Dehumanisation through virtual reality

 

Dehumanisation through virtual reality

Virtual reality is becoming a more prominent concept in everyday life and most of our reality is already virtual to some degree (Kuttainen, V. 2020). Philip Brey (2014) provides an extensive explanation of reality compared to virtual reality, which allows people to better understand the nature of cyberbullying. John Danaher (2017) effectively summarises these theories into three parts: essentially physical kinds; non-physical, functional kinds; and social kinds. Danaher (2017) states that certain characteristics can be reproduced in virtual form and can appear every bit as absolute as real-world experience. This theory shows that online bullying may have the same effects as they do in the real world. As social media grows in popularity the accounts of cyberbullying also increase.  

Facebook might be one of the most misused platforms in the virtual world. Cyberbullies tend to be more destructive and more harmful online due to perceived anonymity (Reason et al., 2016). I asked a friend of mine if she had been the recipient of cyberbullying and she laughed and said, “of course not, don’t be ridiculous”. This reaction confused me as I knew she had previously received hurtful comments, though she shrugged it off like it never happened. This response has become more noticeable in young adults. According to a study by Reason et al., (2016) individuals that report issues of cyberbullying often get turned away because this virtual world is considered unreal or untouchable. Trust in the people the issue is being reported to diminishes and the victims of cyberbullying are often left feeling alone. A shortage of emotional support and protection against bullying is the result of the lack of acquaintance and recognition of cyberspace.

 

Figure 1. Cyberbullying

Note. Source: (Canva, 2020).

 

Facebook’s ability to create ‘groups’ is an enhancing feature for cyberbullying. Expressing one’s opinion groups can create a negative situation, particularly if someone does not share the same views as of this group. Although Facebook's intentions may be to create a sense of community, this is not always the outcome. Vincent Parsons is a young boy who was the recipient of online bullying. He did a Ted Talk on the matter of cyberbullying which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HdSNGE9SCk. Vincent talked about the ways he could stop online bullying using the CBR method: copy, block, and report. The fact that such a young boy feels the need to educate adults and other students about cyberbullying should be a significant indicator of how social media platforms like Facebook are being misused. The idea that someone can message a hurtful comment, which can then be deleted, anonymously is a serious threat to the joy of social media. The reality of virtual reality is that it can have a considerable impact on emotional wellbeing. Virtual reality increasingly de-realises the impacts of human interaction compared to the physical world of contact and touch. People should opt for more opportunities through real-world experiences that are enjoyable instead of getting trapped in the virtual reality of social media. 

References

Brey, P. (2014). The Physical and Social Reality of Virtual Worlds. The Oxford Handbook of Virtuality (pp. 42-54) https://ethicsandtechnology.eu/wp-content/uploads/downloadable-content/brey-2014-social-reality.pdf

Canva. (2020). Cyberbullying [Online image] Canva. www.canva.com 

Danaher, J. (2017). The Reality of Virtual Reality: A Philosophical Analyses. Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. https://ieet.org/index.php/IEET2/more/Danaher20170918   

Kuttainen, V. (2020). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narrative and the Making of Place; week 7 lecture slides [PowerPoint file]. LearnJCU. https://learn.jcu.edu.au/

Reason, L., Boyd, M., & Reason, C. (2016, Dec). Cyberbullying in Rural Communities: Origin and Processing through the Lens of Older Adolescents. The Qualitative Report, 21(12).