We live in the era of social media and it is a big aspect of everyone’s life. Social media is paving the way for a new level of interaction between people and this interaction can be toxic or healthy depending on the user.
Toxic interaction can lead to cyberbullying – children call it hating, drama, gossip or trolling. Whatever name it goes by, cyberbullying is serious. It can be emotionally damaging and even lead to tragic consequences. So many people become a target of actions by others – using computers, cellphones or other devices to create Facebook pages or WhatsApp groups that are intended to embarrass, humiliate, torment, threaten or harass.
On a positive note, what are the healthy interactions of social media? Social media can provide an accessible and powerful toolkit for highlighting and acting on issues and causes that affect people of all ages, young and old. It can be used for organising activities, events, or groups to showcase issues and opinions and make a wider audience aware of them.
Managing an online presence and being able to interact effectively online is becoming an increasingly important skill in the new era we are living in. Being able to quickly adapt to new technologies, services and environments are already regarded as a highly valuable skill.
Of course, a large number of followers and ‘likes’ can look good, but the quality of your followers is also important, so think before you post, comment, share, add, accept, and like.
Emmanuel Tlholoe, Eden Park
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