From likes to lies, trends to tragedies

KARACHI:

23-year-old, Hafsa* was in love with Aftab*, a guy she met in college. Nothing could come between them and she trusted him with her life. Hafsa and Aftab were both vloggers and they both made videos and short reels together which were uploaded on Aftab’s social media accounts. Everything went well for them for two years but then Aftab’s elder brother voiced his disproval of the couple. The couple had to break up. However, as if that wasn’t enough heartbreak for Hafsa, the end of the relationship was also the beginning of a nightmare. The same Aftab whom she trusted completely misused the videos he had of Hafsa. “He made WhatsApp and Facebook groups adding my relatives, teachers, and friends and sent my photoshopped pictures to everyone,” Hafsa shared. “When I went to the police with my complaint, I received no help at all. Instead, the police questioned my integrity of character because I was a blogger,” she lamented.

In Pakistan, social media sites have developed into havens for online harassment and cyberbullying. Because of the anonymity these platforms offer, people feel free to act abusively without worrying about the repercussions in the real world. Victims of cyberbullying experience psychological stress and social exclusion. In severe situations, they may even consider self-harm. The issue is exacerbated by the absence of strong laws and efficient law enforcement, which permits offenders to act with impunity.

According to behavioral psychologist Zehra Amin, “The most common impact is harassment, and mostly women fall prey to this as they fear restrictions from their families. If anyone from their family finds out that they have been involved with anyone on social media, then they will be restricted to their homes. In many cases, their education will be stopped too.”

Social media plays an essential role in our daily lives by bringing people together from all over the world and offering a forum for communication, expression, and information exchange. In addition to the benefits it provides, social media has a negative side as well. This side has given rise to trends that pose threat to life and have terrible outcomes. This article seeks to shed light on some of these dangerous trends in order to highlight the pressing need for awareness, action and regulation of the virtual world.

Social media significantly influences how cultural norms and values are shaped. In Pakistan, where traditions and customs are highly valued, social media can have both positive and negative effects. It gives people a forum for the exchange of cultures and customs, while simultaneously it also exposes them to outside influences that could erode traditional beliefs. Identity crises and generational conflicts can result from this clash of cultures, especially in young people.

Exposure to unregulated content can start at a young age. Asad Baig, executive director and founder of Media Matters of Democracy, stresses parents’ responsibility in keeping an eye on the content children consume online. “The younger generation is given devices mostly without any parental guidance,” he says. “The majority of parents do not care what information their child is consuming and what kind of interactions the child is having on social media. This can eventually result in severe consequences.” One can easily use parental control on devices that children are using so that it will not allow the child to install any game or application on the device without the permission of the parent. “I have put up a control system in both of my children’s devices and every time they want to install any game or app a notification pops up to me which only I can approve,” Baig explained. Similarly, if a child is conversing with anyone on a social media platform, it is the parents’ responsibility to be vigilant.

Fake news and privacy policy

The widespread dissemination of false information and fake news on social media in Pakistan is one of the biggest problems. “It's so simple to share content on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. Misleading information may spread quickly and cause panic, confusion, and occasionally even violence,” said Baig, who has been working with misinformation and online safety.

There have been deadly repercussions from the dissemination of false material on social media, especially when it comes to health and medical advice. When people use unreliable information to diagnose themselves or seek treatment, it can cause delays in receiving medical attention, which can have a serious negative impact on their health or even result in death.

People are exposed to false information in Pakistan, where critical media literacy is not widely practiced and literacy rates vary. This could have an impact on people's decisions, behaviours, and beliefs.

“The most impacted are children for whom there is hardly any vigilance from parents and that is where the harm relies,” reiterated Baig.

In Pakistan, there is growing concern over social media's impact on privacy. Users frequently share their personal information without realising the dangers of it. Due to ignorance of privacy settings and the possible repercussions of disclosing private information online, people are more vulnerable to fraud, identity theft, and other types of cybercrime. “The most common and most extreme situation is the trend to post pictures from restaurants, posting check-in, visiting places, and sharing live locations,” said psychologist Amin. “That is where the privacy and safety of the user is compromised.” Amin cited a case from last year where a female user was stalked online with the harassment getting so out of hand that the stalker even got details of the victim’s address just from scrutinising her social media posts.

