Safer Internet Day 2020: replace hate with kindness online

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Photo by Cristian Dina

Cyberbullying is a pervasive problem on social media these days. If you are like me, you have probably scrolled through an Instagram feed, Youtube comment section, or online forum and seen people mocking others for their appearance, ethnicity, sexual orientation, personal beliefs -really anything can become the target of hate online.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way. Although vile comments are seemingly everywhere on social media, they truly don’t belong anywhere. For this Safer Internet Day, here is a list of ways to combat hate online and replace it with kindness, making the internet safer for all!

  1. Report cyberbullying.

Today, every major social media platform allows you to report insensitive posts and vile comments. Usually, reporting cyberbullying is as simple as clicking “report.” So, the next time you see cyberbullying on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or other platforms, make sure to report it. 

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Instagram reporting flow
  1. Spread love, not hate, online.

One way to combat hate is to spread more uplifting and encouraging tweets, comments, and posts. Promoting positivity online can be done in many ways, including by posting a funny joke, sharing a post that is encouraging, or retweeting an inspiring article. Here are just a few examples of positivity online:

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Example of positivity online
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Example of positivity online
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Example of positivity online

Congratulating others for their accomplishments is great, too! When my friend announced on Instagram that he had been accepted into his dream college, for instance, my other friends and I supported him by showering him with praise. 

  1. Don't comment, share, retweet, or post any negativity. 

Duh? Right. It’s obvious, but the number one way to combat cyberbullying is to not post anything negative, hateful, or offensive. Before you like or share a post, make sure to consider if the message could bring someone down or offend someone. If so, don’t share it! 

In conclusion, making the internet a safer place for all will take a lot of work, but by simply following these 3 steps, you can work to replace hate with love online. Social media has made our world more connected, and we should always strive to use our social media platforms for good. You can start by sharing this article, encouraging others to be positive online!

Since you are here, we thought you might be interested in these articles too:

Art against cyberbullying

A life broken by cyberbullying

Online kindness matters too

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