Speaking Up Became a Threat to My Survival

It is a dangerous time to be a young climate activist in the Philippines. The country is incredibly vulnerable to climate change, yet with digital misinformation, political turmoil, and threats of being labeled a terrorist spiraling out of control, young activists have never been more at risk.

As a young climate activist, I am dealing with a lot. I am coming to terms with the aftermath of a global pandemic as well as facing the real threat of climate change. Nonetheless, I continue to fight for gender justice, promote the importance of mental health, and raise awareness of human rights.

To do this effectively and efficiently, I use social media to campaign for the causes I am passionate about.

I post about our campaigns for climate justice by pushing for renewable energy, and I also spread awareness about how fossil fuels exacerbate the impacts of the climate crisis in our country.

However, social media has opened the floodgates for trolls, bullies, and abusers to attack activists like me online. I have even been threatened with violence in real life as a result of my online activism.

I have had a few posts that received thousands of engagements, particularly on political, environmental, and gender justice. These posts have led trolls to find me online and send me threatening messages on Facebook to instill fear in me and silence me. I have also experienced cyberbullying on Twitter when I spoke up against someone in authority, which led some local military officers to "red tag" me. I have been "on the list" in two different cities due to my activism in climate and human rights.

It has had a devastating effect on me and my fellow climate activists. My anxiety is worse, I am paranoid every time I go out on the streets, and I always worry about whether I am being followed. I felt like speaking up became a threat to my survival, and I know I am not alone.

Recently, I co-led research to better understand young people's lived experiences, concerns, and attitudes toward social media. Among the 116 people from 34 countries, the highest number of responses came from the Philippines — and this is no surprise.

My country currently ranks fourth highest in the world when it comes to time spent on social media each day. It also ranks at number one for the amount of time people spend watching vlogs on social media.

Vlogging is huge in the Philippines. Powerful politicians have used vlogs before recent elections to spread propaganda against activists and quell dissent. As part of the government's efforts to stifle us, the state misuses an "anti-terror law" to tag protestors as potential terrorists. It is known as "red-tagging" and some people, including many activists, have been unlawfully killed on the streets because they have been tagged or are "on the red list". I personally know some activists, in my own province, who have been imprisoned and killed this way.

The responses from youth activists revealed that red-tagging is a form of online harassment, and the fear of associated repercussions is very real.

One of my fellow activists told me: "Harassment instils fear. Their tactics endanger lives. The mere thought of being monitored, arrested on trumped-up charges, kidnapped, or even killed in broad daylight scares me. Furthermore, it scares me if any of my loved ones are affected too."

This is the kind of political terrain young intersectional climate justice activists are navigating – and it is very scary. Although social media platforms are used to communicate climate science, campaigns and solutions, they are also a place where trolls try to hurt people, conduct smear campaigns, and destroy movements.

From the survey we ran as part of the youth-led research, most of the respondents from the Philippines were harassed on Facebook. They received comments that clearly intended to upset them and threaten their communities. Almost half of the respondents said the harassment they experienced due to their climate justice activism also targeted another aspect of their identity, such as their gender identity, age, or body type.

One respondent said: "Someone commented how he'll make me his wife. He said I should smile more in my protest picture and do TikToks so he'll get some entertainment from me." This remark is a frustrating example of online harassment targeting someone based on their gender.

Despite these cruel attacks, the majority of young activists are determined not to let this affect their fight for climate justice. In this community, we support one another, which makes us want to keep fighting even if we are at risk of harassment.

States have a duty to protect people and their human rights, including in online spaces. Companies, including social media platforms, must ensure that they respect the human rights of their users. But many governments and companies are not doing enough to tackle online harassment, so activists must demand accountability. We must remind ourselves of our power to protect and care for each other in our own communities, whether in physical spaces or online.

One activist said: "Any kind of harassment could be immeasurably affecting some activists' well-being. However, we cannot afford to lose a big part of a proactive community. We definitely have to impose collective care."

This, to me, is powerful. Despite the risks and dangers that come with climate justice work, we are choosing to continue working on this issue while keeping one another safe.

Maria, 23, is part of a community that advocates for a just transition to renewable energy and fights against fossil fuels. She is a human rights activist, feminist, and abolitionist towards liberation for all. She reveals the challenges of fighting for climate justice online in her country.

In a global survey spearheaded by Amnesty International earlier this year, young people shared their concerns about the impact of social media on privacy and mental health. They expressed concerns about harmful content, addictive platform designs, and racism, violence and bullying.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

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