Cancel culture involves using social media to publicly reject or boycott individuals or institutions for offensive actions or statements. While it has roots in social justice movements like #MeToo, which gained prominence in 2017 by empowering victims to speak out against abusers, cancel culture can sometimes devolve into cyberbullying. This shift focuses on ostracizing and condemning targets rather than fostering healthy discussions or promoting learning from mistakes.

In Singapore, individuals have legal protections under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA), which allows victims to apply for protection orders and press charges in cases of doxxing. Additionally, the Defamation Act provides avenues for legal action if false statements have damaged one's reputation.

Other than getting help from the law, here are four tips to cope with being ‘cancelled’ on social media:

Record evidence: If harassed, screenshot harmful messages as evidence, stay calm, and avoid retaliating to prevent escalating the situation.
Assess the situation and act accordingly: Evaluate if the criticism is valid, seek trusted advice, and apologize if you're at fault.
Take a break from social media: Take a break from social media, disable notifications, and engage in therapeutic activities like journaling to protect your mental health.
Seek help: Inform trusted adults about the situation, provide details to help them intervene, and seek support from friends and family to safeguard your mental health.

Read the original article from TOUCH Community Services for more details.

4 tips to survive being cancelled on social media

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