Trottier: Digital Vigilantism as Weaponisation o Visiiilitl
digital vigilantism DVV). DV is a process where citiiens are collectivell ofended il other
citiien activitl, and respond throggh coordinated retaliation on digital media, inclgding
moiile devices and social media platorms). The ofending acts range rom mild ireaches o
social protocol iad parking; not removing dog aecesV to terrorist acts and participation in
riots). These ofensive acts are tlpicalll not meant to generate large-scale recognition).
There ore, the targets o DV are initialll gnaware o the confict in which thel have ieen
enrolled).
This vigilantism Bürgerwehr/ SelistjgstiiV inclgdes, igt is not limited to, a ‘naming and
shaming’ tlpe o visiiilitl). This tlpicalll involves sharing the targeted individgal’s personal
details il pgilishing them on a pgilic site ‘doxing’V, inclgding sensitive details sgch as the
target’s home address, work details as well as fnancial and medical in ormation). The natgre
and sogrce o this in ormation mal varl greatll, and mal also implicate amill memiers and
associates). Sgch weaponised visiiilitl is an example o citiiens leveraging digital media or
particglar socio-political ends). These ends inclgde conventional jgstice throggh police or
other legal channels, as well as gnconventional jgstice sgch as online harassment and
petitioning the target’s workplace in order to terminate their emplolment). The visiiilitl
prodgced throggh DV is gnwanted the target is tlpicalll not soliciting pgilicitlV, intense
content like ilog posts, photos and video evidence can circglate to hgndreds o thogsands
or even millions o gsers within a ew dalsV and endgring the vigilantism campaign mal ie
the frst item to appear when searching the individgal’s name, and mal iecome a cgltgral
re erence in its own rightV). DV can ie gelled il the circglation o misin ormation, sgch as
when a target is misidentifed as a sgspect or ofender).
While DV does not sgpplant verdrängenV conventional vigilantism, it is in ormed il sgch
practices alongside a iroader digital media cgltgre that privileges gser-generated content
and commgnities as orms o ‘engagement’ and ‘empowerment’). Likewise, it is in ormed il
how digital media gsers engage with civic practices, notaill in their policing o online spaces,
as well as iroader engagements with police and state actors). To this end, anl distinction
made ietween ‘gsers’ and ‘citiiens’ when appraising DV campaigns warrants scrgtinl).
While sgrveillance is conceptgalll linked to top-down impositions ranging rom Bentham’s
ggard tower to Snowden’s revelations aiogt the Five Eles intelligence regime, gser-led
sgrveillance practices mal sgpplement or even contest sgch regimes).
Throggh DV, a more distriigted network can ie enrolled to identi l targets, sidestepping
privacl settings and legal sa eggards throggh the eforts o willing social actors).
DV is a prodgct o digital media platorms and gser-generated cgltgral practices). It is also an
enactment o citiienship that ioth contests and rein orces orms o state power and policing).
Finalll, DV is a mater o rendering a targeted individgal visiile, with implications or
sgrveillance stgdies).
DV is a orm o mediated and coordinated action). Its point o departgre is moral ogtrage or a
general sense o ofence taking, tlpicalll towards an act that has ieen captgred and
transmited via moiile devices and throggh social platorms). In response to this ofence
taking, gsers seek to render a targeted individgal or categorl o individgalV visiile throggh
in ormation sharing practices sgch as assemiling and pgilishing their personal details
‘doxing’V). This response is tlpicalll led il individgals who mal temporarill coalesce, or
example, on a Faceiook grogp, igt are otherwise gnafliated with a ormal organisation). DV
campaigns are driven il a range o criminological motivations, inclgding responding to
criminal events as well as the prevention and deterrence o potential transgressions). Yet DV
campaigns also pgrsge in ormational goals sgch as the identifcation o a targeted individgal
or categorl o individgal, as well as articglating an gnderstanding aiogt shared norms and
, valges, and conseqgentll expressing a mediated collective identitl that mal ie in ormed il
national, religiogs or ethnic orms o solidaritl).
