People worried over online abuse, call for strong action

Social media, particularly X, has become a notorious platform for vulgar, insensitive, and vile commentary about women and children. They are frequent targets of online abuse, often facing a barrage of derogatory remarks. This behaviour ranges from body shaming and sexist insults to outright threats.

A 20-year-old former X user, who requested anonymity, said she faced abusive comments by a group on the platform. “I faced extremely sexual comments from a bunch of strangers. Not just against me, but even my family members. It was a dark phase in my life.”

She said, “It began when I posted a picture of me during Diwali three years ago. In that post, people began making lewd comments about everything. Then, they dug up my old tweets and began tweeting vulgar stuff.” She said she left the platform after facing such situations.

This trend is especially prominent in the world of Tollywood, where heroes and their daughters are often targeted. In recent years, X has seen an alarming increase in derogatory remarks aimed at celebrities and their families. Tollywood stars, who enjoy massive fan followings, find themselves and their loved ones subjected to relentless online abuse.

Daughters of these celebrities, some of whom are minors, are frequently at the receiving end of the most disturbing comments. The comments range from body shaming and sexist remarks to outright threats, creating a toxic environment on social media. Recently, derogatory comments were made against a popular actor and his minor daughter by an X user.

Dr Priya Sharma, a psychologist, explained the impact of such online behaviour: "The anonymity of social media lets people say things they would never say in person. This can have severe psychological effects on the victims, leading to anxiety, depression, and a host of other mental health issues."

The trend of making vulgar comments about Tollywood heroes and their daughters is not only harmful, but also shows a deeper societal issue. It shows the lack of respect for women and children, and the disturbing ease with which people resort to abusive language online.

"It's essential for social media platforms to take stricter measures to curb such behaviour. Reporting mechanisms and community guidelines need to be enforced more rigorously to protect individuals from online harassment”, Dr Priya added.

Efforts to combat online abuse have been made by various social media platforms, but many believe these measures are insufficient. Users often call for more robust actions, including better moderation and quicker responses to reports of abuse.