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Can social roles lead to discrimination and exclusion?

Immanuel Paddemore

Social media platforms have become a major part of our daily lives, offering us an opportunity to connect with like-minded people, share our experiences, and express our opinions on various issues. With this incredible power comes great responsibility, as social media platforms can either bring people together or be a tool for division and discrimination.

Undoubtedly, social roles can lead to discrimination and exclusion on social media. Social roles are the defined positions or roles that individuals hold in society, such as gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, these roles can become the victim of discrimination on social media, leading to an exclusion of the targeted individual from the online community.

The impact of social roles on social media can be felt in two ways: explicit and implicit discrimination. Explicit discrimination refers to the direct and intentional targeting of individuals based on their social roles. For instance, individuals from marginalized groups may be subjected to hate speech, cyberbullying, or become targets of trolls. Such discrimination may result in damaging an individual's mental health, self-esteem, and sense of belonging to the online community.

Implicit discrimination, on the other hand, refers to the indirect targeting of individuals based on their social roles. This type of discrimination is often subtle and unconscious, but just as harmful as explicit discrimination. For example, algorithms used in social media platforms to recommend certain content or advertise products may perpetuate a bias towards a particular social group. Implicit discrimination can also be seen in the lack of representation of certain social groups in the content and images shared on social media platforms.

Discrimination and exclusion based on social roles can be tackled through several measures. One of the most effective ways to prevent explicit discrimination is by reporting any hateful or abusive content or behavior on social media platforms. Social media companies should also provide better resources and support for individuals who have been subjected to discrimination. These efforts will go a long way in ensuring that individuals feel safe and included in the online community.

Furthermore, implicit discrimination can be tackled by actively promoting diversity and inclusion on social media. This can be achieved by amplifying voices from underrepresented social groups, featuring content from diverse creators, and creating campaigns and events that celebrate diversity. Social media companies can also ensure that their algorithms are designed to avoid bias towards certain social groups.

In conclusion, social roles can lead to discrimination and exclusion on social media platforms. However, it is up to us, as users, to take proactive steps towards combating this issue. By reporting and challenging hateful and abusive content, promoting diversity and inclusion, and creating safe spaces for individuals from marginalized groups, we can ensure that social media platforms bring people together and do not contribute to social division.