The Good, The Bad, and The Internet: Cyberbullying

Imagining a modern world without computers is impossible. They make many of our technological advances possible. After computers, came the internet. With the internet, comes the realisation that this world is inhabited by horrendous people who would have no issue driving innocent strangers to end their lives.

In August 2022, a 44-year-old Malaysian woman took her own life. Shasikala Nadarajah, a mother of 3 was believed to have taken her own life after becoming a victim of harassment on TikTok. With over 30,000 followers on Tiktok, Shasikala uses her platform to talk about topics such as sexual harassment and education, and share her joy for luxury bags. The tuition teacher’s life was cut short when she was found deceased in her home after receiving hateful comments about her appearance and handbag collection.  What’s worse is that these cases are a global issue.

The life of celebrities has been known to have a darker side. Most know that if you live your life in the limelight, you are prone to be thrown with rotten tomatoes. Such is the case of Korean singer/actress Choi Jin-Ri better known as Sulli. It started when Sulli started dating a rapper, which did not sit well with male fans who preferred her to be single. This was when Sulli began speaking up for herself and challenging the social norm. In Korea, everyone needs to conform, especially if you are a woman. Then, you would especially need to stay quiet and ‘know your place’.

 Going against the current further prompted internet users to remark about everything Sulli does from her beliefs to how she looks and how she dressed. The comments took a heavy toll on her. In 2019, she went on a live session on Instagram. Sulli, with clear sadness hanging on her shoulders, said “Why are you saying bad things about me?”, “What did I do to deserve this?”, and “I’m not a bad person.” Just two days later, she took her own life.

The reality is harrowing, but this is the vile nature of cyberbullying. However unlikely as it may seem, there is a silver lining. So, how does cyberbullying benefit society?

Mental illness has been a topic of serious discussion in recent years. This is due in part to the internet and, ironically, social media. The constant debates and, at times, bickering between vehement internauts exposes the rest of the internet to the reality of cyberbullying. Without multi-faceted discussions, we would not have seen the change we are seeing today. A noteworthy example of social media raising awareness about mental health came during the #ReleasetheSnyderCut campaign.

Zack Snyder, the initial director of the Justice League (2017), was forced to step down by Warner Brothers Studios and be replaced by Joss Whedon after the unfortunate passing of his daughter, Autumn Snyder, due to depression. Haters of Zack Snyder even praised his daughter’s suicide as gratitude for his departure from the movie.

Replying to the news, the now-suspended Twitter user @max_kellermax01 replied, “now THAT'S dark and gritty. Maybe his daughter should've taken up filmmaking”. Another user by the Twitter handle @gearsticles said, “Fantastic news. Best thing for dc fans is snyder out”.

In a 2021 interview, Snyder reflected on getting pushed out of the project:

"I just was kind of done with it. I was in this place of [knowing] my family needs me more than this bulls---, and I just need to honour them and do the best I can to heal that world," Snyder revealed. "I had no energy to fight [the studio], and fight for [the movie]. Literally, zero energy for that."

After years of campaigning by hardcore fans and multiple celebrities, the true vision Zack Snyder had for Justice League came out in 2021. Along with it, movements to raise awareness about mental health through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Zack Snyder even included an AFSP poster in the movie and the tribute ‘For Autumn’ at the end. In support of the director and the cause, fans raised $500,000 for AFSP for the Autumn Snyder Tribute Fund.

The release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) was a bittersweet moment for the director and his family after going through such a heart-wrenching experience as well as a monumental victory for loyal and caring fans that supported Snyder, his family, and his vision through it all. The #ReleasetheSnyderCut movement was proof that even normal, everyday internet users can be heroes. 

The internet is a vast world of possibilities. You can be anything you choose to be in the digital world. You can be a heinous person that drives people to the brink of insanity and applauds the misery of others. Or you can rise above and be a champion for those in need. Be the beacon in a dark realm. Be the pillars that uphold the weak. Be a hero and make someone’s day. The internet is only a dreadful place if we make it to be.