The age of modernization undoubtedly enjoys easy access to a range of information available online. However, the cases of disinformation spread are significantly rising as well. Have you been a victim of Social media defamation? What did you do? If you want to know the available approaches one can take to avoid or report such practices, this article will surely help you.
Social Media Defamation
Social media defamation is a broad term that includes publishing false statements online through social media networking sites. Such statements always cause a certain degree of reputational harm. The victim can be an individual, a business or even the government of a particular state. The consequence of such an act can be minute to adverse. It can also be a potent cause of social unrest and retaliation.
Thus, it becomes necessary to regulate social media posts against guidelines to cancel defamatory statements. The act of defamation of character on social media has been primarily evident. This has caused a lot of discomfort and psychological damage to victims, time and again. While there have been discussions about how social media regulation can lead to a restriction on the freedom of speech, there have also been angry complaints about how there is not enough action been taken to cancel defamation and cybercrime online.
Privacy Invasion
Privacy Invasion is the act of wilful intrusion into a person’s life to cause harm. There are various ways in which one can invade your privacy online. Some of these are:
- Creating fake profiles and spreading rumours about a person through it
- Hacking into accounts to steal important data
- Generating fraudulent links containing malware or bots that can get into your device and release personal information
- Posting edited pictures or non-consensual videos with the intent of disgracing the victim’s character
- Spreading false information to cause public outrage and dissent
The rising cases of online privacy information point to the lack of security on social media platforms. Invasion of privacy is a criminal act and can result in fines or imprisonment. Let’s discuss some common ways of social media invasion;
- Phishing – This is a form of cybercrime that employs methods to lure people into providing them with sensitive data. The criminal usually poses as a genuine authority/member and contacts the victim through emails, texts and phone calls.
- Tracking – Social tracking has been evident for a while now. Some social media sites track an individual’s search history, activity status and profile visits. This is done to understand the type of content that will attract your attention the most.
- Data Privacy Breach – Hackers can break into social media sites, as seen in the 2018 attack on Facebook. It had left the personal data of around 50 million users revealed. Security updates have been reinforced since.
Case Scenarios In Context To Covid-19
With the cases of Covid positive victims on the rise, the spread of false information has been rampant. This has led to social media sites like Facebook and Instagram take stringent steps to protect community interests and safety. Let’s see the kind of Covid related rumours that have surfaced up in the last two years.
- Covid-19 is created or manufactured by humans.
- The vaccine may cause autism, blindness or are simply ineffective.
- Masks are useless, or they provide no safety.
- It is better to self-isolate than visit a professional.
- Covid is a government strategy to control its population and keep them under surveillance.
Such misinformation and rumours have had significant results on people worldwide. With the urgency to gather helpful information related to Covid, such gossips cause a distraction. The presence of such false statements has caused inconsiderable trouble such as;
- Unrest and retaliation against government bodies
- Public stigmatization of particular groups of people suffering from Covid in large numbers
- Psychological harm, anxiety and frustration
Response
The response to such social media defamation and privacy invasion has been prompt and efficient so far. Social media networks have taken up the issue seriously and continuously strive to improve user experience and safety. Below are some online steps that have been taken to conquer online rumours regarding Covid-19.
- Removing content involving false Covid related claims
- Restricting users promoting such false news
- Directing Covid relevant searches to only trusted sites and portals
- Tracking and holding users accountable for spreading Covid-19 conspiracy theories targeting the government
It is essential to maintain calm and think practically when scouring through social media news and articles related to Covid. Do not encourage or practice sharing false information online as it can have dire consequences on both you and the viewers. Practice safety and refer to only authentic sources for references related to Covid treatments. In case someone tries to defame you, consult top defamation lawyers for expert advice. You can report someone online for non-compliance with community guidelines, but they may never face appropriate punishment. This is why consulting a defamation claim lawyer is necessary if the harm caused is massive. You can file a valid lawsuit and save others from getting defamed by the same person.
