Trolling and Hate Content on Social Media Platforms

6 Pages Posted: 14 Jun 2019

Date Written: May 29, 2019

Abstract

Amount of users on social media platforms have increased manifold in past few years due to availability of discounts/EMI on smart phones and cheap internet services. There has been a hike in social media users especially from teenage groups (age group 13-19) and people who are on verge of retirement/already retired or are in their later part of life (age group 50+). There has been a surge in trolling, hate content and other harmful content on various social media platforms in last few years. The various platforms have failed to control the content which is being uploaded, posted or shared. Often, the content seems entertaining for majority and they save it and forward it to their various social circles. Some choose to ignore it, while those who get offended indulge in the notorious conversation(s) and thus a chain of replies begins. It can be entertaining or abusive depending upon the content, who initiated it and who the targets are. Mostly, from neutral perspective, it is suspicious, abusive or harmful. There seems to be violation of the freedom of expression at times on these social media platforms. Though the platforms give the option of reporting the content(s), post(s), page(s) or channel(s), the social media users at large doesn’t opt to use it. It has been found that people don’t want to indulge in reporting these activities because it is not related to them or they believe that these platforms don’t take any reports/complaints seriously or it is complete waste of time or else it is a complicated process. Still, there is a section of users who report these activities irrespective of whether they are themselves target or not. They believe that it is their moral responsibility and someone must apply the clutches to these trollers and hate content perpetrators. There are positive as well negative usages of any technology which are available for disposal by mankind, here social media platforms. Therefore, it is a collective responsibility of society in large and social media users in particular to use it in fair and impartial manner. The various platforms are ethically and morally bound to take actions on abusive and hateful content on their platforms and make it safe for all.

Keywords: trolling, hate content, perpetrator, report, abuse, social media platform, social circles

Suggested Citation

Kayandepatil, Chaitanya, Trolling and Hate Content on Social Media Platforms (May 29, 2019). International Conference on Media Ethics 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3396194 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3396194

Chaitanya Kayandepatil (Contact Author)

K.T.H.M. College, Students ( email )

Nasik
India

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