Online Humiliation and the Shame It Brings

A form of modern-day witch hunt—the penchant for persecuting others—has shifted from public shaming to online shaming.

The luxury of the digital era is that we have an open forum to speak our minds. It is not uncommon to scroll down the comments on a blog or social media post and witness complete strangers name-calling, outsmarting, and belittling one another.

The psychological toll that cyber-bullying leaves on victims is well-researched and is usually described as youth-driven. But it seems no age group can avoid the impact of social media harassment and the psychological toll this form of shaming can bring.

Online shaming is not confined to a small niche of individuals. And the extent to which people choose to respond to being slighted may blur the line between isolated expressions of dissatisfaction to full-on vigilante justice.

Sara's story

Sara (named changed for anonymity), a childhood friend of mine, was featured in a viral video that captured an out-of-context argument she was having with a stranger. Sara has struggled with her mental health since I have known her. The short clip shows Sara using aggressive and vulgar language and quickly blew up all over social media.

Not long after, her personal information was made public to web surfers, who then took it upon themselves to organize a rally. These vigilantes went to her parents’ home and held picket signs while uttering death threats. Soon after, Sara’s workplace released a statement notifying the public that she had been fired for misconduct.

I cannot find Sara anywhere. It is likely she has changed her name, her place of residence, and perhaps even her appearance to avoid public scrutiny.

Doxing and its effects

Exposure of personal information is known as doxing. When a victim becomes a target by an online mob, not only can they suffer physically, but they can also face psychological trauma.

A study on doxing revealed that when any form of personal information is spread publicly, the victim feels depressed, anxious, and stressed. Another study surveyed 1,963 middle-school students in the United States on their experiences with online harassment. Whether the youth in this study had been bullied or had acted as bullies themselves, they showed an increased risk for suicidal ideation.

Some would argue that under certain circumstances, there is justification to release personal information when an individual has violated the law or public normality to an extreme extent. Sex-offender lists are often accessible in the public domain.

In 2018, the Canadian province of Ontario updated its drinking and driving laws. Law enforcement will now post the names online of individuals who have been charged with impaired driving, even if they have not been convicted.

When information is presented, whether factual or fictional, people are prone to cognitive biases, and even if the breathalyzer or eyewitness is inaccurate, individuals will most likely recall the initial claim.

We are witnessing the evolution of public humiliation to reinforce justice, both actual and vigilante, and are reforming a mob mentality in which persecution becomes an open invitation to shame.

–Courtney Campbell, Contributing Writer, The Trauma and Mental Health Report

–Chief Editor: Robert T. Muller, The Trauma and Mental Health Report

Copyright Robert T. Muller