It is almost X-Factor season here in the United Kingdom. The tenth season of the popular so-called talent contest is returning to our television screens where wannabe "singers" get the five minutes of fame they've always craved. The "backstage gossip" started with the announcement that Sharon Osbourne returns to the judging panel and we have discovered this week that Louis Walsh is not going to judge the 2014 series - unless ITV had the sense to cancel the show altogether by then. Also, the show's last year's finalists have already released chart-topping albums - Jahmene Douglas being the recent success story after collecting a number one accolade for his recent album while 2012's winner James Arthur announced he is to release his debut album later this year. Who will follow his footsteps this time around? I'm at the edge of my seat just thinking about it. Can't you sense the sheer joy and excitement on my face?
In recent years, I have been slightly sceptical about The X-Factor. I may have mentioned that Simon Cowell, the man behind the talent show, is no different to media mogul Rupert Murdoch - although recently, I came to the conclusion that Mr Cowell is just as bad as Chelsea captain John Terry. I have also written about the fact the programme brainwashes people to the point that we forget to remember those who have genuinely influenced the world in a positive way. But I suppose we live in a tabloid society where the well-being of Cheryl Cole is more important than a flood which has devastated a significant part of the globe.
Living in a tabloid society isn't that disastrous though, is it? It's nice to have a little bit of escapism in our lives, I agree. However, this tabloid society ignores the seriousness of reality. We have seen the worst in people over the past couple of weeks with some resorting to social media to publicly humiliate those they do not know. A couple of weeks ago, not many people heard of Labour MP Stella Creasy, feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez or Cambridge Professor Mary Beard, until they named and shamed threatening tweets aimed at them by "Twitter trolls".
You can imagine waking up in the morning and reading messages from fans on social media, the last thing you want to see is that one tweet which ruins it for the majority of well-wishers. And these Twitter trolls aren't writing childish things, we are talking horrific comments which let's put it this way, their grandmothers never taught them to say. The classics professor Mary Beard for example received a tweet which said that there was a bomb outside her house about to blast at 10.47pm exactly. If someone wrote that to me, I'd literally pack my bags, leave my house and never return. But Ms Beard managed to keep her cool and simply called the police - a more sensible and dignified approach.
Not just household names have been affected by recent online abuse. Hannah Smith from Leicestershire was an active registered member of question-and-answer social networking site Ask.fm. She too, was a victim to these trolls. One said she should kill herself - with no reasoning behind the message. Unfortunately, devastatingly, Miss Smith took her own life on the 2nd August. She was just 14 years old. Words cannot describe the amount of grief her family must be going through at present. For one social media website to hold that level of influence on an individual shows the sheer damaging power is has over someone.
The thing which bewilders me the most in all of this is that those who troll would even image such atrocities to people they do not even know. It does question the use of Twitter. However, the victims have been quick to acknowledge the site's positives - it is a superb way to communicate with those you look up to (or those that look up to you), and also see the news breaking right in front of you by a variety of news sources. Remember, those who troll are the minority but it is true that they can ruin it for the majority.
The police have responded to all of this in a rather well, considering the complexity of the issue. They have arrested a few of the trolls already and no doubt they will be punished. I remember over a year ago when Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac during an FA Cup match which provoked someone to ridicule the football star. That someone was given a short term jail sentence. There is nothing else the police can do because it is a tricky situation to be involved in. However, this sorry episode of Twitter trolls threatening the lives of others is a cruel act of ignorance. The recent weeks provoked some to take part in a 24-hour "#twittersilence" campaign last Sunday, an initiative which encouraged people not to tweet for an entire day. Some who defended the victims championed this move. Some of the victims however chose not to be silenced. Either way, it raised awareness to those who are victim to cyber-bullying.
Why is this related to The X-Factor, I hear you ask? That show has been aired for ten years, before the introduction to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. However, even from the first series I sensed the hostility people had towards others. In The X-Factor, it was acceptable for the judges to bluntly criticise someone which has home viewers entertained. But with these judges' exploiting auditionees' "weaknesses" provokes others to do the same in reality. More people today are criticising others' weight, looks and personality, I have noticed. Even if some have the belief they are good enough to succeed regardless of how they look, others offer that lack of confidence which would enable them to progress with life.
People, believe it or not, respect Simon Cowell and once he calls somebody "worthless", then some have the audacity to say that to others just because he said it and got away with it. The social media not only gets the worst out of people, but it reveals the vulnerability of others. Mary Beard is aware of the cyber-threats. Being used to the public limelight, she has seen her fair share of praises and criticisms aimed at her. But not Hannah Smith. She was too young to realise there was more to life than a couple of horrific and needless comments. The youth are more prone to social vulnerability their previous generations never experienced. I have never been a parent but if I was one today, I would feel uncomfortable if my child was registered to social media websites from a young age.
