The Dangers of 'Permanent' Rumours

 

In this modern age, social media and technology is everywhere. Especially with teens. But how can we make sure we're upholding our own and others human dignity online?

 

Teenagers are always going to talk. There's always going to be drama, and rumours and 'she did that’s.' But, now, teens have resorted to spreading these through online spaces, which, whether they realise it or not, this format is far more permanent and haunting for its victims then a few words yelled across the playground.

Negative online behaviour is when digital spaces are misused in a way that can be harmful, offensive or in some cases dangerous for yourself or others. Examples of negative online behaviour are seen all across modern media, ranging from movies such as 'Nerve' which literally shows the dangerous real-life impacts or films and books with more subtle references to how the misuse of technology can deeply harm people.

 

Using online spaces in this way is a blatant disregard of not only others human dignity, but also your own. By deliberately adding hate to otherwise happy places, and tearing people down in that way, you not only threaten their human dignity but by making the conscious choice to act this way, you harm the dignity you were created with and in doing so devalue yourself as much as the other people.

 

Examples of how harmful and inconsiderate online behaviour is everywhere in modern media as it becomes a more pressing issue.

 

The popular book 'One of us is Lying' is a prominent example of when human dignity was not upheld online. The main conflict in the book is incited by the character, Simon's, cruel website 'About That,' in which he spreads hateful rumours (albeit truths) about his classmates, and in doing so is responsible for the breakdown of multiple people's lives. However, when tragedy strikes Simon, others take on his path and continue to use technology to harm the protagonists in a way that has real-life consequences and could even land them in prison.

 

The behaviour, whilst somewhat pure in its original intentions (with Simon starting the website simply to be 'popular'), ultimately is cruel, vindictive and harmful both to himself and others around him, as it is deliberately misused to create chaos and stress to those in his life.

'One of Us is Lying' shows the extreme end of what can result from not upholding people's dignity online, with posts exposing the most private and shameful details of other people's lives, and creating a ripple effect for both the person and those around them.

 

Using online spaces in this way is not only degrading but against one of the core Catholic Social Teachings.

 

The Catholic principle of human dignity is one of the most important Catholic Social Teachings. It teaches us to treat others with the dignity they are deserving of as a child of God and encapsulates what it means to have basic human rights. It shows us that we must treat people with kindness and respect, and how it must extend to all areas of our life, especially in online spaces as they are used in the current world.

 

To make this situation better, people must act with their own and others human dignity in mind as they interact online. The anonymity and dysconnectivity in online spaces can often lead people to forget that there are real people and real-life consequences behind what we do online, and it is this mindset that must be upheld if we are to maintain human dignity online.

 

You can read more about human dignity online here: https://time.com/5505431/internet-feel-awful-dignity/

https://socialjustice.catholic.org.au/2019/11/20/social-justice-statement-2019-20/

 

What are some small ways you uphold human dignity online? Let us know in the comments!