One of the sessions I attended involved, Ms. Anita Sarkeesian who was on the panel with other esteemed women, entitled, "Go Make Me Sandwich" and the cyberattacks and bullying she and others incurred on their accounts. Ms. Anita Sarkeesian's attacks were the most egregious and ugly, by some individuals who were named. Moreover, the attacks she incurred were similar to mine although I did not incur the kind of wrath she endured.
The point that all the panelists made is that these attacks are used to silence women who think for and fend for themselves against men who feel entitled. I would say, most are men who perpetrate they viciousness. At the same time, I have seen women who have viciously damaged reputations of women due to being petty, as in my case.
In another session, the group led by Ms. Rebecca Watson, outright stated that it is misogyny that drive these cyberattacks. Another member who is a writer for SkepChick, Ms. Amy Davis her business was attacked and the variety of ways the internet and social media is used to oppress women of strength, and left to defend themselves.
I myself have been "Called everything, but a child of God", an old term used by my African ancestors, and my business was attacked similarly. The session called for providing support mechanisms to combat the lunacy done by a few bad apples. Sad part is these lunatics create several accounts to attack an individual, in the case of Twitter, and then pass themselves off as a friend, especially in the case of Facebook.
Since I am new to Youtube, I do not know much about the comment section moderation, but it makes me not accept comments in my section, whatsoever!
Aside from the fact these social media outlets need to be held culpable for behavior that is inappropriate for parlance or civil discussion or debate, the fact is people feel entitled to think anything can be said to other people. I am not say, Black vs. White debate. Or even the complex issue of Suicide Ideation Online. What I am talking about is as if you would start to believe that your names are, "Cunt Nigger Bitch" and you are called that everyday...
What if that occurred to a girl and she commits suicide?
That is not right, at the same time, individuals who coerce people to misbehave and harass lone individuals, also called cybermobbing, need to be held as an accessory to perpetuating the demeaning of another human.
What happens to individuals who endure these heinous acts online, psychologically?
- Changes in appetite
- Obsessing about comments or what could have been said
- Doubt
- Rage
- Anger
- Lashing out or irritability
Similar to symptoms of depression...
How should one deal with these kinds of things?
Others casually say: "Do not feed the trolls". Sometimes you cannot because these perpetrators stalk you, like what was done to me, called STANS: Stalking + Fans. Due to the viciousness of attacks, immediately I ban and block. I am harsh about it, too. I do not joke around. Individuals may cry, but very rarely do I forgive after presenting oneself disrespectfully in my small cyberspace!
Generally what I do is:
For Facebook:
Any inappropriate behavior as simple as it seems that is even awkward, I ban and block. Don't care, get over it, this is business. You use profanity one my Facebook Fan Pages, I ban and block. Any sexual content unapproved, ban and block. I am not having a discussion on your thoughts and ideas to be your friend on Facebook Fan Pages. That is not the nature of my Fan Pages. My Fan Pages are well defined. If you are on Sistah Mental Health and Wellness Fan Page and attack it because of my "Star Wars" or SWAG77 pages --- YOU WILL BE BANNED AND BLOCKED --- get over it, that simple.
For Twitter:
Like some airlines do, I profile you. I go to your profile, look at what you tweet. If I don't like it, BLOCK! I don't care what you have to say, I don't care about your opinion. I don't like it, I block you. Simple. Easy to remember.
The same will go for YouTube and all the blocks. You say something out of order that is not related to the topic at hand, I BAN YOU AND I BLOCK YOU! Sorry, after what I have endured, I have to fend for myself and my interests.
If you want to join me in what I do, I need to have spoken to you in real life, I have to see your real life accounts, and I will interview you and interrogate all your social media channels. If I don't agree with your social media behavior, I will not ask you to join. It is not about content, it is about business. You may think you are free to use my material, but it will be very hard for you to continue your progress if you are trying to slight me. I outdo you just by your false ability to defame me...
Anyone who hates me and reads this blog and decided to make doppelganger accounts specifically to tease me, let me tell you, this blog is reviewed by mental health professionals, and this makes it a clinical trial.
Threaten me with rape, killing me by coming to my house...Careful... What's the title of this "blog"?
