time. You take pictures of your time together and at the end of the day, you post them on Instagram. However, only after a few minutes, you receive a notification from Instagram that someone commented on your post. You proceed to check it and your mood drops from happy to depressed. Why? It is because the comment read, “wow this retarded nigger is so fucking chopped 💔🥀”. In an instant, you go from being a happy person to being a victim of cyberbullies.

As the internet becomes more and more used, more and more cyberbullying happens. However, what is cyberbullying? According to StopBullying.gov, it is bullying that happens on electronics, such as phones and computers. Some people consider it good while some people consider it bad. For me, I agree with those who say it is bad and not good for our society. 

First, cyberbullying causes negative effects on the victims. Kaspersky stated that cyberbullying causes victims to suffer socially, to become depressed, to receive lower grades, to commit crimes or acts of violence, and etc. Cyberbullying causes all of this to its victims, so is it good to do? Does it help our society or hinder its development?

Second, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission, cyberbullying is a violation of human rights. It violates the victims right to safety, right to leisure and play, right to health, and more. You may not realize it when you do it, but cyberbullying other people only hurts them. Nothing about it helps them grow or develop. 

Finally, StopBullying.gov remarked that cyberbullying creates a toxic environment. All cyberbullying does is hurt the community. Communities are feared and avoided because of rampant cyberbullying. Does that sound good?

However, even with all these reasons, people still do it. Why? It is because everyone else does it. If a lot of people do it, then it must be okay to do since the benefits outweigh the costs.

This is not true. There are no benefits to cyberbullying. It only harms other people. It does not make it good even if a lot of people do it. Try to be a better person than them.

Cyberbullying is very bad and should not be done to others. Do not give in to social pressures. Do not use social media to hurt others, use it to bring others up

        1 in 8. According to UNICEF, 1 in 8 women have been victims of sexual assault or abuse by another adolescent. As a country with a court system unfit to bring women to justice, we’ve developed a sense of normality to the act of misogyny. That, like many other things, translated into and was made easier by online platforms.

         I despise those who pay no mind to the objectification of women on social media. Likewise, I do not respect those who don’t respect others.

        First, let’s define objectification. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, objectification is “to treat as an object or cause to have objective reality.” This is the most widely known definition of this word, but many women have their own definition of it. To quote an account from The Guardian, “I was just flesh with no face, no name.”

        See, objectification is not just treating a person like an object, but also making them question their humanity, their dignity. That’s why I believe this is the lowest form of harassment you could enact upon another. What kind of person are you to be fine with another person losing their image of themself?

      In our day and age, this action is amplified. It’s able to haunt you all day, everyday, through the Internet. Many social media apps are tools, built to give you a platform to show your daily life, with that comes showing yourself to the many people viewing your account. In the wrong hands, it’s used as a tool to creep on vulnerable people, especially female children. This is proven by the fact that 1 in 8 women experience sexual assault before the age of 18.

      Most of these creeps use the argument that these teenagers put their body on the internet for the world to see, but this is not a problem with the action done by the child. It’s a question of the morality of the person looking at it.

      Now, I believe there’s no foreseeable solution to this, because it’s impossible for the world to get rid of its evil. Not unless we give sufficient punishment against these predators, which is in my opinion, to be beat up.

      In conclusion, I hope everyone agrees objectification is the closest you could get to damaging one’s dignity. And that we should shun those who partake in it because they themselves are shunning those they act upon.

Social media promised us empowerment and connection. But for countless women, logging in feels more like stepping into a digital minefield.

Based on several global studies, digital abuse and technology-facilitated violence affects around 16-58 per cent of women, that’s millions of innocent women being targeted in a year (UN Women). As more people gain access to digital technology, it becomes increasingly easier for individuals with malicious intentions to exploit the anonymity that comes with being online. Technology has created a bubble of convenience and has made connecting and communicating easier than ever. As technology continues to dominate our lives, it is also being weaponized to harm young women and girls, posing serious threats to the well-being of women and girls everywhere (OHCHR). Researchers at Northumbria University are also exploring the alarming rise in digital violence against women, highlighting the urgent need to address this issue and understand its multifaceted nature (Northumbria University). Being a woman myself and being a part of a generation known for speaking out against issues, we must be able to identify cases of harassment and know what to do to ensure the well-being of the victim.

According to a study by Alyatalatthag, M., on Cybermisogyny, wherein the researcher examined the forms of cybermisogyny that occurred on the Instagram account of Via Vallen, an Indonesian singer. She revealed that she had been sexually abused by a professional footballer in Indonesia. In another post, Via Vallen uploaded a screenshot of a conversation between her and the harasser; however, Via Vallen censored the post and refused to reveal the identity of the harasser (Alyatalatthag, M.). The study further examines how cybermisogyny manifests on social media platforms like Instagram, reflecting broader patterns of online violence against women (Alyatalatthag, M., 2018). This case exemplifies how digital spaces can become environments for harassment and abuse, impacting women's well-being and safety.

Digital abuse involves a variety of acts, such as cyberstalking, online harassment, and the non-consensual transmission of intimate photos (UN Women). The activities often have serious psychological and emotional impacts on victims, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The ubiquity of violence online demands a multifaceted response that incorporates legal frameworks, technological interventions, and educational programs. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) highlights the fact that online violence against women and girls is a human rights abuse which requires immediate focus. It underlines the importance of states ensuring that laws and policies adequately address and prevent technology-enabled violence (OHCHR). This involves offering fair remedies and assistance to victims, as well as pursuing perpetrators accountable for their actions.

In addition, the provision of safe internet spaces for women is crucial. The sites must have effective moderation policies and abuse-reporting mechanisms in place to protect women and allow them to speak freely and engage in discourse without persecution. Social media platforms need to be proactive in detecting and removing abusive material and instituting measures to stop repeat offenders from opening new accounts.

Education is key in the fight against digital violence against women. Through awareness of the problem and educating people on how to identify and confront online harassment, we can create a society of respect and responsibility. We should target both genders, men and women, through gender-sensitive education aimed at promoting equality and dismantling stereotypes that lead to online abuse.

Additionally, technology can be utilized to make online spaces safer. Machine learning and artificial intelligence can be employed to recognize and tag abusive content so that this content can be removed and intervened against more quickly. Furthermore, privacy controls and reporting functions must be accessible and simple to use, giving women the capability to defend themselves and report abuse.

Making an online environment safe also involves building a sense of support and community. Online communities can be used to create support groups and forums where women can exchange advice, share experiences, and bond together. These communities can serve as an important lifeline for victims of digital abuse, enabling them to deal with the emotional and psychological trauma of online harassment.

Finally, it is a multi-pronged effort that needs to be addressed, and it should involve governments, social media platforms, academic institutions, and users working together. We can build a digital space where women are safe, respected, and confident enough to fully participate.

In summary, increasing digital violence against women is a matter of urgency that needs to be tackled with immediacy and persistence. We need to acknowledge that virtual spaces are not free from the same ideals of respect and security as the real world. Social media websites, governments, and users alike need to collaborate to make a virtual world where women feel safe without fear of harassment and abuse. Let us pledge to create a culture of online respect, reporting abuse and helping victims. Together, we can change the tide and make the potential of empowerment and connection using social media a reality for all women.