Public shaming in the age of the Internet

Public shaming in the age of the Internet
Public shaming in the age of the Internet

Public shaming in the age of the Internet

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Here are a few people who have been publicly shamed online: The PR exec who made a tasteless joke about hoping she wouldn’t get AIDS in Africa, the American dentist who killed Cecil the African lion, the white woman who unleashed a racist rant against black children who splashed her at a Chicago beach. So, did they deserve it? When (if ever) does someone deserve to be publicly shamed on the internet? Where do you draw the line? The internet and social media can give voice to the voiceless. But it also opens to door to vicious attacks on others in the name of justice. In today’s society, public shaming often happens online. So, when does it serve a purpose? And when does it just go too far? (Flickr/David Martyn Hunt)