Toxic Online Culture: Can Zimbabweans Rewrite the Script?

By Staff Reporter

Over the past few years, social media has transformed the way we interact with one another, but it has also brought about an uncomfortable trend: online toxicity. In Zimbabwe, we have seen a dismal increase in cyberbullying and online harassment cases, which led us to pose an elemental question: Are Zimbabweans toxic by nature or has social media been responsible for cultivating online hate?

On the other hand, there is increasingly an impression that Zimbabweans have adopted social media as a space for bigotry, intolerance, and hate. An example is the case of musician Oriyano who has been relentlessly bullied, labelled “copycat”, for possessing a voice which is argued to sound almost like Jah Prayzah’s. Rather than appreciating his uniqueness in artistry, most have instead decided to belittle and jeer at him, demonstrating disrespect and lack of understanding for diversity in our world.

In the same manner, female politicians such as Monica Mutsvangwa are usually trolled on social media, where they receive death threats, scathing criticism, and nasty insults, diminishing their contributions to life in public. Trolling of Anna “Chibaby” Honde recently over her dressing at the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) is proof that public figures will be mocked instead of being pitied.

But it should be noted that online hate is not solely a product of social media. There is a major input from Zimbabwean society towards fostering hate and intolerance. A disregard for diversity, tolerance, and empathy has brought about the society into one that condones bullying and harassment.

Cyberbullying, as observed by UNICEF, has extremely severe effects on mental health, inducing depression, anxiety, and shame. This was seen in the case of fire in Trevor Dongo’s apartment, where he was assumed to have done something wrong before being heard on his side of the story, so he wrote a tearful letter. In absence of effective regulation and curating by social media platforms, this posting goes unabated and therefore instigates a culture of cyberhostility.

So, how do we go forward? Obviously, both social media platforms and Zimbabwean society must take their share of blame for the propagation of online hatred. We need a multi-level approach that responds to the genesis of hate and intolerance, in addition to inducing empathy, tolerance, and diversity respect.

We, as human beings, have to be held accountable for the effect of our words and actions on the internet. We have to work towards building a culture of empathy and respect in which all feel safe and valued. Social media platforms also have to do better in policing online hate, putting resources into good regulation and moderation.

As we consider the state of online communication in Zimbabwe today, it is imperative that we value our mutual responsibility. We can work towards creating a culture of respectfulness and compassion within our online discussion. This involves taking responsibility for what we post and do, and actively standing against hate when it surfaces. We also need to pressure social media companies to better police unsafe content and make online spaces safer.

In conclusion, whether Zimbabweans are toxic or social media is not a straightforward question. It is a challenging question that requires us to think about both social norms and technology influence. As we are living in this virtual world, let us attempt to create a good online culture. Together, we can make things change and build a community where compassion and respect win against intolerance and hate.