The Dark Side of Social Media: Cyberbullying and Harassment

By Uzma Shaikh
Pune, 6th January 2025: Social media, once celebrated as a revolutionary tool for connection and opportunity, has increasingly become a space for hostility and harm. Cyberbullying and harassment are now rampant, turning platforms meant for growth and expression into battlegrounds of abuse.

Take the case of a fan of Diljit Dosanjh who attended a concert in admiration of the star. Her enthusiastic expressions during the event were captured and shared online, but what should have been a moment of joy quickly became a nightmare. Trolls targeted her, escalating casual humor into weeks of relentless memes, hateful comments, and harassment. This not only damaged her mental health but also disrupted her personal life.

Platforms like Quora and Reddit, originally intended for discussions and community engagement, are often misused for bullying and defamation. On Quora, malicious users have been known to spread baseless accusations, tarnishing reputations without evidence. Similarly, Reddit has witnessed instances of individuals being targeted for their opinions or creative projects.

One notable example involves the Reddit account r/MoDaoZuShi, which harassed an author who published a fan-inspired book while giving full credit to the original creator. Despite her good intentions, fans of the original work, including users from r/MoDaoZuShi, launched a campaign against her. They posted defamatory content, harshly criticized her work, and even demanded legal action. This led to relentless cyberbullying, causing immense emotional distress to the author and stifling her creative freedom.

This issue goes beyond personal grievances to become a societal challenge. According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, over 50,000 cases of cybercrime were reported in FY21—a 15% rise from the previous year. Cyberbullying and harassment not only have a damaging social impact but also raise alarms in critical sectors like banking and finance.

The consequences of cyberbullying are profound. Victims often experience anxiety, depression, and isolation. The harassment silences creativity, discourages innovation, and fosters a culture of fear in online spaces. The anonymity offered by the internet exacerbates the problem, allowing perpetrators to act without accountability.

Addressing this crisis requires collective action. Fostering empathy, educating users about responsible online behavior, and ensuring platforms implement stronger measures to prevent misuse are critical steps. Governments, tech companies, and communities must work together to reclaim the internet as a space for connection, learning, and positivity—fulfilling its original promise as a tool for progress rather than harm.

By combating cyberbullying, we can ensure that social media remains a platform that uplifts, inspires, and unites, rather than one that isolates and divides.