Online Toxicity Hijacks Social Media

Mar 2 , 2025
By Kidist Yidnekachew

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One minute, people are laughing at a meme on social media; the next, they scroll through a barrage of comments ranging from mildly irritating to downright ruthless. Honestly, I am not sure I am mentally equipped for that kind of constant online friction. Such remarks burrow under my skin, chipping away at my confidence. Even when I feel secure in what I am doing, a few critical voices can make me second-guess everything, sending me into a spiral of doubt. I would probably just turn off the comments to create a bubble of peace, rather than subject myself to a stream of negativity.

Some people, however, are built differently. They seem to have a knack for handling online hate. Some tolerate it with weary acceptance, others respond harshly to make an example of certain commenters, and some appear completely unfazed. There is a feminist I follow who receives a mountain of threats and a constant stream of comments about her appearance. She is incredibly tough. She refuses to be silenced and publicly exposes those who send her hateful messages.

Seeing someone going to a woman’s social media page, especially when she is discussing a tragic topic, and commenting, “You are next” or “It should have been you” is abhorrent. That is sick and utterly disturbing. I do not think I could sleep peacefully if I received such comments, knowing that people who make these remarks are not right in the head and could commit these crimes if they felt they could get away with it. But she stands her ground, handling it fiercely and boldly, holding her head high and fighting for justice for women and children.

My husband is a content creator, and he absolutely loathes the term "influencer." He focuses on tech-related content but often faces inappropriate comments on his posts. It is frustrating because he genuinely tries to teach people, especially the youth, about technology. Instead of paying attention to his insights, they verbally attack him.

For a long time, he tried to maintain his composure, keeping quiet and ignoring the trolls. Eventually, he snapped and began responding, either directly in the comments or by creating videos addressing specific individuals. His friends advised him to ignore the negativity and take the high road, but sometimes people push your buttons, especially when they insult your family. Even though his fans defend him by reporting comments, it is not always enough.

Social media should be a source of entertainment and connection, not a platform for endless, draining arguments. Sometimes, you have to step back and let content creators handle it themselves. My husband believes those people need to be held accountable for their actions. He says if he stays silent, they will only come back, emboldened by his inaction. He asks, "Why is it okay for them to insult me, but when I defend myself, I'm the bad guy? Why don't they tell these commenters that what they are doing is wrong?"

At the end of the day, he is human, and there is only so much he can take before losing his temper. He is naturally outspoken and does not hold back from expressing his feelings, regardless of the consequences. I have thought about this a lot, and it makes perfect sense.

Just a few days ago on TikTok, someone mentioned that if people collectively called out rude and entitled commenters, they might learn to curb their behaviour. They need to be aware that their comments are rude and face the consequences, which makes sense.

This reflects a larger problem in society. Instead of focusing on actual criminals and holding them accountable, people often second-guess the victims, sometimes blaming them. For example, when people get robbed, people rarely say they need more law enforcement or an environment with fewer thieves. Instead, they suggest that the victims should have been more careful and less trusting. The same goes for women and girls who are victims of rape and abuse. People ask what these women were wearing or what they did to provoke the attackers, as if they deserved what happened to them.

The online sphere, much like society, reveals a complex human behaviour, where both positive and negative tendencies are magnified. While social media offers avenues for connection and entertainment, it also exposes individuals to persistent negativity and, in some cases, outright harassment.

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PUBLISHED ON Mar 02, 2025 [ VOL 25 , NO 1296]

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