Q.4 You have recently started playing online chess at a popular Internet-based gaming platform. The platform has online lessons on tricks and tips for improving skills in the game. These lessons have helped you improve a lot in a short time. You are also amazed at the possibility of playing with players of all levels of skills from all over the world. The platform provides you analysis of your games and suggests areas of improvement. While testing and improving your chess skills on the platform, you have made friendship and acquaintances with many competitive chess players from different parts of the world. Of late though, racial, religious and stereotypical remarks have started being thrown at you on the online platform by other players. Initially you ignored such things as childish tactics by an opponent to distract you during the game. Later you would try to engage with such people to dispel stereotypes. But increasingly such experiences are making you sad and bitter. Now you block such people as you encounter them. The online game which started as a fun and stimulating experience for you, has become a source of negativity in your life. In your discussions with other people, you come to realize that others have also experienced similar racial and religious slurs, and many people have left the platform to avoid the abusive experience. You also realize that this is not an issue specific to the gaming platform but is part of the generally seen behavior on social media. You used to consider online trolling as harmless puns, but after experiencing its dark side as a victim you are realizing its negative impact. Given this information, what are your thoughts on the following: a) How should one deal with the issues of on-line abuse such as in the case above? What options are available to you? b) What values should guide online behavior? Do these values differ from values governing offline conduct? (20 Marks)

Mentor’s Comments- Introduce by writing the gist and context of the issues/conflict at hand. List the ways in which online abuse can be addressed. List the values for digital age. Contrast values in online and offline environment. Conclude with a suggestion for online conduct.