Facebook, the Meta-owned social media giant, is taking the no-so-prestigious number one spot as the online platform with the most cyberbullying cases aimed at environmental activists, according to a survey conducted by a nonprofit organization called Global Witness. The non-governmental organization (NGO), with offices in the USA, UK, and Belgium, surveyed over two hundred land and environmental defenders from six continents. Almost all of them reported being harassed online at some point, with the highest number of incidents occurring on Facebook. Bullying and harassment happen in many places, but when it comes to social media, it appears that Facebook is the worst place to be.
Key takeaways
- A survey by Global Witness concluded that more than 9 out of 10 eco-warriors experience some form of harassment online.Â
- The study confirmed that every 3 out of 4 people believe online harassment resulted in harm offline.
- Cyberbullying continues to be a pain point for Meta in general.
- Other social platforms are safer but still dangerous.
Is Facebook a safe haven for cyberbullying?
Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, offering both the good and the bad aspects of society. This includes bullying and harassment. Even though the tech conglomerate has strict guidelines and generally does not tolerate bullying, 2 out of 3 environmental defenders admit to having been targeted on the platform.Â
Does online harassment have an impact on people in real life?
Many environmentalists believe that their online presence and behavior are directly contributing to the harms they experience offline. Â Approximately 75% of the surveyed believe that their online actions directly or partially contributed to physical damage, highlighting that online behavior can have real-life consequences.Â
Does cyberbullying only happen to tree ecologists?
No, it does not. Cyberbullying in general continues to remain a problem that Facebook is trying to resolve. Even though it is the most popular platform in the world, and Meta’s CEO is one of the wealthiest men alive, Facebook has not been able to clamp down on online bullying adequately. Cyberbullying can happen to anyone and on any platform.
What is the situation at other platforms?
It is not as bad, but according to the survey released by the NGO, other platforms are not immune to cyberbullying either. Facebook is followed by different social media giants such as Instagram, X, and WhatsApp. Apart of owning Facebook, Meta is the parent company of Instagram and WhatsApp, meaning that Mark Zuckerberg’s platforms are the main online place for attacks on activists.Â
Social media companies certainly have a lot of room for improvement when it comes to online safety and preventing cyberbullying of environmental activists. However, the key to solving the problem remains in the hands of Meta’s CEO. While Mark Zuckerberg is looking for ways to resolve the issue, the power to protect you and your loved ones is in your hands. Top antivirus software solutions often come with tools that can help in the fight against bullies and malicious actors.Â
Panda Security specializes in the development of endpoint security products and is part of the WatchGuard portfolio of IT security solutions. Initially focused on the development of antivirus software, the company has since expanded its line of business to advanced cyber-security services with technology for preventing cyber-crime.
