Computers in Human Behavior Reports (Jan 2021)
The portrayal of online shaming in contemporary online news media: A media framing analysis
Abstract
Online shaming, where individuals participate in social policing by shaming supposed wrongdoings on the internet, is a rapidly increasing and global phenomenon. The potential impacts of online shaming are said to be extensive and wide-reaching, however minimal empirical research on this topic has been conducted to date, with existing coverage being largely anecdotal and media-based. The current study aims to demonstrate how online shaming is constructed in contemporary online news media. Qualitative analysis using Giles and Shaw’s (2009) media framing analysis was completed on 69 online news articles published within the last two years concerning online shaming. Two overarching representations of online shaming were uncovered: a dominant narrative framing online shaming as a dangerous threat with serious consequences, and a smaller frame representing online shaming as more constructive and capable of resulting in positive outcomes. Variations in conditions presented, as well as the many rationalisations, consequences, and recommendations posed for mitigating online shaming embedded within the articles collectively represent online shaming as a multifaceted and morally ambiguous phenomenon. Understanding media depictions of online shaming is important, as it may have broader implications for public perceptions, debate, and support of policies and other related processes.
