Being “exposed” has become a common phenomenon amongst Gen-Z individuals in this era. Speaking up and defending oneself has certainly become essential as crimes in society are increasing over time. However, is it always necessary to use the term "exposed" and unveil some unseen faces to people?
Yesterday, my Facebook feed was flooded with private screenshots and inappropriate memes about two individuals who expressed their feelings through social media. We may find their behaviour and conversation objectionable from a moral standpoint, even though judging unacquainted people is not our responsibility.
However, if they make a mistake by getting involved in an “unethical” romantic relationship, some of us have worsened the situation by sharing all the private moments and putting the issue into the limelight.
If we discuss the faults from a social and religious view, they have equal responsibility for their actions. There are also age discrepancies between them, and it is possible that the girl is not yet of legal age. In this case, the teacher could have been terminated if the girl had reported anything once.
As per my concern, the institution has rigorous rules and regulations and would not tolerate harassment at any cost. Perhaps, the exposed screenshots and explicit messages had not been brought to the attention of the institution as both had "consent" in all the activities. It is evident that the teacher has misused his power, which is unacceptable in any circumstance.
Hence, the question arises: Who actually exposed whom? Did the teacher intend to defame the girl, or did the student endeavour to reveal the traits of her teacher? It was visible that the screenshots were taken and posted from the girl's account. But are we certain that the girl did it intentionally?
There may be someone who could hack the account and try to ruin the lives of these individuals. And if they even are involved in a socially or religiously unacceptable relationship, is it our call to broadcast the entire conversation to the nation? Do we even know that we are committing a crime unknowingly?
If it is actually the case that the girl's account was hacked, then the hacker should be held accountable and punished accordingly instead of the accusants. Our curiosity and attraction towards negative things may have prompted us to help the possible hacker to fulfill his agenda. Those who shared explicit conversations and filthy memes on social media without considering the potential consequences could be held responsible for any unwanted consequences.
Our focus should be on exposing and hating the actual criminals who commit heinous crimes such as indiscriminate killing, partner or child abuse, money laundering, fraudulent, robbery, and other serious offenses rather than sharing private conversations. Yet, we are occupied with posting filthy comments on public profiles or irrelevant memes about others.
According to Section 28 of the Digital Security Act 2018, anyone who commits cyberbullying may be imprisoned for five years, with an approximate fine of Tk10 lakh or both. Unfortunately, laws are sometimes not being implemented for the right purposes, and due to the lack of proper knowledge, we fail to create awareness among the masses.
Yet, before any other victims suffer any further trouble, we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Most importantly, consensual and non-consensual activities ought to be distinguished from one another.
Last but not least, teaching is a noble profession and we place our teachers just after our parents. A teacher of course requires knowledge, but also qualities such as hard work, patience, and honesty. Therefore, one needs to remain honest with oneself before stepping into this profession.
It is also important to draw a fine line between one's personal and professional life to uphold the values of the profession. If you lose moral values and etiquettes after accomplishing your goal, the world will not let you be sustainable for long.
Additionally, when it comes to sharing controversial posts on social media, it is essential to exercise self control and consider the potential consequences before sharing them.
Hasin Shahed Shad is Senior Officer, Insidemaps and Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Manarat International University
