By Eriah Lule
“Manager, check the links below. Q (not her real name) and her boyfriend are running OnlyFans and Strip Chat accounts. Don’t forget TikTok and Instagram, though they are kind of private,” an old friend texted me on WhatsApp after a long day.
Yes, curiosity, just as you imagined! I followed the links to their pages, and my reaction was simply, “Oh my God.”
In the pursuit of numbers, clout, and cheap popularity under the pretext of “trending” and “influencing,” many social media users, regardless of age, have become desperate for attention. Erin Russ, writing in The Hill Magazine of June 20, 2023, notes that social media platforms may have originally been designed to foster connection and perhaps act as arbiters of truth. But mounting evidence shows that bad actors have used them to manipulate users for selfish or harmful purposes.
According to the Data Reportal 2025 report, Uganda has 14.2 million internet users, representing an internet penetration rate of 28 per cent. Among these users, a select few have made money as influencers and advertisers, using the internet to establish brands, create content, and engage diverse audiences. Organisations, too, have embraced social media as a powerful communication tool.
Thin line between fame, shame
However, to draw attention, some users have turned to profanity and nudity. The widespread use of smart devices, especially among the youth, has fuelled a culture of virtual validation, seeking likes and followers for fleeting satisfaction. Many seem unaware that once something is posted online, it stays there forever, like a ghost haunting them for life.
Without mentioning names, many who face cyberbullying, whether due to their own actions or as victims, end up depressed, suffering low self-esteem among peers. Couples increasingly air their grievances online, forming camps and sparking “cold wars” that internet “in-laws” eagerly follow. Others turn to threads and TikTok comments to make decisions for their homes.
Cost of digital recklessness
Some have even weaponised social media against adversaries or rivals. Politicians, celebrities, and socialites often use online drama to remain relevant, mistaking popularity for influence.
Sadly, Q and her boyfriend’s content reached their family WhatsApp groups. Shocked, Q’s mother suffered a stroke, while the young man’s father swore never to pay his university tuition again.
In this digital age, nothing remains hidden once posted. Be vigilant, the internet never forgets!
The writer is a communications practitioner