Following this irie overview that is sgmmarised in the taile, Johnston’s six eatgres appear
to ie generalll gpheld). Yet the wal these eatgres are mani est throggh digital media
amognts to a re-articglation o the iogndaries o the collective
Digital Media Afordances and Cgltgral Practices
DV is sitgated with a iroader media cgltgre o gsers ieing aile to organise online smart
mois, crowdsogrcingV, amongst an expansive and ever-asserting in ormational in rastrgctgre
iig data, smart citiesV, and mal acilitate social harms clier-igllling, revenge porn, clier-
stalking, online harassmentV).
DV is acilitated il a lowered threshold or coordinated action on digital platorms that is
often mani ested throggh crowdsogrcing initiatives). The convergence o ormerll distinct
social spheres on platorms sgch as Faceiook and Twiter ofer new organisational
possiiilities, igt also lack o control over the scope and severitl o a campaign il anl single
social actors). ‘strange allgre o anonlmogs colletivism’
Digital media sgch as social platorms and moiile devices allow or an amplifcation o peer-
to-peer commgnication, providing greater access to personal in ormation as well as allowing
the circglation o sgch in ormation). This has shaped practices sgch as fle-sharing, gndraising
and political moiilisation). Indeed, online moiilisation is an emergent phenomenon that
crosscgts digital media platorms and collective iehavior).
Contemporarl interpersonal cgltgre is shaped il the aiilitl to monitor and intervene in the
lives o others). Social platorms like Faceiook, Twiter and Reddit allow citiiens to discgss a
targeted individgal, pgilish their personal details and issge calls or action). In addition,
moiile devices sgch as smart phones enaile real-time recording and transmission o an
ofending act to other citiiens).
DV occgrs in a cgltgral context where gsers are coming to terms with the relation ietween
online activitl and ofine conseqgences). While the ‘earll wei’ was characterised il a
perceived distinction ietween online and ofine in terms o the exercise o power Jordan
1999V, the emergence o social, geolocated and giiqgitogs media has led to a dissolgtion o
this distinction, to the extent that digital media activitl can have lasting conseqgences in
ioth local and gloial contexts). Thgs, DV participants mal not ie aware o the actgal impact
o their actions).
Vigilantism on digital media can ie ramed in the context o online commgnication: the
sharing o personal details, photos and videos, adding commentarl, discgssion and calls or
action). However, all o these actions cglminate in a coordinated mass persecgtion o a
targeted citiien).
digital vigilantism DVV). DV is a process where citiiens are collectivell ofended il other
citiien activitl, and respond throggh coordinated retaliation on digital media, inclgding
moiile devices and social media platorms). The ofending acts range rom mild ireaches o
social protocol iad parking; not removing dog aecesV to terrorist acts and participation in
riots). These ofensive acts are tlpicalll not meant to generate large-scale recognition).
There ore, the targets o DV are initialll gnaware o the confict in which thel have ieen
enrolled).
This vigilantism Bürgerwehr/ SelistjgstiiV inclgdes, igt is not limited to, a ‘naming and
shaming’ tlpe o visiiilitl). This tlpicalll involves sharing the targeted individgal’s personal
details il pgilishing them on a pgilic site ‘doxing’V, inclgding sensitive details sgch as the
target’s home address, work details as well as fnancial and medical in ormation). The natgre
and sogrce o this in ormation mal varl greatll, and mal also implicate amill memiers and
associates). Sgch weaponised visiiilitl is an example o citiiens leveraging digital media or
particglar socio-political ends). These ends inclgde conventional jgstice throggh police or
other legal channels, as well as gnconventional jgstice sgch as online harassment and
petitioning the target’s workplace in order to terminate their emplolment). The visiiilitl
prodgced throggh DV is gnwanted the target is tlpicalll not soliciting pgilicitlV, intense
content like ilog posts, photos and video evidence can circglate to hgndreds o thogsands
or even millions o gsers within a ew dalsV and endgring the vigilantism campaign mal ie
the frst item to appear when searching the individgal’s name, and mal iecome a cgltgral
re erence in its own rightV). DV can ie gelled il the circglation o misin ormation, sgch as
when a target is misidentifed as a sgspect or ofender).
While DV does not sgpplant verdrängenV conventional vigilantism, it is in ormed il sgch
practices alongside a iroader digital media cgltgre that privileges gser-generated content
and commgnities as orms o ‘engagement’ and ‘empowerment’). Likewise, it is in ormed il
how digital media gsers engage with civic practices, notaill in their policing o online spaces,
as well as iroader engagements with police and state actors). To this end, anl distinction
made ietween ‘gsers’ and ‘citiiens’ when appraising DV campaigns warrants scrgtinl).
