The dark side of “funas” for influencers: “There are violent comments that can do a lot of harm”

They share their day from waking up to going to bed, they show what they will wear, what they eat, what they do, who they are with, what products they use, where they walk. The work of the influencers It’s like this: to each follower, they give a good part of their private life. However, the connection with so many people It’s a double-edged sword.

And that’s it Hidden behind screens, anonymity seems like a comfortable enough place to intimidate anyone, without being punished. On several occasions, there have been instances where social media figures have done something “bad”, making an unpopular comment or having negative attitudes that have led to massive “funas”.

This term, adopted in the daily vocabulary of Chileans, means “public repudiation” against something or someone.

And although The annoyance of networks with the negative behavior and comments of a public figure is completely valid. The “funas” can quickly go from an innocent comment about a sopaipillas recipe to a death threat.

This is the panorama of influencers, followers and “haters” that we have been confronted with in recent times.

“The accessibility and massification of social networks have provided us with a virtual space, which is a living space, which allows us to stay in permanent communication. This has many advantages, “But it also has another side, which is that of being more exposed,” start to explain The third Romina León, academic at the School of Psychology of the University of the Andes .

For the expert, An influencer is someone who “deliberately chooses to expose themselves even more than others.” And, to this day, being a public figure can be a full-time job for many, which is why they make the decision to expose themselves, also taking into account the benefits that this career brings.

But Enter the Internet users who generally follow different characters to give them their support, but also to transmit hatred to them: “As this is a virtual space, people feel freer or more “emboldened” to say things in a much harsher way ideas, feelings and thoughts that they can experience more impulsively and with less filtering.

“These same people probably wouldn’t say the same things if it were an in-person space. Perhaps their comments would be recorded or measured. But on social media “This space is generated that encourages anonymity and the feeling of hiding to say everything without a filter.” said the psychologist.

So, when annoyance is generated between users towards an influencer, A kind of “contagion effect” begins as more and more people join and, without filters, attack anyone exposed in this virtual space.

“The attacks are multiplying like a snowball. The number of comments, insults, disqualifications, the level of aggression and “It’s reaching really worrying and very violent levels that can do a lot of harm.”

This is where influencers are an easy target. “If a person decides to dedicate themselves fully to social networks, they must anticipate that it is an extremely risky space and, therefore, I urge caution” said Leon.

Although the expert defends freedom of expression, she analyzes that In the current context, “you expose yourself to the fact that if your opinion does not conform to the canons of what is acceptable in our culture, you will indeed be criticized, judged and possibly “killed.”

But at the same time, “Massive hate attacks from users are truly terrible and should be judged harshly, in the sense of being critical of them. “They are forbidden and should not be practiced.”

That’s to say, Responsibility lies with both parties: both the influencers with the content they share, as well as their followers and users who interact with them.

There are several influencers who were “founded” in the country for various reasons. The list is long and includes figures such as Constanza Capelli, Ignacia Antonia, Ropero Paula, Pollo Castillo, Jorge Chacón, Cata Vallejo, Kika Silva, Rey Alcalde, iamferv, among others.

AND, To protect themselves, many decide to close comments on social networks, put their accounts in private mode and even disappear for a long time. .

This was announced by influencer Beatriz Bravo (the most recent case of “deceased” influencers) who apologized after saying on her podcast Not so different who thought putting children in cold showers was acceptable. The comment sparked a wave of critical reactions – a normal and expected interaction on the internet – but others went further and threatened to kill her and throw acid in her face as she walked down the street.

“There are some really catastrophic comments that can have a huge impact on the mental health of people affected by this issue.” stresses psychologist Romina León. And influencers have their work source (mobile phone) with them all day, so they don’t “disconnect” at any time.

On the other hand, when a person with a regular job has problems, they usually finish their work day and go home to try to relax and forget about what happened.

“They live immersed in this reality 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So it has a profound impact and reach, which is much more massive and so I think it can have a huge detriment to their mental health.

Hateful, degrading and threatening comments can cause in a person “reactions of a more pathological or symptomatic nature, such as anxiety.” This does not allow you to continue functioning in your daily tasks and activities.

They can also haveanxiety, panic attacks and possibly depressive episodes can be triggered.

The psychologist adds that, on several occasions, It is not only hatred that triggers this type of situation, but also the context in which the person lives. The “funa” would only be an aggravating factor.

“Mental health problems usually respond to a set of different variables. Suffering from hate on social media can trigger a problem but it is not the only cause. This person may have family problems, suffer from stress at work or have financial difficulties. It is a sum that can cause something more complex.

However, the expert states that A large part of society present on social networks presents “an extremely controversial level of aggression.”

The psychologist’s call is to go to psychotherapy if emotional confinement is necessary, because “it is a space suitable for anyone who feels like working on personal problems of any kind, but even more so if they are going through a problem or a period of personal difficulty in any area of ​​their life.”