A social experiment conducted at Petrópolis Adventist College in Rio de Janeiro revealed the deep emotional impact offensive online comments can have on teenagers. The initiative was part of the Breaking the Silence campaign, an annual project of the South American Division that raises awareness against abuse and violence.

As part of the activity, students aged 15 to 17 received balloons containing real comments posted on social media. When popped, the balloons revealed messages such as “If you die, no one will miss you.”

Shock, indignation, and even tears marked the moment. One student, visibly moved, shared that she had once received the same hurtful comment in real life. “We have to be careful with our words. We never know what the other person is going through and the weight a sentence can carry,” she said.

Other students also reflected on the seriousness of the messages. Emanuelle Kristian Bueno Carvalho emphasized, “We don’t know what people go through privately, so saying this to someone without considering the consequences is inhumane.” Miguel Nolasco Gimenes admitted that while he might have made such remarks in the past, he now chooses differently: “I’ve learned that you can’t say that; it’s wrong.”

Growing Concern About Digital Violence

Digital violence is a growing threat to children, adolescents, and adults. Offensive comments, threats, and inappropriate content can cause profound and silent psychological damage.

According to clinical psychologist Andrea de Lima Almeida Rojas, a specialist in psychoanalysis, "adolescence is a period of intense identity and self-esteem formation. Offensive messages received on social media can trigger insecurities, deep sadness, and even depression or anxiety."

Recent data reinforces the severity of the problem. Three in 10 children and adolescents have been bullied online, according to the TIC Kids Online Brazil 2023 survey. Another survey by the National Cybercrime Reporting Center revealed that online hate crimes reached more than 74,000 cases in 2022. And between 21.6% and 34.1% of young people aged 13 to 18 reported suicidal thoughts associated with cyberbullying, according to Fiocruz-SP.

The Breaking the Silence campaign is running simultaneously across the eight countries the South American Division oversees: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. This year, the focus is on the risks of the virtual world and ways to protect yourself from digital violence.

The original article was published on the South American Division Portuguese news site. Join the ANN WhatsApp Channel for the latest Adventist news.