Online shaming is a form of public shaming in which internet users are harassed, mocked, or bullied by other internet users online. This shaming may involve commenting directly to or about the shamed; the sharing of private messages; or the posting of private photos. Those being shamed are perceived to have committed a social transgression, and other internet users then use public exposure to shame the offender. People have been shamed online for a variety of reasons, usually consisting of some form of social transgression such as posting offensive comments, posting offensive images or memes, online gossip, or lying. Those who are shamed online have not necessarily committed any social transgression, however. Online shaming may be used to get revenge, stalk, blackmail, or to threaten other internet users. Privacy violation is a major issue in online shaming. Those being shamed may be denied the right to privacy and be subject to defamation. David Furlow, chairman of the Media, Privacy and Defamation Committee of the American Bar Association, has identified the potential privacy concerns raised by websites facilitating the distribution of information that is not part of the public record and has said that such websites "just a forum to people whose statements may not reflect truth."
Types
Call-outs and cancellation
defines the act of canceling, also referred to as cancel culture, as the removal "of support for public figures in response to their objectionable behavior or opinions. This can include boycotts or refusal to promote their work." According to other sources, the notion of cancel culture is a variant on the term "call-out culture", and constitutes a form of boycott involving an individual who has acted or spoken in a questionable or controversial manner. Thus, according to Lisa Nakamura, professor of media studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, "cancel culture" can be described as "cultural boycott", in which the act of depriving someone of attention deprives them of their livelihood. The expression "cancel culture" has mostly negative connotations and is commonly used in debates on free speech and censorship. According to Keith Hampton, professor of media studies at Michigan State University, the practice contributes to the polarisation of American society, but doesn't lead to changes in opinion. An open letter signed by 153 public figures and published in Harper's Magazine has been described as marking a "high point" in the debate on the topic. The letter set out arguments against "an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty." The former U.S. President Barack Obama warned against social media call-out culture, saying that "People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids and, you know, share certain things with you." U.S. President Donald Trump criticized cancel-culture in a speech on July 3, 2020, comparing it to totalitarianism and claiming it is a political weapon used to punish and shame dissenters by driving them from their jobs and demanding their submission. A poll of American registered voters conducted in July 2020 shows that cancel culture, defined as "the practice of withdrawing support for public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive", was common. 40% of respondents said they had withdrawn support from public figures and companies, including on social media, because they had done or said something considered objectionable or offensive, 8% having engaged in this often. Behavior differed according to age, with a majority of voters 18 to 34 years old saying they have taken part in cancel culture, while only about a third of voters over 65 said they had joined a social media pile-on. Attitude towards the practice was mixed, with 44% of respondents saying they disapproved of cancel culture, 32% who approved, and 24% who didn't know or had no opinion. Furthermore, 46% believed cancel culture had gone too far, with only 10% thinking it hadn't gone far enough. However, a majority believed that people should expect social consequences for expressing unpopular opinions in public, including those that are deeply offensive to other people.
Doxing
Doxing involves researching and broadcasting personally identifiable information about an individual, often with the intention of harming that person.
Negative reviews
User generated review sites such as Yelp, Google Books and Trip Advisor have been used to publicly shame or punish businesses. Internet users are urged to give negative reviews in order to punish corporate interests or businesses they dislike.
Revenge porn
Non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit material in order to humiliate a person, frequently distributed by computer hackers or ex-partners. Images and video of sexual acts are often combined with doxing of a person's private details, such as their home addresses and workplaces. In some jurisdictions, revenge porn is a criminal offense.
