While the internet might be a really fun place to be, it is also a place where everyone needs to practice a lot of responsibility. Even the smallest of acts can have the biggest repercussions, therefore everyone needs to be mindful when using the internet. Even though some internet service providers try to ensure that their service is as safe as possible, such as Spectrum Internet, it is still up to the users to make sure that the internet is a safe space for everyone.
Here are some general practices you can use to make sure that the internet is a much safer place for not just yourself but everyone around you as well:
Advocate Against Bullying
Bullying is a bigger problem than you would anticipate it to be. A lot of people that mainly includes children have a lot of mental health issues because of bullying. Therefore, you need to be someone who is an advocate against bullying. Not only should you actively stop yourself from bullying but you also need to stop any other people that you see who would be involved in bullying other people. This way you would be saving a lot of people from a lot of emotional trauma.
Being on the internet doesn’t ensure that you would be safe from bullying, which is exactly why you need to fulfill your role of not just keeping yourself safe but also those around you as well. Everyone needs to be sensitive to others’ sentiments and feelings, which is why you should think multiple times before you post something.
Be Sure to Leave a Good Comment about People
It is always easy to criticize people and point out negative things about them but it takes a lot of effort to say something good about people. This is where you are responsible to leave a good comment about someone so that you could make their day. The choice is always yours whether you wish to make someone’s day or just want to ruin it altogether. Some things that you could compliment include the way they look or even their personality. This would definitely give them a boost and they would feel happy about themselves.
Not only would the other person like it but it would also motivate them to do the same for other people and you would start this ripple effect where people would start acting positively towards each other. So if you wish to see a positive change in the way things work on the internet, then remember that the change should begin with you.
Be there for Someone who you think is going through a bad time
Not everyone has it easy, everyone is fighting their own battles. In times like these, it isn’t a good idea to keep to yourself, therefore everyone should take it upon themselves to make sure that they are there for other people because that is what the essence of humanity is. If you see signs that someone is struggling or is generally going through a bad time, then you should make the effort to reach out to them and ask them if they are doing alright or if there is anything you could do for them. If you feel like you can give good advice then you should do that too, you never know how much your advice could help someone else.
However, if you feel like you cannot give good advice then you could just be a good listener and you could listen to people vent out about their problems because even just venting out to someone helps a lot. This way, you could be a help to lots of people on the internet who would be struggling to talk to someone, you just need to make sure that they feel safe and heard in order for them to open up to you.
Report Any Sort of Negativity you see on the Internet
Another responsibility for you to fulfill is that you report anything that you might see as problematic on the internet. If you see someone bullying someone else then you should be quick to report it. Similarly, if you see people leaving mean comments or instigating anything that could be seen as offensive or potentially harmful, then you need to play your part in making sure it doesn’t go unreported.
This way when someone who has offensive behavior gets reported a couple of times, their account may be banned and they wouldn’t be able to spread the negativity they usually tend to do.
Wrapping Up
It is up to everyone at an individual level to make sure that everyone is safe on the internet and that the internet serves as a safe space for everyone. There should always be a no-bullying policy and everyone just needs to look out for one another.