I can understand what Prime Minister David Cameron was saying before his summer holiday when he said he would track every move his children make whenever they go online. However, rather than snooping on your children making them feel more paranoid the young must be educated on the potential dangers of social media. If someone you don't know on Facebook has added you, don't accept them. If someone has written awful things to you on Twitter, report it, then take it at your stride because you know you're not worthless. We cannot stop people from writing hurtful things on social media, as much as we would love to. Hearing these stories show that there are idiots in this planet, we just have to stand against them and not let them defeat the genuine.
In recent years, I have been slightly sceptical about The X-Factor. I may have mentioned that Simon Cowell, the man behind the talent show, is no different to media mogul Rupert Murdoch - although recently, I came to the conclusion that Mr Cowell is just as bad as Chelsea captain John Terry. I have also written about the fact the programme brainwashes people to the point that we forget to remember those who have genuinely influenced the world in a positive way. But I suppose we live in a tabloid society where the well-being of Cheryl Cole is more important than a flood which has devastated a significant part of the globe.
Living in a tabloid society isn't that disastrous though, is it? It's nice to have a little bit of escapism in our lives, I agree. However, this tabloid society ignores the seriousness of reality. We have seen the worst in people over the past couple of weeks with some resorting to social media to publicly humiliate those they do not know. A couple of weeks ago, not many people heard of Labour MP Stella Creasy, feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez or Cambridge Professor Mary Beard, until they named and shamed threatening tweets aimed at them by "Twitter trolls".
You can imagine waking up in the morning and reading messages from fans on social media, the last thing you want to see is that one tweet which ruins it for the majority of well-wishers. And these Twitter trolls aren't writing childish things, we are talking horrific comments which let's put it this way, their grandmothers never taught them to say. The classics professor Mary Beard for example received a tweet which said that there was a bomb outside her house about to blast at 10.47pm exactly. If someone wrote that to me, I'd literally pack my bags, leave my house and never return. But Ms Beard managed to keep her cool and simply called the police - a more sensible and dignified approach.
Not just household names have been affected by recent online abuse. Hannah Smith from Leicestershire was an active registered member of question-and-answer social networking site Ask.fm. She too, was a victim to these trolls. One said she should kill herself - with no reasoning behind the message. Unfortunately, devastatingly, Miss Smith took her own life on the 2nd August. She was just 14 years old. Words cannot describe the amount of grief her family must be going through at present. For one social media website to hold that level of influence on an individual shows the sheer damaging power is has over someone.
The thing which bewilders me the most in all of this is that those who troll would even image such atrocities to people they do not even know. It does question the use of Twitter. However, the victims have been quick to acknowledge the site's positives - it is a superb way to communicate with those you look up to (or those that look up to you), and also see the news breaking right in front of you by a variety of news sources. Remember, those who troll are the minority but it is true that they can ruin it for the majority.
The police have responded to all of this in a rather well, considering the complexity of the issue. They have arrested a few of the trolls already and no doubt they will be punished. I remember over a year ago when Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac during an FA Cup match which provoked someone to ridicule the football star. That someone was given a short term jail sentence. There is nothing else the police can do because it is a tricky situation to be involved in. However, this sorry episode of Twitter trolls threatening the lives of others is a cruel act of ignorance. The recent weeks provoked some to take part in a 24-hour "#twittersilence" campaign last Sunday, an initiative which encouraged people not to tweet for an entire day. Some who defended the victims championed this move. Some of the victims however chose not to be silenced. Either way, it raised awareness to those who are victim to cyber-bullying.
Why is this related to The X-Factor, I hear you ask? That show has been aired for ten years, before the introduction to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. However, even from the first series I sensed the hostility people had towards others. In The X-Factor, it was acceptable for the judges to bluntly criticise someone which has home viewers entertained. But with these judges' exploiting auditionees' "weaknesses" provokes others to do the same in reality. More people today are criticising others' weight, looks and personality, I have noticed. Even if some have the belief they are good enough to succeed regardless of how they look, others offer that lack of confidence which would enable them to progress with life.
People, believe it or not, respect Simon Cowell and once he calls somebody "worthless", then some have the audacity to say that to others just because he said it and got away with it. The social media not only gets the worst out of people, but it reveals the vulnerability of others. Mary Beard is aware of the cyber-threats. Being used to the public limelight, she has seen her fair share of praises and criticisms aimed at her. But not Hannah Smith. She was too young to realise there was more to life than a couple of horrific and needless comments. The youth are more prone to social vulnerability their previous generations never experienced. I have never been a parent but if I was one today, I would feel uncomfortable if my child was registered to social media websites from a young age.
I can understand what Prime Minister David Cameron was saying before his summer holiday when he said he would track every move his children make whenever they go online. However, rather than snooping on your children making them feel more paranoid the young must be educated on the potential dangers of social media. If someone you don't know on Facebook has added you, don't accept them. If someone has written awful things to you on Twitter, report it, then take it at your stride because you know you're not worthless. We cannot stop people from writing hurtful things on social media, as much as we would love to. Hearing these stories show that there are idiots in this planet, we just have to stand against them and not let them defeat the genuine.
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