Storytelling and Privacy

In the era of tech , a lot of positives are happening in society linked to the internet age and so is negatives. When one tells their story to the world, the responses is often three-fold, positive, negative or neutral. There are reported incidences  of people being trolled after sharing their story online and some even killed [1], there are those who have gotten positive feedback or even been helped upon sharing their plight online. Many people are increasingly going online to get information about different things with differing  responses. Online bullying is a serious thing with detrimental effects when it gets to the extremes[2].People have been bullied online for what they have written and ended up  taking a break from social media.

The virtual world can be  a very wicked arena, especially when one’s right to privacy is compromised. Many of the victims of cyber bullying have often been women[3].It takes a lot of thick skin to when engaging online and of course there is often the legion of people who  are often out to cause chaos on other people’s online posts or troll others. With online bullying electronic devices are used to send often intimidating messages or messages intended to lower the dignity of a person. Online bullying knows no class or race , whether rich of poor , anybody can be a subject to cyber bullying .Take for example the case of renowned Kenyan media personality Adelle Onyango who has been subjected to bullying because of her teeth.[4] Another more recent example is of online bullying that is very pervasive is body shaming after sharing a photo online .This is particularly prevalent in cases where people have gained weight either due to motherhood, a disease or diet.[5]To share a story with the public , one has to be very ready because people’s reactions are diverse. Sometimes one can put up a story only for it to end up being viral with discriminatory remarks in form of memes.

Online bullying because of what someone has written or because of what someone has shared has the impacts of lowering one’s self esteem. It makes people question their self-worth and in extreme cases has resulted to people committing suicide or other forms of self-inflicted pain. Protection from trolls therefore becomes one major reason for privacy in storytelling.

An individual or group can be dealing with a sensitive issue which requires them to be incognito. We all know how matters land are sensitive in  countries in Africa  and the world at large. the same applies to extractives[6].Stories around extractives and land often carry with them a lot of security threats[7] because often the multinational corporations often tend to invest billions of cash in these projects and do not therefore want anyone interfering with their work in the name of activism for the affected. Take the example of Berta Caceres of Honduras, who was threated several times and eventually murdered because of her activism  against multinational  corporations[8]

Privacy in story telling is important as it protects those who are not yet ready enough to be open about their pains. Take for example a woman who has substance abuse issues but who want to share her story to help others. She may prefer some form of privacy , particularly to be able to protect her children from future bullying .Additionally , such a woman may prefer privacy if she has not  opened up to her addiction from family members or extended family. People also prefer privacy when they tell their stories because their family members may not be ready to deal with what the story teller is sharing. For example, a story of abduction by a family member , or a story about gender based violence may be shared in  privacy to protect the survivor from further abuse or victimisation. When one gets bullied because of what they write or because of their bodies , the damages are far fetching .Withdrawal and self-doubt begin to creep in on the person .There is also a fear of virtual engagement , especially with the very gadgets that caused them emotional turmoil.

Privacy also ensures being sensitive of the situation of the person sharing the story. For example  stories about persons below the age of 18 ( age of adulthood ) in Kenya ,may be told but only with the consent of the parents /guardians .Furthermore stories for example that have to do with children in conflict with the law must ensure the identity of the child is protected so that they are not subjected to victimisation in the course of their lives because of being in contact with the justice system. In cases where minors have to be interviewed, consent of their parents or guardians is often sought because the minors do not have capacity to give consent. Privacy in the case of stories to do with minors also involves covering their faces  to protect their identity.

Privacy in story telling is also importance as a way of protecting oneself against future manipulation. For example when you share something sensitive with the public or in private , the possibility of manipulation  when one has not concealed their identity if often high.

Lack  of privacy  online  , sometimes one gets attacked by people with pseudo accounts , so pinning  the perpetrators down is a challenge , because some even go to the extent of having multiple pseudo accounts and hence can easily keep shifting.

Privacy in story telling depending on the content gives one a piece of mind. It helps in ensuring accountability  by respecting the decisions of the story teller. When the story teller is ready  for their story to be shared , it is often prudent to ask for their consent. It is therefore very important for people to understand the relevance of privacy when the make up their minds to share their stories.

[1] https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-cyber-security-expert-trolled-the-trolls-then-one-killed-him

[2] https://postamate.com/2020/04/kenyans-ranked-as-the-worst-bullies-on-twitter-by-un-body/

[3] https://kw.awcfs.org/article/cyber-bullying-latest-nightmare-for-women/

[4] https://nation.africa/kenya/life-and-style/buzz/adelle-onyango-rising-above-bullies-1047556

[5] https://mpasho.co.ke/entertainment/2023-02-22-celebrities-who-have-been-body-shamed-over-the-years/

[6] https://www.globalwitness.org/en/press-releases/global-witness-reports-227-land-and-environmental-activists-murdered-single-year-worst-figure-record/

[7] https://www.defenddefenders.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Only-the-brave.pdf

[8]https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=berta+caceres&docid=607996369918245772&mid=94EDA98A759CC26840E294EDA98A759CC26840E2&view=detail&FORM=VIRE