Last month, a heart-wrenching incident happened when two young ladies, after meeting on a dating app, both committed suicide. The tragedy is a wake-up call for Hong Kong of the alarming need to take swift action to protect young adults and school pupils in the digital domain. After all, the virtual community can be more influential than reality for many young people, especially the underaged.
The internet is more than a part of life, it is life itself. Being online is a way of life, a universe we create virtually, and a community where people cohabit. The real world gives rise to culture, social norms, government, etc. The virtual realm invades people’s real lives and has a tangible impact on the world, creating an urgent need to tame the ever-growing online communities with laws and regulations. Since the digital world is easily accessible to everyone, and the size of the fast-growing virtual community is larger, and often more complicated, than the real one, it can be extremely dangerous, especially for vulnerable and growing pupils, to set foot in cyberspace without sufficient protection.
Cyberbullying, for example, is more common than before, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were confined to their homes and spent more time online. It has been identified as a major cause in the deterioration of mental health among online users.
What Hong Kong needs now is to set up clear boundaries for internet users and a ready-made safety net. In the UK, changes to the Online Safety Bill have been put forward and should become law in April. Any social media content or communication online that encourages self-harm will become illegal. But to protect freedom of speech, the bill will no longer specify what types of legal content social media firms will need to address. This will mean the companies don’t have to remove legitimate posts to avoid legal consequences, but they will still be liable to protect children and remove illegal content. In the US, the Stop Online Suicide Assistance Forums Act criminalizes any communication that intentionally assists in another person’s suicide attempt, such as suicide assistance forums, which have become popular lately.
Likewise, Hong Kong needs rules and regulations to protect netizens and provide guidelines for them to behave appropriately. The youth and children, especially, need to know where they can go when they encounter problems online, and their mental health needs should be addressed timely.
Online emotional support platforms, such as Open Up, are designed specially to support and protect this group of people. In 2022, Open Up had over 30,000 text-based counseling sessions; more than 5 percent of the cases are classified as high risk of suicide or a crisis. Open Up offers a safety haven for people to receive appropriate support.
Many people might not be aware of how destructive their words can be. The use of undisclosed identities in the virtual community gives the illusion that one cannot be held responsible for toxic or seductive words or conduct online. Some might mistakenly believe that expressing suicidal inclinations online is not a serious matter.
We should not overlook the consequences of seemingly casual and short conversations online. We all have a role to play in creating a supportive and safe online community with empathy. Government and legislators need to review the laws or set up new guidelines to regulate harmful or life-threatening online activities. Regulators should provide support or take legal action when toxic or harmful content with ill intentions is detected. Dangerous comments should be removed, and warnings given to those who are guilty of sending provocative or seductive messages. Online social services, such as text-based counseling platforms, should stay sensitive and agile. Moreover, netizens should respect each other, and they should be aware of the effects of their words or conduct. Attending to others’ needs and showing empathy to others will make cyberspace a better place.
Beyond the digital realm, there is always more that can be done in real life. First of all, media professionals have a responsibility to report tragedies, such as suicides, appropriately to avoid inflaming public sentiment. A detailed description of the suicide method should not be elaborated on; media and blogs should be mindful of the possible readership of children and adolescents. Together, we can form the strongest safety net, both online and offline. We should keep in mind that the internet, by its essence, is a good servant but a bad master.
Paul Yip is the chair professor (population health) at the University of Hong Kong.
Joyce Liu is a project manager of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.