A new survey "That’s not funny … Youths and their Perspective on Conflicts in Social Network Services" realised by JFF - the Institute of media education shows how youths handle interpersonal conflicts in online communities like Facebook. On behalf of the Bavarian regulatory authority for commercial broadcasting the JFF questioned 61 youths and obtained interesting results.
Youth have a quite differentiated view of online conflicts. Form their point of view the range of conflicts is much larger than forms of cyber bullying. They differentiate between "just for fun" conflicts, dissensions, real conflicts and cyber bullying. This conceals a complex system of rules how to react in which conflict. A person who is not acquainted with this rules, can’t provide support. From the point of view of the questioned adolescents this applies to most of the adults. But also youths are often overstrained.
Conflicts arises mainly with "friends of friends"
In social network services conflicts are becoming often visible for others. All "friends" on the platform can read along. The interviewees of survey experience conflicts most often with friends of friends. With these "friend of friends" young people would not necessarily communicate offline, i.e. in a direct exchange. But this is quite common within online communities. Especially with friends of friends a serious conflict arises more often from a "just for fun" conflict, because persons do not know well each other. Misunderstandings are a common cause of conflicts in social communities.
Adolescents don’t see themselves and others as victim and perpetrator
Youths only accept ascriptions like "victim" or "perpetrator" in highly escalated conflicts. They claim for themselves and for others however to resolve conflicts in a self-determined way. Therefore it seems from the outsight as if adolescents are ignoring witnessed conflicts between other persons, whereas out of their point of view they are respecting the sovereignty of conflicting parties. This reveals an orientation on social values like self-reliance and assertiveness. But sometimes youths are unable to cope with the online conflicts. They also find it difficult to assess situations of conflicts and therefore to realise when it is necessary to intervene. If they are themselves involved in conflict they often see "ignoring an insult" as the only possible solution. This can be understood as "withstand of hostility" or also as "being above hostilities". This cannot be assessed clearly from the outside.
Young People seek and get support among themselves
Conflicts in social communities confront youths with problems that they are not always able to handle, especially if they are left on their own. It is a common daily practice that friends support each other when they are asked to. In contrast, adults are only consulted when youths trust them or if they believe that adults understand the complex mechanisms and rules of online conflicts. Regarding information sites on the Internet adolescents are overall sceptical. The reporting feature of online platforms are only relevant for them if they receive spam or other unwanted contents from strangers.
Based on the survey results the authors developed guidelines for the educational work with young people:
- To understand when it is not funny anymore a more nuanced view on the various forms of conflict is necessary. Only by taking the perspective of adolescents a person can assess, when youths need support. It is indispensable to talk with the adolescents about the different forms of conflicts in its range and to discuss together options for action.
- The decision when a conflict is not funny anymore lies not only by the parties of the dispute. Social value conceptions play also an important role in the mediation of online conflicts. Educational work should balance together with young people the experiences of their own living environment as well as socially accepted norms and values (for instance self-reliance and showing solidarity).
- When a situation is not funny anymore there is a need for clarification. Not only conflicts in general but escalating actions in situations of conflict should be disapproved. Constructive ways of acting in online conflicts should be developed and discussed in cooperation with adolescents. Furthermore, it should be clarified in which situations and in which manner online conflicts should be supported.
For further information please find the survey enclosed (only in German language available).