Twitter Takes a Stand on Cyber Thugs

Put a stop to it now!

On my way to work this morning, NPR reported that Twitter has decided to change its policy to address those who use its website as a medium to either bully or abuse others. I was stoked! As of late, people have been using social media as a way to be vengeful, to harass, and even to instill fear. All negative uses of the medium, and all meant to hurt another. 

What saddens me about the entire ordeal is the fact that people take no personal responsibility for their actions and their lack of human decency. They only know that they want to hurt others, and because of this, they have become "Cyber Thugs". Their actions have caused  bullying as well as domestic violence (now online domestic violence) to evolve into something that proves to be more harmful than any physical abuse they could have inflicted. Because the sensitive information they "tweet" is shared with the world, the victims' private lives and moments are made public. Causing the victim great embarrassment. Doing this is cruel, vindictive, and just down-right wrong. 

Yes, people have the freedom to use social media however they choose, but the moment they use it to harm another person is where that freedom ends. I am glad that Twitter is taking a stand to hold people accountable for their actions. No one should have to live with the fear that their secrets or private encounters could be made public because another person felt that they had been wronged or offended.

I hope this is only the beginning of those willing to take a stand. 

 ** Domestic violence is not only reserved to physical abuse, but can include both mental and emotional abuse as well.


Articles on the issue:

Women face growing threat of online domestic abuse: experts

Twitter updates its rules to specifically ban ‘revenge porn’