What is technology facilitated abuse (TFA) and its impact on college students?
Sending a DM off an Instagram story after the homecoming game win. Adding someone on Snapchat after a night out. Swiping right on your lab partner on Tinder who is in your 9 am biology class. The college scene revolves around technology.
How does technology facilitated abuse influence my life as a college student?
Technology in the 21st century allows us to communicate with our roommate in class, in the room one door over, or our families at home who are thousands of miles away. It allows us to immediately connect with others, at any given moment, at all times of the day or night, through call, text, emoji, “like”, or photo. It can also come with risk, especially in relationships. Technology facilitated abuse (TFA) can lead to a significant impact on our mental health, and can result in academic difficulties, anxiety, depression, and even trauma.
TFA “involves the intentional use of technology to abuse a current or former dating/romantic partner, such as surveillance and control tactics, sexual coercion, or the dissemination of private information without consent (Brown et al., 2021),”. While TFA is most common in romantic or dating relationships, it can also happen between people who are not in a relationship or even between people who don’t know each other in real life. This can include sending unsolicited nude photographs, sending private information without consent, and/or communicating threats through online messages.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline also describes TFA as:
Sharing explicit images of another person without their consent
Creating sexually explicit generated AI or “deepfake” images of someone
Recording intimate or explicit content of another person while on a video chat without their permission
Using smart devices or GPS trackers to monitor someone without their knowledge or consent
And TFA can include other tactics as well.
I’m a college student who’s experienced TFA, but don’t feel comfortable telling someone. What should I do?
When a college student experiences TFA, they may feel as though they were “asking for it”, or that because it wasn’t “in-person” that it doesn’t count as abuse, or that they are over-reacting. No one ever “asks” to be victimized or to experience abuse, no matter what. Trust your gut….you know when you do not feel comfortable or safe. Technology can and is being used to cause harm. And those who experience TFA are not to blame.
How do I stay safe as a college student in such a technology-based world?
There is no easy way to avoid social media or technology when it is being used in school, work, by your friends, family, influencers, etc, in this overly connected world we live in. It has reshaped our environment and how we communicate. When everything is posted on an Instagram feed, we may feel that we also need to post everything on our Instagram feed . But, there are boundaries to this concept. Not everything has to be videoed on Snapchat. It is our responsibility to make healthy, conscious decisions about what we share on the internet and how we interact with others. Here’s some tips and tricks that you can use to make yourself feel the most comfortable when you feel ready to talk about safety and TFA:
Set boundaries. If a personal image, photo, conversation, meme, etc is shared consentually, you can ask how it will be deleted or remain private when the relationship or interaction ends. Some spaces online, including many social media platforms, don’t have an expectation of privacy since others can see these interactions. But when images or conversations are had within the scope of a private messaging conversation, it’s important to have a conversation about the expectations for you and the other person involved.
Know when to ask for help. It might feel difficult or embarrassing to talk about experiencing TFA, but remember that it is not your fault and you deserve support. If you feel exploited or unsafe, reach out to a trusted person or adult to help keep you safe. If you are uncertain, use a resource to speak confidentially for advice about your situation (e.g., online platforms like WhatsOK). Everyone deserves support and help to stay safe.
Take accountability for your own behaviors online. If you feel as though you have crossed a line and used technology in a way that harms someone else, it’s important to take accountability and seek out help to learn how to make safer choices. This could be through professional support, learning more about healthy sexuality and relationships, or by reaching out to WhatsOK.
Stay relevant on technology trends and updates. Rules and regulations are always evolving. This will help make sure that you and others are staying safe online.
The WhatsOK helpline is here to answer any questions you might have about online safety and safe relationships. Reach out to them to talk more.
References
Brown, C., Sanci, L., & Hegarty, K. (2021). Technology-facilitated abuse in relationships: Victimisation patterns and impact in young people. Computers in Human Behavior, 124, 106897. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106897
