Heyt and gossip on the web, or about the unpleasant sides of the interent

The popularity of social media platforms has gained momentum in recent years. It’s hard to find a person who isn’t familiar with Instagram, Facebook or Twitter or who doesn’t know the latest gossip or hasn’t encountered heckling. This has developed to the point that new professions have begun to emerge – Influencer, Social Media manager or content creator. The impact of social media on the world is also admirable, because although it is not always good, it has great power. Sharing collections, exhortations to do good or endless layers of inspiration are some of the biggest pluses of not only social media but the entire Internet. Next to this, however, stands the magic word “hejt.” What impact does it have on society and why is there so much of it?

What is hejt?

The heckling mainly refers to activities on the intrenet. These are actions designed to insult and ridicule another person. This can be caused by basically anything – different views, appearance, being a representative of another nation, movements. There is no clearly defined framework representing why the haters decide to launch their hate attack.

Contrary to what you might think, hate can be experienced not only through comments. It’s also graphics, memes or videos. However, it is important to remember that hatefulness is significantly different from constructive criticism. The actions of the haters do not provide value or feedback, they only aim to offend the person.

How do you deal with heckling?

Being a victim of hate speech carries a lot of unpleasantness. Self-confidence and self-esteem drop dramatically. A person who is a victim of hate speech lives under tremendous stress, and can acquire many diseases. Insomnia, neurosis, depression and, worst of all, suicidal thoughts, are the most common and dangerous consequences faced by a victim of hate speech. However, to avoid this there are several proven ways.

First and foremost, once you have received hateful comments, it is best to delete them and block the account from which the comment came. Although it seems trivial – it will stop someone, from further unpleasant entries. Another method is to seek help from the law. The heckling does not go unpunished. The penalty for defamation is a fine, even imprisonment for up to two years. And let’s not forget to seek help from a specialist. Talking to a psychologist about topics that are difficult for us can be a stress reliever.

Online gossip

Another unpleasant phenomenon of the Internet is the spread of rumors. Gossip portals achieve some of the largest reach on the Internet. Why? Sentiment-fueling headlines, undercover photos of celebrities, insignificant information that denigrates other people – this is the type of entertainment that is most widely promoted. However, gossip has as much power for celebrities as heckling does for the average social media user. The effects of these two, may be irreversible. The media carries a mass of false information that takes literally seconds to share. They are then duplicated by more and more services and users, and as a result, they become apparent truth, bringing great harm.

Verifying information

The Internet is overflowing with posts, entries, articles and information. Not all of it is true, fake news has found its place on the web. Therefore, it is important to verify what we read. Above all, it is not worth giving in to emotions! Very often rumors and fake news are written in a manipulative manner. They are meant to affect people’s emotions to the point that the reader stops thinking rationally. Be vigilant and consistently look for information that interests you in other sources.

Speaking of sources – these should also be verified. The best practice is to check where the information or text comes from, and then whether the site where it is found conveys reliable information. The reader’s perception of the content is also influenced by graphics. In the age of disinformation, it is also worthwhile to verify them. The “search by image” option in Google Imagies or the use of dedicated programs for this purpose, such as, for example, “search by image”, may prove to be helpful in this case. Tineye or inVID.

Vigilance above all else

The Internet offers a wealth of opportunities. It makes life easier for each of us, every day. However, this does not mean that it is infallible. It is important to remember that there are people on the other side as well, with different intentions. In order for what we read on the Internet to have a good impact on our lives and the lives of others, it is necessary to verify the information, respond to the hejt, and not spread rumors. Our online movements can leave an imprint on the lives of others. So let’s use the power of the Internet consciously and wisely.