BSL translation courtesy of British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust

 

 

The impact of social media on mental health has been a hot topic for a few years now. Kate Winslet’s speech at the BAFTAs for her role in ‘I Am Ruth’, where she asked for “those in power to criminalise and eradicate harmful content in online spaces” can make it hard to imagine that there is hope for being kind online. 

Whilst the focus of online bullying has often been on the end user of social media, the new short documentary from Bim Ajadi “Becoming Jazzy Whipps” supported and funded by Together TV’s Diverse film Fund in partnership with British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT), tells the story of the bubbly deaf content creator, Jazzy Whipps, who is opening up after being trolled online because of her deaf voice.  

On her 21st birthday, Jazzy Whipps discovered millions of hateful comments after her YouTube video “Can my family understand my deaf voice?” went viral, reaching over 6 million views. This trolling experience was detrimental to Jazzy’s mental health. She disappeared from social media and turned off her voice.  

It is heartbreaking to think that millions of people felt the need to leave such hurtful comments. But, as you get to know Jazzy behind the scenes in “Becoming Jazzy Whipps” you’ll be relieved to see her bouncing back and striving to spread kindness online. 

Jazzy’s story shows us even influencers can experience cyber bullying and being kind online is even more important than ever before. To beat the bullies, we need to come together to spread kindness online to banish the trolls once and for all. Here are four things we can learn from ‘Becoming Jazzy Whipps’ for being kind online, whether you’re a browser or a content creator: 
 

Share the love on social media 

It can be fun to browse social media, but the more love and appreciation you show for positive messages on socials the more prominence they will get. We can make positive posts trend by interacting with them. It is to be kind online by liking or even commenting. So, if you see something like Jazzy’s post introducing 5 things you don’t know about her, give it some love by sharing, commenting, liking and following! 

 

Report and block hurtful comments 

All social media platforms have the option to report and block, and minimising the hateful content out there will help us only spread kindness online. If you come across a message which is offensive or hurtful, hit report. If you need help with finding out how to make a report on social media, you can find the relevant help pages here: 

• Facebook 
• Instagram 
• TikTok 
• YouTube 
• X (formerly known as Twitter) 

Think before you post on social media 

Even if you’re coming to aid someone being bullied, remember the algorithm we mentioned above! The more comments a post gets, the more popular it becomes, which goes both ways. You might accidentally increase the visibility of negative posts or comments. Fighting fire with fire is counter-productive in creating a world of kindness, so if you want to be kind online use the report and block functions instead of words and you can show your support to a content creator with a personal message (DM.)  

 

Drop others a DM and check in 

If you see an account receive a hurtful comment or notice an active content creator go quiet, check in with them by sending a personal message (DM) to see if they’re doing okay. Being bullied can be an isolating experience and reading positive messages can spread kindness and help more than you think.  

Together we can help protect each other by being kind online. This includes content creators and influencers because we are all human beings with feelings and lives outside of social media.  

If you have experienced or are experiencing bullying on social media, please don’t suffer in silence. There are people in your life who care about you and will want you to confide in them. A problem shared is a problem halved. If you are deaf, Signhealth and BSMHD can help you find professional help in BSL as well as validation. Childline have also shared advice on cyber bullying in BSL. 

 

Jazzy Whipps’ top tips on mental health self-care for content creators  1. Ignore the bullies; although this can be hard you have to remember it’s more about themselves than it is about you.  ⁠2.  ⁠Lean into the support from your friends and family.  3. It’s ok to have counselling.  4. ⁠It’s ok to take a digital break if you need one.  ⁠5. When it feels tough, always remind yourself of the reason why you started in the first place!

 

Becoming Jazzy Whipps was funded and supported by Together TV in partnership with BSLBT. You can watch Becoming Jazzy Whipps on Together TV in September 2024. Catch the premiere on Thursday 5th September at 7pm on Freeview 83, Sky 170, Virgin 136, Freesat 164 or watch online. 

 

Check Together TV’s TV guide for more times to watch Becoming Jazzy Whipps or follow Together TV on Instagram or Facebook for updates about the premiere of Becoming Jazzy Whipps and other Diverse Film Fund films about deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent lives today.