Visualize this: A teenager sits alone in her room, the room is fully dark except for the light reflecting off her phone. Scrolling endlessly through her comments, bombarded with hateful, passive-aggressive remarks, she is provided with outright hostility from people she doesn't know. Posting a video of her face because she felt confident turned into a battleground of laughing emojis, mocking comments, and memes created of her.

What am I describing right now? The current stage of social media.

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Platforms like TikTok and Instagram's original point was to connect people together from all over the world, yet it divides us even more. Many studies have shown that the anonymity provided by screens makes it easier for people to dehumanize others. A Pew Research Study in 2021 was conducted that found that 41% of Americans have experienced online harassment, receiving comments that were deeply personal and cruel. But why does this matter? Empathy is the glue that holds humanity together and allows us to understand and respect each other. When the glue erodes, it breeds a ground of toxicity.

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Take the story of Charli Damelio, a TikTok influencer who rose to fame in 2020 because of her light-hearted dancing videos. This was a harmless way to spend her time on the app, but her comments were filled with death threats, people calling her talentless, and telling her to quit TikTok. This greatly impacted her mental health and led her to take a break due to the unnecessary hate.

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While social media often amplifies negativity, empathy can still be taught, even online. Initiatives like the #BeKind campaigns encourage users to think twice before posting hurtful comments. Many people forget how to be kind, and some people use the facelessness of a TikTok account as a reason to be rude.

People will say, “You can't help it; it's the internet. Everyone is like this.” NO! It is not just the internet. It consists of people! Humans! The more people get comfortable with bullying and judging, the more it translates to real life. People are losing empathy, and it is scary how this will translate in the future.

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What can we as humans do to re-incorporate empathy back into our lives?

• Read/watch stories outside your world: Books, films, and even online posts from different cultures or perspectives stretch your ability to understand others.
• Slow down: Empathy often gets lost when we’re rushing. Taking time to pause and notice others creates space for compassion.
• Put yourself in their shoes: Before judging, pause and ask, “What might this person be going through right now?”
• Remember the person: Behind every username is someone who laughs, cries, and feels things just like you do.

We always think, “I would never do this,” but the more we as a society get desensitized to bullying and hate, the more we sometimes won't realize right from wrong, so it is never a bad thing to incorporate empathy back in our lives. Just remember, if you haven't heard it already, you are enough and there is someone there that loves you, even if you don't think it.