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Swarm Cyber-Shaming in Science Fiction
- tptacek 13y agoNot being a sci-fi fan, and going immediately to the original sources instead of wading through this (very) long editorial, what I see is this: 1. Major sci-fi zine runs article suggesting that Barbie is the epitome of a "nice" girl because of her perfect good looks and demeanor and "sweater fillers" (ick). 2. The expected online protests occur. 3. Major sci-fi zine runs an issue with a half-naked bikini-clad "warrior" on the cover. 4. The expected online protests occur. 5. Major sci-fi zine runs a followup in which its aggrieved authors compare protesters to "liberal fascists" and approvingly quote Sean Hannity. 6. The expected online protests occur. 7. This article, on "swarm shaming", which now looks somewhat disingenuous in context.
- spindritf 13y agoJust like people doing marketing are learning that Facebook likes have little to no impact on the bottom line, we will soon learn that symmetrically cyber shaming is largely just a result of bored people browsing "outrage porn" on tumblr or reddit and a facet of general slacktivism that means little and can usually be safely ignored. Large companies will always have to avoid controversy but I really hope that everyone else will, thanks in no small part to the Internet, be able to reach their audience and live without carefully policing every line of text in a desperate attempt not to offend the most oppressed minority -- loud people. Vast majority of those will not be your customers anyway. They simply like to feel righteous without having to leave the house.