#BURNSTEEM25 | Steemit Engagement Challenge S4-W1 | My view on Cyber Bullying - by @sammylinks

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Hello everyone,
I'm very delighted to participate fully in this week of engagement challenge with the wonderful article from our community @steem-cameroon where Cyber Bullying is discussed fully. This post will be subheaded based on sub_topics provided as stated:

1) WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM CYBER BULLYING?
2) HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A VICTIM OR PERPETRATOR OF CYBER BULLYING?
3) GIVE AN INSTANCE (IF ANY) WHEREIN YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW FELT BULLIED IN THE CYBERSPACE AND WHAT SPIKED SUCH A FEELING ( IT COULD BE THROUGH THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS)
4) HOW DID THIS ENCOUNTER AFFECTS THE SAID PERSON
5) HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL ON STEEMIT AND HAVE YOU FELT BEEN BULLIED AT POINT OF TIME?
6) WHAT LESSON DID YOU LEARNT FROM THAT SCENARIO AND WHAT ADVICE WILL YOU GIVE YOUR AUDIENCE?

WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM CYBER BULLYING?

The Term CYBERBULLYING is coined from two separate but related words. They are CYBER and BULLYING. Cyber simply refers to the digital world. The world of Internet of several platforms where people of different class and place interact with another freely. In the age of globalization, the Advent of internet with it's components have made the whole wide world a village where it's very easy for everyone to interact and know each other freely. The exchange of information here is very simple, easy and easy to spread. Improving business and other human endeavors very well. There are many aspects of the Cyberspace as the world of Internet can be rightly called, but the most prominent one is the Social media platforms. These are digitally based platforms where people interacts with another freely. These interaction can comes in several forms like videos, pictures, texts etc. There are many giant social media platforms in the world right now, but Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, STEEMIT etc ranks higher!

However, the other part, "Bullying" is a complex term, but refer to that habitual or repeated behavior of dominates and intimidates the other aggressively. In the course of the action, use of force or coercion is often employed to subdue the sufferers and threat or hurting teasing can also used to taunt them emotionally. Since there's no balance distribution of physical and social power among peers, those of advantageous position tend to dominate and intimidates the others, when that happens, suffers are hurt physically, mentally and emotionally. He/she hardly interact the bully freely. Bullying can be differentiate from Conflicts. Conflicts happens when there's misunderstanding and interests or ego are punched. It might involved with the use of violent parameters to be settled while Bullying "mostly" happens without misunderstanding and with the sole aim of "robbing" off the sufferers their social and physical power and intimidates them socially. It can be achieved via mobbing action in that the abuser comes with his "so-called" friends to taunt the sufferer. It can happen in several settings and difficult to fathom since it usually take place subtly.

THE DEFINITION OF CYBERBULLYING

With the understanding of the two contexts explained above, Cyberbullying is a form of Bullying that happens in the digital world. People are intimidated or dominated by other in the Cyberspace to the extent that it has affected the sufferer psychologically. These haressment of digital sort can also known as "ONLINE BULLYING is ever increasing and comes in several forms. Hateful rumors, threats, haresses, sexual remarks, hate speech or personal details of a victim can be spread in the Cyberspace with the intent to harm, demean and bullied the victim. The sufferers often becomes depressed, have low self-esteem and many a times, thinks of taking their lives (i.e, suicide). The bad effect of Cyberbullying is highly devastating and should be controlled.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A VICTIM OR PERPETRATOR OF CYBER BULLYING?

With the modernization of the Cyberspace and it's components, the Cyberbullying are ever increasing and the sufferers or victims are many too. Personally, I have been a victim many times but not prominent. These occasions usually happens when there's misunderstanding on what my social engagements.

However, my texts or pictures are misunderstood by some internet users, they will frown against it and many abuse me verbally, making me to be depressed. I usually "delete" it to avoid the continuous abuse and bullying. When the event is definitely deleted, all the bullying activities becomes invalid and the bad effect of their actions against me will erased off.

GIVE AN INSTANCE (IF ANY) WHEREIN YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW FELT BULLIED IN THE CYBERSPACE AND WHAT SPIKED SUCH A FEELING ( IT COULD BE THROUGH THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS)

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The picture above is from a political rally where millions of people "March" for Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party. As can be seen, a supporter spotted with a placard with hateful/ridiculous speech against the fiery former presidential Spokeperson of People Democratic party, Mr. Reno Omokri. Those people thinks that it's their time during the election with good wins for them to "shame" this fiery spokeperson, who they have accused of using his "voice" on the social media like Facebook to campaign for his preferred presidential candidate, Mr Atiku Abubakar
and still "bully" against the "obidients" as the supporters of Labour Party are known.

However, This is one of the cases of Cyberbullying that's happening in my Country, Nigeria. This is very common now because of the general election coming up early next year. The political machineries have turned as each other as they are campaigning for their "chosen" candidate. They can bullied against each other with serious hate speech, rumors and threat too. It's not easy but difficult now as many lives are threatened.

HOW DID THIS ENCOUNTER AFFECTS THE SAID PERSON

Former presidential Spokeperson of People Democratic party, Mr. Reno Omokriis very active on the Cyberspace with his Nuggeters as he calls his followers. His several accounts and handles are highly recommend and verified on cyberspace making him, one of the followed Nigerian on the Cyberspace.

Recently, "Obidients" as the supporters of Labour Party are known have "harass", bully and ridicules the once loved Former presidential spokeperson and many threatens his family. This is very bad for him.

However, Reno as he is funny known, is a well known Author and Pastor with several books which depends on his readers for fund generation since he is active legal participation as a London trained Lawyer. With these encounters, His followers mostly younger Nigerian are "leaving" him and his pages in doves thereby affecting his financial capacity.

Moreover, Reno is still active on Cyberspace with efforts to redeem and reinvigorated his image on social media platforms where his mental powess is well known and followed before. His "Nuggeters" are becoming "Obidients" on daily basis. Which is very bad for him.

HOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL ON STEEMIT AND HAVE YOU FELT BEEN BULLIED AT POINT OF TIME?

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Steemit is web based social media platforms where people can interact with another freely. Steemit is one of the components of the Cyberspace where a lot of social engagements are favored. Although, I have heard about Cyberbullying in steemit because of social power of some steemians, who thinks that they are better than others. With the ability to grade, comments or even vote posts of other steemians, those bullies have intimidates others and gives conditions, which does not makes it easier for all to participate fully.

However, Steemit should be free for everyone and steemians encouraged to engage favorably with others. I urge the steemit teem and other to encourage all to contribute to the growth of Steemit in their several spaces.

WHAT LESSON DID YOU LEARNT FROM THAT SCENARIO AND WHAT ADVICE WILL YOU GIVE YOUR AUDIENCE?

Those that experienced Cyberbullying of any sort have really taught me a lot of lessons. These lessons are very vital. Humans are not omniscient and can't know everything, before judging another, please try to be in their "shoes" and see the actions from their viewpoint to know everything before "threatening" the person.

Golden rule says that what ever one expect from another, let the one do it to another. There's no body that enjoy harassment of any sort, so let's stop abusing another because of social power acquired. Let do good to others and everything will be good to us all.

CONCLUSION

Cyberbullying is very bad and it's effects are demeaning. It consists of hateful rumors or speech, can starts as a jokes or memes. Such jokes or memes can't be helpful and should be avoided. The victims are affected badly and their finance can be affected too. let's love leads.