Following Alabama’s loss to Florida State on Aug. 30, I was greeted with a variety of posts emphasizing the magnitude of the loss on my social media feeds. As I looked into the comments and replies, I saw a multitude of hateful messages and comments directed at the players and coaching staff.
These comments were not new or specific to the particular poor performance during this game, but representative of an existing problem in college sports as a whole. So much so, the NCAA published a study on online harassment in college sports and has continually released statements asking for fans to stop these practices.
This is a symptom of the unfiltered anonymity that the internet provides, filling the comments and minds of every poster. While anonymity can help protect some users, the opportunity for users to hide behind a screen has fostered negativity in online spaces.
In sports and music industries, anonymity provides a space for people to give their unfiltered opinions without any care for the artist or athlete’s emotions, all under the notion that the poster’s status as an influencer or public figure will stop them from seeing the comments at all.
While the basic fix would be for figures to disable their comments to filter out any public feedback altogether, a study done by researchers at Vanderbilt University found that influencers that disable their comments are “less persuasive and likeable” than those who leave them on.
Gen Z progresses these sentiments, with older spaces like Tumblr and YikYak taking over college campuses. This generation has always had the option to be anonymous, and this is ultimately leading to bigger issues.
The largest practice of anonymity that Gen Z participates in are burner accounts, or finstas, which are accounts that have no connections or signifiers to the owner. These accounts can be used to stalk people, like exes, or to leave rude comments on their “opps’” posts.
When you rope in other factors that impact Gen Z — such as widestream media — there is a whole new issue in the mix. The Daily Californian explains that the newest season of “Love Island” has revealed that Gen Z has been engaging in a new form of cyberbullying, under the guise of holding people accountable.
After watching the most recent season of Love Island, there were multiple cases in which islanders were dragged on social media. Islanders received death threats and viewers argued these comments were justified due to past problematic behaviors. While some of the contestants’ actions were inexcusable, so is the practice of threatening to inflict acts of violence.
Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, Australian break-dancer Raygun, went viral for her peculiar performances, losing all of her rounds in the process. Comments spanned from zings about her age to digs about her outfits. In a response video, Raygun said the hate she received was “devastating,” and that she had to back away from breakdancing as a whole for an undetermined period.
This is where my concern started to grow. Now, as I scroll on TikTok, a new viral trend has shown me just how much impact these anonymous apps have on students’ lives. In this trend, a person records their friends and tells them that they have been posted on YikYak for an unknown reason.
Their reactions — while sometimes hilarious — show that Gen Z does value their reputation and public image. The juxtaposition between being the victim and the perpetrator is staunch, as Gen Z members know exactly what it is like to be on both sides of this abysmal coin, but still choose to participate.
While there is nothing I can do to combat the 45-year-olds in Ty Simpson’s comments, I’m sure that college students can comprehend that these athletes have emotions, and that words — no matter who they come from or where they are posted — have an impact.
Hence then, the article about opinion blank profiles hateful voices online anonymity amplifies spread of hate was published today ( ) and is available on The Crimson White ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Opinion .. Blank profiles, hateful voices: Online anonymity amplifies spread of hate )
Also on site :
- KLOS-FM host Uncle Joe Benson, one LA radio’s legendary voices, dies at 76
- A Trump Call Ignited Saudi-U.A.E. Feud
- Tupperware’s Beautiful 5-Bowl Set Is a Hit of Nostalgia For Fans Who Say, ‘It Reminds Me of the One My Mom Had’