Save your protests for the issues that matter. Source: ThinkStock
OK Australia. Take your fingers off your keyboards for a moment and stop before you tweet that picture.
Enough is enough. We're sick of hearing why everything is offensive to you. We're tired of you taking to social media to bully companies into recalling thousands upon thousands of stock.
If you don't know what we're talking about, it's time to get caught up.
In short, Australia seems to have an obsession. It's not all of us, but it's always the loudest ones that get heard. And they're certainly kicking up a fuss. Recently it's been about offensive Australia Day t-shirts, burger restaurants that don't have enough vegetarian options, and cafes who post 'offensive' signs.
Half a century ago people used to take to the streets with placards and protest issues such as the war in Vietnam or women's rights. Protests like this still happen today, and that's a good thing. It shows we have a democratic society that supports free speech and tolerance of opinion.
And organised protests usually mean that people care and have thought long enough about an issue to actually get up off the couch, make a handpainted sign and join thousands of others walking through the streets so their point can be heard.
But sitting on your couch at home, tweeting how offended you are at the latest 'un-Australian' t-shirt or inappropriate remark by a news presenter, smacks of a nanny-state mentality.
Channel Seven's Samantha Armytage was in hot water after joking about her 'stripper shoes'. Source: Supplied
The problem is, we've all been told that the 'customer is always right', and that idea has grown disproportionately in our minds to justify whingeing about anything we don't like.
But while we used to just complain in writing or in person to management, now with only a few taps on our smartphone keyboard, we can tweet or Facebook our opinion to the world.
And other people who typically enjoy hopping on a bandwagon - any bandwagon really, even if they don't fully understand the issue - push the message out to their friends via other forms of social media. Soon there's a hashtag that's trending; a modern day placard if you will.
Sometimes the organisation being boycotted caves to 'popular opinion', as in the case of Aldi and Big W and their 'racially offensive' Australia Day t-shirts and Ice Designs pulling its 'sexist' t-shirts.
Things certainly got ridiculous when people started complaining about a fashion segment on Channel Seven's Sunrise, where Samantha Armytage joked about having 'stripper shoes'.
So is Australia on track to becoming a full-blown nanny-nation?
One news.com.au reader voiced their disgust by writing "Social media is where everyone complains. First world problem. Whingers!"
Another reader, commenting on the Aldi t-shirts said: "God these people need to get a life and move on. Everyone needs to stop being so 'politically correct' and oversensitive. In no way shape or form is the t-shirt racist. Racism is so overused now that I don't believe the word has any meaning anymore."
But what these companies don't realise is that social media can become a deceptive megaphone. Something may seem like a unanimous, trending issue, but is actually just a bunch of people who have nothing better to do with their time than complain about something.
To be clear, we're not suggesting that you stop being critical of what you see and hear. But if people keep whining every time something offends them, we'll be known as the nation who 'cried wolf'. And when issues that really matter surface, no one will stop to hear us.
Do you think the 'nanny internet' is out of control? Have your say. Comment below or join the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ | @gracekoelma
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