It took around 90 seconds for Liana Montag to witness the violence on her X account. The altercation in the restaurant escalated into a full-fledged brawl, with chairs being smashed over heads and bodies strewn across the floor.
The “Gang_Hits” account features numerous similar clips, including shootings, beatings, and individuals being run over by cars. This falls into a brutal genre of content that is frequently promoted by algorithms and appears on young people’s social media feeds without their consent.
Liana Montag: “It’s normal to see violence.” Photo: Martin Godwin/The Guardian
Montag, an 18-year-old from Birmingham, also active on Instagram and Snapchat, has connected with several other teenagers at the Bring Hope charity in Handsworth. She shared, “If someone mentions they were stabbed recently, you don’t react as strongly anymore. It’s become a normal sight.”
Violent content is becoming more relatable in many cases. Iniko St Clair Hughes, 19, cited the example of gangs filming chases and posting them on Instagram.
“Now everyone has seen him flee, and his pride will likely push him to seek revenge,” he explained. “It spreads in group chats, and everyone knows about the escape, so they feel the need to prove themselves the next time they step out. That’s how it goes. The retaliation gets filmed, sometimes.”
Jamil Charles, 18, admitted to appearing in such video clips. He mentioned that footage of him in fights had been circulating on social media.
“Things can escalate quickly on social media as people glamorize different aspects,” he commented. “Fights can start between two individuals, and they can be resolved. But when the video goes viral, it may portray me in a negative light, leading to a blow to my pride, which might drive me to seek revenge and assert myself.”
All this had a worrying impact, as St. Clair-Hughes pointed out.
“When fear is instilled through social media, you’re placed in a fight-or-flight mode, unsure of how to proceed when leaving your house – it’s either being ahead of the game or lagging behind. You feel prepared for anything… It’s subliminal; no one is explicitly telling you to resort to violence, but the exposure to it intensifies the urge.”
Leanna Reed, 18, shared a story of a friend who started carrying a knife post an argument on Snapchat. While mostly boys were involved, there was also a female acquaintance who carried a weapon.
“It’s no longer a topic of discussion,” she noted. “He who emerges victorious with his weapon is deemed the winner. It’s about pride.”
Is there a solution? St. Clair Hughes expressed pessimism.
“People tend to veer towards negativity… [Social media companies] want us using their platforms, so I doubt they’ll steer towards a more positive direction.”
Reed mentioned hearing about TikTok being more regulated and education-focused in China, leading her to ponder different approaches taken by various countries on the same platform.
O’Shaun Henry, 19, directed a candid message towards social media companies, urging them to utilize their power to make positive changes, especially through AI. Limits need to be set, considering the influence on young individuals. It’s time to introspect, conduct research, and bring about improvements.
Source: www.theguardian.com