Peer pressure

Social media platforms' addictive qualities are a contributing factor to mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Constantly being exposed to carefully curated and idealised representations of other people's lives on social media can intensify feelings of inadequacy, especially in Pakistan where societal pressures and expectations are already exist. The urge to continually check for updates and look for approval from likes and comments can build harmful behavioural patterns and have a detrimental effect on one's general well-being.

“Most of the youngsters fall prey to harmful trends because of peer pressure. Everyone from their friends group is doing it or is a part of it, so they try it without understanding the harm it can cause,” shared Amin.

Such was the case of a 15-year-old girl who sought to be popular. At the insistence of her friend, the girl started making videos and uploading them on several social media platforms to get likes and views, increasing her profile this way. According to Amin, the 15-year-old’s pictures and videos were photoshopped and she was blackmailed with them. This went on for six months until the young girl gathered the courage to involve her family and file a complaint with the police.

“The generation or the age bracket that is mainly into social media trends is mostly neglected by their families where their parents do not pay much heed to their needs. They then crave validity outside either from friends and if not that then from digital platforms,” told Amin, adding that a number of likes, comments, and responses make youngsters feel happy but the bigger picture is that just to get a few likes, they are putting their lives in danger.

Following a dangerous trend

Where social media in Pakistan has revolutionised communication and information access, it has also spawned dangerous attitudes that threaten the society's foundation. The negative effects of social media use cannot be ignored, ranging from the dissemination of false information and cyberbullying to the invasion of privacy and the deterioration of cultural norms. A multifaceted strategy including awareness campaigns, legislation, and the creation of digital literacy initiatives is needed to address these problems.

“Pakistan can only fully utilise social media's beneficial potential while reducing its negative effects on individuals and society at large by working together,” said social media manager and publicist Nimra Malik. She stressed that users must be made aware that every trend need not be followed or imitated because most of the trends are not even relevant to the person but just due to peer pressure. Sometimes when celebrities also become a part of a trend, eventually their followers just mimic their steps.

The danger lies in going one step too far. One unsettling development on social media is the rise of risky games and challenges that lure users into risky or even deadly activities. The controversial Blue Whale Challenge, for instance, made headlines when it forced volunteers to perform a series of dangerous acts that led to death or self-harm. A child psychologist at a private hospital told The Express Tribune that, “Peer pressure and the demand for social validation have made these challenges alluring. As a result, there have been fatalities in the real world. This has prompted concern about the need for more awareness and tougher regulations.”

There have been cases of people live-streaming self-harm or even suicide on social media networks. In addition to exposing sensitive viewers to upsetting content, the viral nature of these broadcasts begs the question of accountability: can social media firm stop the spread of such offensive content?

“[Such content] can have a serious effect on viewers, especially vulnerable people, and even normalise self-destructive behavior, especially when children are left unattended and parental guidance is missing,” the child psychologist added.

The connection between cyberbullying and suicide has grown more and more obvious as a result of the constant harassment that occurs on social media. Cyberbullying victims may go through extreme emotional suffering, which can result in depression and, in the worst cases, suicide. The anonymity that social media networks offer frequently gives offenders more confidence, making it difficult to hold them accountable. To stop these terrible results, strong anti-cyberbullying policies and support networks are essential.

The desire for social media fame and recognition has led some people to engage in risky behaviours and extreme challenges, many of which have potentially fatal outcomes. These actions, which include perilous vehicle stunts and rooftop parkour, are documented and shared online, glamorising unsafe behaviour. Seeking virality can push people to take unwarranted chances, which could end in mishaps, injuries, and fatalities. Many cases are reported of deaths that occur while users make selfies near a passing train or pulling out guns and playing with them.

The increasing polarisation and hate speech on Pakistani social media is indicative of its divisive nature. These platforms are used by a variety of social, political, and religious groups to voice their opinions - frequently in an antagonistic way. In addition to widening already-existing rifts, this polarisation fuels a hostile online atmosphere. Social media-fueled hate speech can have dangerous repercussions, including violence and prejudice.

