In this day and age, the internet and being online is a big part of our lives, offering connectivity, information and opportunities like never before.

However, this connectivity comes with a darker side – online harms. Influencers and content creators often find themselves susceptible to online harms in their lives and work online.

In this episode of Got People Say, local actress and host Munah Bagharib speaks to three content creators as they share their experiences with online harms alongside Simran Toor, the CEO of SG Her Empowerment (SHE), a non-profit organisation that strives to empower girls and women through community engagements and partnerships.

Online harms is an umbrella term, encompassing harassment, cyberbullying, cancel culture and other harmful online content or conduct. It can have a profound impact on individuals, including taking a toll on their mental health and overall well-being.

For social media influencer Kevin Tristan, online harm is "when someone purposefully tries to hurt someone else through an online platform."

Content creator, Mathilda Huang and actress, Julie Tan both express a shared sentiment.

Mathilda emphasises that regardless of intent, if it causes harm to the person on the receiving end, it qualifies as online harm.

While Julie concisely states, "Online harm is being unkind."

Simran draws attention to the nuanced nature of online harms, highlighting that they do not fit into a simple black-and-white framework.

She acknowledges the existence of legal harms such as harassment, which are clear offences, while also highlighting a vast spectrum of online behaviour that may not be illegal but are undeniably harmful.

"It's something we call ‘lawful but awful harms’," Simran describes.

Online harms can have serious negative impacts on its victims, which can be exacerbated by the fact that online and offline harms can and do intersect.

As Simran explains, "If someone was going to stalk you, they're not going to purely stalk you online. It will happen in the real world as well." Therefore, she feels that there is a need to approach the issue holistically.

Julie, who has been in the media industry for 13 years, recalls her first brush with online harms, which occurred when she was just 17 and fresh to the acting industry.

A friend had shared a link to a forum where there were inappropriate discussions centred around Julie’s body, personal life and romantic relationship.

"I kind of regret clicking that link. I don't need to know what they're talking about," she mentions in hindsight.

Julie's sense of helplessness was evident at that time.

She explains that there was no one to moderate the chats and people would just piggyback on the comments. "It's a bit like mob mentality."

The experience weighed heavily on the then-17-year-old. "There was actually a short period of time [when] I was self-harming," Julie shares.

"No one really taught [me] how to be a celebrity, or how to even prevent online harms," says Julie adding that as an actress, dealing with online harms comes with the territory.

However, she raises valid questions, such as "Why do they have the right to do that?" and "Do we really need to accept it?"

Julie's experience struck a chord with Mathilda, who shares a similar encounter. In 2021, Mathilda stumbled upon a 20-page forum where netizens were discussing her body in minute detail, and the comments even exposed her then-residential address.

The situation escalated to a point where Mathilda began to believe some of the things they were saying, even their speculation that she might be suffering from thyroid disease.

"How can the opinion of someone, whom I don't even know, affect how I look and feel about my own body," she ponders. "[I was even] questioning my own general physical health."

In response, Mathilda took a proactive stance by reaching out to the forum's moderator to remove the thread.

She describes the experience as distressing, where she felt compelled to stand up for herself because no one else would. Simran also addresses the issue of whether putting oneself out in the digital world means that one must accept the criticism that comes with it – the answer being ‘no’.

For example, Simran clarifies that posting an image of yourself is your freedom of expression.

However, it doesn't entitle other people to be horrid and abusive to you.

"There must be a line in your conduct," she adds. She recommends her organisation's guidebook which debunks 10 common myths about online harms.

The guidebook reveals that 23 per cent of Singaporean youths believe online harms are less severe than real-life harms.

In reality, a survey conducted by SG Her Empowerment (SHE) in 2023 found that two in five victims of online harms reported experiencing at least one severe impact, such as physical and mental health issues or suicidal thoughts.

According to the same survey, 58 per cent of the respondents have personally experienced and/or knew others who experienced online harms.

Another key finding is that more than 80 per cent prefer measures that involve the swift and permanent removal of online harms. Simran, who previously worked as a lawyer, clarifies that addressing online harms is not always a straightforward process.

She advises victims to consult a lawyer to understand their legal rights, saying, "If it's harassment, there's something called the Protection from Harassment Act. You can go to court by yourself, as long as you're 21 years old, and obtain court orders to stop the harassment."

However, Simran understands that the instinct of most victims is to seek a quick resolution, as evident from the survey findings.

The legal process may not always be as fast and permanent as desired, which explains why it's not everyone's initial choice.

In this regard, Mathilda provided a practical tip, mentioning that she uses the settings on her social media accounts to restrict certain comments that might trigger her.

For instance, on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, you can report content that is harmful to you or your loved ones by choosing options like "Hate", "Abuse and Harassment" and "Violent Speech".

This takes away the guesswork for users, especially when you are feeling distressed, and allows the social media platform to resolve the issue.

Likewise, on Instagram, users can report offensive content.

Additionally, they can create a list of words they would like to block, further protecting themselves from online harms.

Preventing online harms is a collective effort, and it starts with us to make the internet a safer space.

For more information about SHECARES@SCWO's work with online harms, visit https://she.org.sg.

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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