Dehumanization narratives and campaigns are on the rise. We need to act – publicly and politically. The current focus on banning TikTok is insufficient.
Dehumanization is happening now, everywhere
Over the past few days, dehumanization campaigns have suddenly felt very personal and imminent. Berlin (where I live) this week issued a warning of a viral “rape day” call on TikTok. The viral call targeting boys and men claimed that rape of women and girls on this specific day would not be illegal nor prosecuted (I have four children, three of whom are girls). My kids have also flagged to me a campaign targeting boys and men to punch random women in the face on the streets.
Dehumanization – which most people associate with colonialism, racism, or fascism – means that certain people or population groups are not deemed to have equal human rights – including the right to safety and protection. Many people still think and act as if dehumanization is a problem of the 20th century and the past, instead of being a current reality and a threat to billions of people.
In the viral TikTok calls noted above, women and girls have been objectified (or dehumanized) as legitimate and legal targets for sexual and physical violence. But these viral calls are not happening in isolation, and they are not just spreading on or caused by TikTok.
In the US, the far right has for several years eroded and rolled back women’s rights (and their bodily autonomy around abortion and sexual reproductive rights). In too many countries to count, LGBTQI+ and in particular trans rights are (again) being legislated as crimes that carry heavy punishments (or even the death penalty). Many traditional centrist and centre-right parties in Europe now legislate or publicly propagate mass deportations of refugees or migrants seeking asylum. More than 33,000 Palestinian civilian casualties (70 percent of whom are minors and women) and an apparent imminent invasion of Rafah in Gaza have been justified by parts of Israel’s government using the rhetoric of “animals”.
Instead of universal human rights, objectifying people and entire population groups as “not equally human” is becoming the (tolerated) norm. Dehumanization is happening now, and it is happening everywhere.
Political inaction and personal silence
Most attention and recent political responses have focused on social media platforms (in particular TikTok) that through their algorithms promote threat and hate campaigns to spread (i.e. go viral). National security and geo-political arguments (linked to Chinese ownership) have so far dominated, and have more recently been complemented with mental health arguments (see this week’s Economist extensive profiling of social media use in a special on GenZ).
Where are the political leaders who speak out against toxic masculinity (against women and girls and diverse genders)?
Where are the political leaders who call out racism and fascism?
Where are the political leaders who take a stance on war crimes and crimes against civilians and humanity?
Where are the leaders who stand up for universal human rights?
Depressingly, we seem to know the answer. These leaders – or I’d rather call this a “void of leadership” – are worried about losing potential right-wing voters, or calculating how to win a few over through populist rhetoric and policies. They have left behind all values because the promise of power through tampering with toxic masculinity (and anti-refugee, anti-LGTBQI+, etc., attention) is too enticing.
What has depressed me equally over the past months has been the silence of most non-political leadership. International organizations, private sector firms, foundations, and even most international NGOs have been…mostly silent. (But hold your breath, in a few months we’ll finally see a few handshake photos and collaboration announcements and partnerships with social media firms to tackle “misinformation”.)
This silence, or even complicit support, of dehumanizing narratives and policies, is what in my opinion allows “rape days” to go viral – and more importantly – become a real threat. If all you see are political and institutional leaders who don’t raise an eyebrow when extreme right-wing rhetoric is used – or perhaps they even use some themselves – why not expect that treating “others” in an inhumane way may seem to be ok?
Use your voice
We can no longer afford to hope that the problem of the far-right will disappear. We have two options: to remain silent, complacent, and complicit – or to speak out and act against what threatens the rights and lives of billions of people.
Speak up for universal human rights, wherever you are.
Call your leadership to account, wherever you work or live.
Use your vote.
Don’t hope it all just goes away. It will be too late.
Banning or not banning TikTok won’t solve the mess we are in.
Katri Bertram 