When online toxicity is discussed, it tends to be in the context of toxic negativity or positivity. Today, we want to discuss a third type: toxic authenticity.

There are two ways to think of toxic authenticity in a community: as an individual acting on the community or the community acting on an individual. The first occurs when a person is so devoted to their identity that they become unwilling to adapt to their social environment. Being one’s authentic self is generally regarded as good; do you think it can become toxic? 

The second type - the community acting on an individual - is when a community tries to reinforce its social norms such as no swearing, no self promotion, profile pictures featuring the member’s face, etc., so rigidly as to become forms of harassment and bullying. 

Online authenticity has been a topic of debate since the early days of the internet, but toxic authenticity is relatively new. Do you believe in it, in either of these forms? How can we foster a cohesive community of members being their authentic selves? Let us know in the comments!