She just wanted to do something positive.
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When a young woman shared her idea to help keep women safe on the Canberra Notice Board Group Facebook page recently, comments filled with praise came in thick and fast.
She had encouraged women to tell someone they trusted where they were going if they planned to spend time alone with men. If they didn't feel comfortable telling their family or friends, she would be their point of contact.
"I don’t care if it’s 3am or 3pm," the young woman wrote.
"I will stay up to make sure you’re okay."
The kind-hearted gesture included an offer to call the police, a taxi or an Uber - whatever had been prearranged in each case - if the women taking up the offer didn't check in with her at the planned intervals.
"I won't judge you at all," she said, reassuring readers that it didn't matter to her whether they were on a date, meeting a sugar daddy or doing sex work.
But while some Canberrans called her "a beautiful person" and lauded her initiative, others saw an opportunity to criticise.
Some wanted to turn it into a fight about men being portrayed as "villains".
Others demanded to know why the offer was only extended to women and asked why they should trust the young woman when they didn't know her.
Eventually, she felt the need to apologise if her post offended anyone.
Those criticising the idea made no attempt to offer helpful suggestions, and, unfortunately, I'm not surprised.
Social media has created an environment where people are increasingly ready to argue, fight and ridicule behind the safety net of their screens.
Positivity is met with criticism and scepticism in most cases.
Social media can be a powerful thing, but too often, its power isn't harnessed for good.
Pages like the Canberra Lost Pet Database, which is focused on reuniting people with their furry friends, are exactly the sort of thing we need more of.
Time and time again, we've seen scores of strangers donating to online fundraising pages set up to help families struggling with the death of a loved one, or to fund treatment for a stranger's illness.
It's certainly not all bad out there on the internet.
So it's all well and good to debate things on social media, but think about the way you phrase your point of view and be constructive instead of just jumping down someone's throat.
Surely none of us want to live in a world where a kind-hearted young woman feels the need to say sorry for trying to do something positive.
Imagine how many people with good intentions will be discouraged from sharing them with others and making a difference in the world if this attitude continues to spread.
After apologising for the heinous crime of being nice, the young woman used her final message before turning off comments on the post to encourage everyone to stay safe.
Even in the face of criticism, she remained thoughtful and selfless. I hope she will continue to be both of those things.
The world needs people with those qualities now more than ever.
