Dr Alexia Maddox, Research Fellow in the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub (0417 058 571 or alexia.maddox2@rmit.edu.au)
Topics: Social media, cyber threats and abuse, public figures online
“There are behaviours that we see online that we don’t in-person, from pile ons to cyber bulling to impersonation. There are things that we can do to protect ourselves from the risks these pose to our physical and psychological safety.
“For public figures, it’s more complicated. They cannot avoid social media in this day and age, and they are also more likely to come into the line of fire. Disengagement and distancing for periods of time is healthy and sometimes a good PR strategy, but it isn’t a long-term solution. The usual safety measures – password security, sharing appropriate information only, limiting location sharing, controlling who sees content – are good, but not enough for people in the public eye.
“The pandemic only exacerbated online hate and conspiracism, with rhetoric from international groups trickling into Australia – particularly in Melbourne where lockdowns put the population into a pressure cooker. We saw the far left and far right converge on issues, which inflamed social media activity around these topics. Of course, we also saw the online polarisation spill into the streets with protests organised through social media.
“People are fatigued by the pandemic and rising mental health issues, including our politicians. The public also have a low tolerance for government intervention, so our politicians will continue to be in the firing line.
“We need to remember that despite the ‘new normal’ and ‘post pandemic’ messaging, we are still experiencing the pandemic and the intensity is still very much alive.
“With reports that the Australian Federal Police saw a surge of threats against politicians last year – including online threats – it is important to remember how serious online threats and abuse are, and to take them very seriously.”
Dr Alexia Maddox is a sociologist of technology and specialises in research engagement with communities, digital research methods and socio-technical transformations. Her research focuses on the cultures surrounding digital frontiers, and investigates how their values and practices shape the development, use and social implications of emerging technologies. She is an author on the Digital CBD Project.
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