A Platform, not a Voice
A platform can carry a voice, but it can also crush one.
Think about the last time you posted something online. But be honest with yourself,
did you hesitate even a little or did you stop wonder how people might react?
I know I have. I’ve typed out comments before only to delete them seconds later because I
wasn’t sure how people would react.
How many thoughts, ideas or potential inventions are never posted because
someone fears harassment or humiliation?
It’s normal to care what people think. It’s human nature. What he says, what she
does. It shapes how we move through life - sometimes for the better and sometimes
for the worse; and yes, it can be challenging at times.
But ask yourself this: why do you care?
Is it fear? Or is it the fear of being judged by people passing through, or even the
need to be accepted?
If you believe people are judging you, yes you will feel judged everywhere you go.
You create your own reality - not hers nor theirs. People who aren’t you shouldn’t
control your life, you can either live it your way or live for them.
Many believe that social media is one of the strongest tools for free expression ever
created, and in many ways, this is true.
A person with a message only needs courage and a platform.
Nearly every individual spends time on social media; it is no secret. Among
teenagers, however, it is often just a quick scroll for short-term dopamine. This
means that social media is no longer just entertainment. It shapes what we see, how
and what we think and choose what to believe.
Some claim social media gives everyone an equal voice. However, access cannot
promise safety if fear and harassment silence voices.
According to Australia's eSafety Commissioner, in 2023 more than half of Australian
children under 16 surveyed had experienced cyberbullying, while one in four had
experienced online harassment.
Can we really call social media empowering when children are bullied into silence?
This is why Julia Gillard's 2012 misogyny speech still matters today. In Parliament,
she refused to let criticism and discrimination silence her voice. Her speech became
a powerful act of protest against the misuse of power and dismissal of others.
While people can still be silenced for speaking out, much of that silencing now
happens online.
Thus, does social media really empower us? It helps us to connect with
communities, but it can also silence us through fear and abuse, isolating us from the
world.
A platform can carry a voice, but it can also crush one.
So, what matters more, access to a platform or the freedom to speak without fear?
But ask yourself this: why do you care?
Is it fear? Or is it the fear of being judged by people passing through? Or even the
need to be accepted?