One of the most harmful trends is weaponry. This includes showing off of weapons, arms and guns of any kinds, using them to show power and even firing bullets to exhibit a threat to others. The platform mainly used for such power show is TikTok. “Despite a few regulations that have been placed to ban a show of guns, users are still showing themselves handling guns, shooting them or imitating shooting,” said Baig. He recalled that another factor is the harmful game PubG, which “has also been the most violent game where cases have been reported of killings and even accidental deaths.”

Action by Platform

TikTok, on the other hand, has implemented comprehensive community guidelines encompassing rules and regulations concerning youth safety, mental and behavioral health, safety and civility, sensitive and mature themes, integrity and authenticity, regulated goods and commercial activities, privacy and security, and For You feed eligibility standards. These guidelines serve as a framework to ensure user safety on the platform.

TikTok maintains a stringent policy for handling accounts that violate community guidelines, employing measures such as removal, blocking, or limiting access. Upon content upload, the AI conducts an initial check to identify any violations, promptly removing or restricting content that breaches guidelines. In instances where AI oversight may be insufficient, a human moderation team meticulously reviews content, taking necessary actions. Notably, in 2022, the human moderation team in Pakistan was expanded by 300%, and members are proficient in all regional languages spoken in the country.

TikTok Spokesperson explains how TikTok works against the videos that violates their community guidelines. “Any content that promotes dangerous or illegal behavior would be a violation of our Community Guidelines and is not allowed on our platform. We work to either remove, limit or label content that depicts dangerous or illegal acts. We remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety and encourage everyone to exercise caution and responsibility in their behavior whether online or off,” says the spokesperson.

According to TikTok's Community Guidelines Enforcement Report for the second quarter of 2023, over 14 million videos were removed in Pakistan for violating community guidelines. In addition to addressing guideline violations, TikTok actively targeted spam accounts and associated content, implementing preventive measures against automated spam account creation. During Q2 2023, 83.6% of violative videos in Pakistan were removed before any views, and approximately 92.5% were eliminated within a day, resulting in a proactive removal rate of 98.6%. Globally, TikTok removed 18,823,040 accounts suspected to belong to users under the age of 13, prioritizing the safety of young users.

A TikTok spokesperson emphasized, “Any content that promotes dangerous or illegal behavior would be a violation of our Community Guidelines and is not allowed on our platform. We work to either remove, limit or label content that depicts dangerous or illegal acts. We remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety and encourage everyone to exercise caution and responsibility in their behavior whether online or off.”

TikTok's age limit is 13 and above. The platform offers a family pairing feature, allowing parents to link their child's phone to theirs. This feature enables parents to monitor their child's activities, control messaging, and regulate content access. TikTok has launched a campaign in Pakistan to promote awareness of this family pairing option, emphasizing its significance for enhanced parental control and online safety.

The spokesperson highlighted TikTok's commitment to community and data protection, with significant investments in keeping users under 13 off the platform. “Over 40,000 safety professionals globally dedicated to keeping our TikTok community safe. Our work in this area has no finish line and we're constantly exploring innovative solutions to further enhance both user safety and privacy,” spokesperson added.

TikTok has also introduced a safety ambassador program, where top content creators in Pakistan educate users on creating safe and secure content. Additionally, a campaign in Pakistan focuses on raising awareness about community guidelines through on-ground workshops and in-app guidance provided through the Creators Portal.

Need of the Hour

Social media trends that pose a serious threat to people's lives highlight the urgent need for preventative actions to keep people safe. To reduce the hazards connected with these tendencies, awareness efforts, more stringent content moderation policies, and responsible platform administration are essential. “Social media businesses need to understand their responsibility for creating a secure online community and act to stop the spread of offensive content, and also the younger parents need to realise that children of young age form muscle memory from the violence they see or playing games or following trends. They think it is normal to do the same in real life,” told Baig. He shared an alarming incident where a 10-year-old son asked his mother to drive over the pedestrians just like he does in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. “So for the child, the difference between real life and the game was not much as for him it is okay to drive over people but the reality is far away from what the memory that child has developed,” he said.

Users themselves must be made aware of the risks associated with specific internet trends and the value of getting support when dealing with mental health issues. Society also needs to establish a safer digital environment that protects rather than jeopardises lives.

 

*Names have been changed to protect identities