We live in a time where online platforms such as social media, blogs and comment streams within media publication articles open up a world to the public of access, possibility, transparency, and opinion.
In this day and age anyone with an agenda is able to ‘grab the virtual mic’ so to speak and share their story, information, thoughts, discoveries and the like online. I’m in the business of digital marketing, and believe me, I see a range of ways this digital mic is used for positive and negative communication.
That’s why I felt the need to get into this business to watch, guide, encourage and grow the stage where companies, individuals, leaders and other can share, encourage, discover and uncover information. Believe me, I am a big supporter in the power of digital media.
But with this new platform and avenue for sharing your thoughts, opinions and personal truths comes a very real responsibility. All too often in the last few years I have been discouraged by manner in which a handful of social media and digital users portray their thoughts and commentary in a public manner that actually hurts individuals with real lives, families, careers, and feelings – for no reason other than to bring the person down.
So I’ve decided to take the mic back and use this time to bless these anonymous individuals (you all know who you are) with a name – digital bullies.
The digital bully no doubt thinks that they are breaking down barriers, and providing ‘real journalistic insight’ to their tens of fans, and are working to create an ‘environment of truth’, and yes, if you’re wondering, I am all for these things. But in fact, this is not at all what the digital bully is doing.
I’ll prove my point by asking a question: Have you ever been scrolling through your newsfeed when you see a post of by one of your ‘social friends’ in which they are making fun of a person, organization, band or other entity? No, I don’t mean making a light hearted jab or joke, but a post filled with real hate and distaste. Does this make you feel good and excited about interacting with the person? Or, give you more of that, ‘eww I touched a dirty plate’ feeling?
Funny at times? Yes. Housing a large group of followers at their fingertips? Often. Encouraging further discrimination, gender stereotypes, and hate? Absolutely. This is the MO of the digital bully.
Fortunately, this is Central Oregon and as all of you who live here know, it’s a mid-sized city with a small town feel. It’s a place where you truly know your neighbor, your grocer, your coffee barista, and you definitely know and can call out a digital bully.
I love living in Bend for all of the reasons above. My husband grew up here. We have been spending time here as adults for 14 years, have family here, own businesses here and have children here. We are Bend.
So this is my open letter to the new people who are coming here from other cities, who are building businesses here, and who are using social media and other digital platforms to connect here; have courage, engage, keep it real, foster positivity and please be honest.
But if you use social media or any other digital platform to bully other Bendites for no reason but to ‘look cool’ in front of your digital groupies, Beware. Bend will respond.
1 Comment
Yahoo to you! Well said.