SEMINAR PAPER
Photo: Nikkei Asia
INTRODUCTION
Cyberbullying and hate speech both are forms of online harassment. They are
intentional and done with a purpose of harming others.
Cyberbullying means using digital technology to threaten, harass, and embarrass
another person. on. Rumourmongering, threats, sharing hatred, embarrassing
contents, and aggressive and rude texts fall under it. Likewise, hate
speech, according to the United Nations, refers to offensive discourse targeting a
group, or an individual based on inherent characteristics (such as race, religion, or
gender) and that may threaten social peace. It defines hate speech as, “any kind of
communication in speech, writing or behaviour, that attacks or uses pejorative or
discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of who
they are, in other words, based on their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, colour,
descent, gender or other identity factor.”
Hate speech, if taking place through social media, new media, and digital
technology, can also be considered a form of cyberbullying.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Social media has become a crucial part of our daily life. The world is a global
village now. And the growth of social media has ensured a smooth communication
and flow of information in every nook and corner of the world. But, with great
opportunities come great challenges. The social media has been becoming a victim
of serious challenges such as cyberbullying and hate speech that have spread like a
flaring pandemic.
This study aims to understand the impacts of the cyberbullying and hate speech. It
also explores how the social media has become hub for such kind of activities. It
also stresses upon the potential solutions to mitigate the problem and promote
digital wellbeing.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to examine the causes of cyberbullying and hate speech. It
also aims to raise awareness and understanding among individuals by stressing
upon the impacts of these issues. The report is aimed at supplying solutions that
can be incorporated in laws and policies as well.
METHODOLOGY
I have used online resources for the study. To gather data, I have gone through
research papers and reports of the national and international organisations, and
governmental bodies as well. Plus, I have also interviewed my colleagues and
friends to get informal information about the cyberbullying and hate speech cases
they have faced, if any.
JUSTIFICATION
Lacking awareness, many people have become serious victims of cyberbullying
and hate speech. Thus, I find it crucial to raise awareness about these issues.
Furthermore, we can also open the eyes of the concerned authorities via these sorts
of studies so that they can advocate for stronger policies, promote
digital literacyand tackle such problems.
LIMITATIONS
The major limitation is that to get the data of the social media users in Nepal,
I mustrely at an international website since our governmental bodies have not
performed in-depth research in this subject matter. So,the report lacks formal
government data.
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
Both the cyberbullying and hate speech has appeared as a global problem of
late. Brandwatch and Ditch the Label joined forces to analyse 19 million tweets
over a four-year period to explore the current climate of cyberbullying and hate
speech online. Their research showed that 3 out of 5 young people experience
cyberbullying at some point.
This owes to the rapid growth of social media. As of October 2023, there were 5.7
billion internet users which means 65.7 percent of the global population using
information and communication technology. Of this total, 4.95 billion that is 61.4
percent of them are social media users.
Cyberbullying and hate speech have become the issues of pressing concern in
Nepal as well. And, as the number of social media users have increased over
time, it’shigh time to be profoundly serious in these issues. According
to statista.com, the number of social media users in Nepal was 6.99 million in
2019, 7.6 million in 2020, 8.19 million in 2021, 8.79 in 2022 and 9.37 in 2023. It
shows a steady growth in the number of social media users.
Equally, on the other hand, the cases of cyberbullying and hate speech has also
grown. According to a survey by UNICEF, 51% of Nepali school adolescents
were bullied online. All the data and statistics show the trend of growing
cyberbullying and hate speech with the advancement in the digital technology and
growth of social media.
Both have negative impacts on the mental wellness. They also lead to chaos in
digital space. A research paper published in International Journal
of Technoethics (IJT), Volume 13, states that the cyberbullying increases the risk of
suicidal ideation by a factor of 3.12 versus a factor of 2.16 when bullied in
person.
Cyberbullying and hate speech in cyberspace have been rife in Nepal due to the
weak laws on online security. The country has the Electronic Transaction Act,
2008 as its cyber law. But as it lacks necessary amendments, it does not properly
mitigate the problems such as cyberbullying and hate speech. Our Cyber Bureau
does not have adequate resources to act on time and to act effectively. The
Cybercrime Act-2018 is yet to see the light of the day.
CONCLUSION
Cyberbullying and hate speech have turned out to be burning issues that should be
addressed as soon as possible. The main causes of the rise in cyberbullying and
hate speech is the anonymity factor of social media, lack of digital literacy and
awareness and ease of the flow and spread of the contents in online platforms.
The issues should be strategically addressed. First, digital literacy and awareness is
necessary. Next, proper monitoring of social media platforms should be done by
the government and the concerned companies. And the cyber laws should be
strengthened by implementing them effectively. All that needs is a collective
effort.
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