Sociology
The Function of Shaming Rituals in Online Accountability Movements
Quick fact
Research indicates that online shaming rituals often serve to reinforce in-group norms and can increase the supporter's sense of moral superiority, but they rarely lead to genuine behavior change in the target.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever seen a public apology video that felt more like punishment than accountability? Why do we feel a strange satisfaction in watching someone 'get called out' online?
Read the full explanation
Understanding The Function of Shaming Rituals in Online Accountability Movements
Imagine a village square where someone is publicly put in the stocks for stealing bread. The crowd throws rotten tomatoes: the culprit feels humiliated, and the onlookers feel a sense of shared justice. Online shaming rituals work similarly, but the 'square' is the global social media platform. When someone is accused of a moral transgression—like a racist comment or corporate greed—a controversy erupts. Users quote-tweet the offense, post reactions, and express outrage. The hashtag creates a digital pillory. The functions are multiple: (1) it signals that the community holds certain values, (2) it deters others from breaking those values, (3) it provides a sense of catharsis for the outraged, and (4) it pressures the accused to 'do something'—often a public apology or removal from position. But unlike a court, there is no due process, no judge, and no proportional sentencing. The punishment is often the scale of the mob's anger, not the severity of the offense.
A deeper explanation
The mechanism behind shaming rituals lies in social norms and group identity. Humans are intensely social animals who rely on cooperation. Norms are the unwritten rules that keep groups cohesive. When a norm is violated, it threatens the group's stability. Shaming serves as a powerful tool to re-establish the norm and reaffirm who belongs and who doesn't. This is a classic finding in anthropology: rituals of public shaming (like the 'charivari' in medieval Europe) function to regulate behavior and enforce conformity. Online, the ritual follows a similar pattern: an accusation, rapid spread, collective outrage, and a demand for a public response. The key difference is scale and permanence. A shaming video can go viral in hours, reaching millions. It never fully disappears, haunting the target for years. Psychologically, participants experience a dopamine rush from the social approval of their peers—likes and retweets—which reinforces the behavior of joining the mob. The process creates a clear in-group (those who condemn) and an out-group (the condemned). This strengthens group cohesion but at the cost of empathy for the individual. Why does this matter? Because understanding the function of shaming rituals reveals a fundamental tension: they are a form of decentralized justice that can be both powerful and dangerous. They can hold powerful people accountable who might otherwise escape justice. But they can also spiral into harassment, misdirected anger, and disproportionate punishment. The absence of formal rules means that the 'ritual' can be hijacked by anyone with a large following, and the target often has no way to defend themselves. This impacts society's ability to have reasoned discourse and rehabilitate offenders, because the punishment is not designed for learning but for ostracism.