Different types of online harassment

Welcome back to the Think B4 U Type Blog!

In this blog post, we will be explaining different types of online harassment, for example, Doxxing, Cancel Culture, and Hate Speech. 👨🏻‍💻

Doxxing

Doxxing is defined by (Albert E. Zhou MD et al (2024)) as, 'Doxxing, a type of cyberbullying, occurs when an individual’s personal information is shared without consent and with malintent. Doxxing can be seen as a form of vigilantism, a way to hold others accountable for actions or opinions'. This article discusses the concerns surrounding this online harm. They discuss that some people believe that doing this is a civil right in order to 'expose' those who they believe have done wrong. However, this is a concerning tool that can put people in danger and is worrying in relation to online harm and harassment. This is clearly a key concern to be aware of in online spaces. 

Cancel Culture

So-called cancel culture has became a major concern for people operating online in todays day and age. This can take many forms but the main component, is the intent to, 'cancel' somebody or something. Jonah Engel Bromwich, a writer for the New York Times described this digital phenomenon of being canceled as “total disinvestment in something (anything)” (D. Clark, M. (2020)). This can involve sending someone hate or by boycotting an organisation. This process can happen very quickly which is worrying as it does not always allow for the person or business to share their side of the story and defend themselves before this can really affect them and their lives. Therefore, this can be a real concern for online harassment on social media.

Hate Speech

Hate speech is a well known concern for online harassment and bullying. (Sebastian Wachs et al (2024)) Worry that, 'Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the pernicious effects of online hate speech, which threaten their well-being and social cohesion.' This shows why young people on social media should be particularly aware of the dangers of hate speech and how to identify and report it. By educating young people on the harms of this type of harassment on social media, we can help to reduce this problem and protect young people. 

In the following weeks, we will be showing how to spot online harassment on social media and how to combat it and report it. Follow along on our blog or on our socials to learn more! 🐝

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Bibliography

Ethics of Doxxing and Cyberbullying in Dermatology, Albert E. Zhou MD, PhD a, Ishani H. Rao BS b, Neelesh P. Jain MD a, Christian Gronbeck MD a, Brett Sloan MD a, Jane M. Grant-Kels MD a c, Hao Feng MD, MHS a, Ethics Corner Edited by Jane M. Grant-Kels, MD, 2024

D. Clark, M. (2020). DRAG THEM: A brief etymology of so-called “cancel culture”. Communication and the Public, 5(3-4), 88-92. https://doi-org.ezproxy1.lib.gla.ac.uk/10.1177/2057047320961562

From hate speech to HateLess. The effectiveness of a prevention program on adolescents’ online hate speech involvement, Sebastian Wachs a, Michelle F. Wright b, Manuel Gámez-Guadix, Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 157, August 2024