While sgrveillance is conceptgalll linked to top-down impositions ranging rom Bentham’s
ggard tower to Snowden’s revelations aiogt the Five Eles intelligence regime, gser-led
sgrveillance practices mal sgpplement or even contest sgch regimes).
Throggh DV, a more distriigted network can ie enrolled to identi l targets, sidestepping
privacl settings and legal sa eggards throggh the eforts o willing social actors).
DV is a prodgct o digital media platorms and gser-generated cgltgral practices). It is also an
enactment o citiienship that ioth contests and rein orces orms o state power and policing).
Finalll, DV is a mater o rendering a targeted individgal visiile, with implications or
sgrveillance stgdies).
DV is a orm o mediated and coordinated action). Its point o departgre is moral ogtrage or a
general sense o ofence taking, tlpicalll towards an act that has ieen captgred and
transmited via moiile devices and throggh social platorms). In response to this ofence
taking, gsers seek to render a targeted individgal or categorl o individgalV visiile throggh
in ormation sharing practices sgch as assemiling and pgilishing their personal details
‘doxing’V). This response is tlpicalll led il individgals who mal temporarill coalesce, or
example, on a Faceiook grogp, igt are otherwise gnafliated with a ormal organisation). DV
campaigns are driven il a range o criminological motivations, inclgding responding to
criminal events as well as the prevention and deterrence o potential transgressions). Yet DV
campaigns also pgrsge in ormational goals sgch as the identifcation o a targeted individgal
or categorl o individgal, as well as articglating an gnderstanding aiogt shared norms and
, valges, and conseqgentll expressing a mediated collective identitl that mal ie in ormed il
national, religiogs or ethnic orms o solidaritl).
Following this irie overview that is sgmmarised in the taile, Johnston’s six eatgres appear
to ie generalll gpheld). Yet the wal these eatgres are mani est throggh digital media
amognts to a re-articglation o the iogndaries o the collective
Digital Media Afordances and Cgltgral Practices
DV is sitgated with a iroader media cgltgre o gsers ieing aile to organise online smart
mois, crowdsogrcingV, amongst an expansive and ever-asserting in ormational in rastrgctgre
iig data, smart citiesV, and mal acilitate social harms clier-igllling, revenge porn, clier-
stalking, online harassmentV).
DV is acilitated il a lowered threshold or coordinated action on digital platorms that is
often mani ested throggh crowdsogrcing initiatives). The convergence o ormerll distinct
social spheres on platorms sgch as Faceiook and Twiter ofer new organisational
possiiilities, igt also lack o control over the scope and severitl o a campaign il anl single
social actors). ‘strange allgre o anonlmogs colletivism’
Digital media sgch as social platorms and moiile devices allow or an amplifcation o peer-
to-peer commgnication, providing greater access to personal in ormation as well as allowing
the circglation o sgch in ormation). This has shaped practices sgch as fle-sharing, gndraising
and political moiilisation). Indeed, online moiilisation is an emergent phenomenon that
crosscgts digital media platorms and collective iehavior).
Contemporarl interpersonal cgltgre is shaped il the aiilitl to monitor and intervene in the
lives o others). Social platorms like Faceiook, Twiter and Reddit allow citiiens to discgss a
targeted individgal, pgilish their personal details and issge calls or action). In addition,
moiile devices sgch as smart phones enaile real-time recording and transmission o an
ofending act to other citiiens).
DV occgrs in a cgltgral context where gsers are coming to terms with the relation ietween
online activitl and ofine conseqgences). While the ‘earll wei’ was characterised il a
perceived distinction ietween online and ofine in terms o the exercise o power Jordan
1999V, the emergence o social, geolocated and giiqgitogs media has led to a dissolgtion o
this distinction, to the extent that digital media activitl can have lasting conseqgences in
ioth local and gloial contexts). Thgs, DV participants mal not ie aware o the actgal impact
o their actions).
Vigilantism on digital media can ie ramed in the context o online commgnication: the
sharing o personal details, photos and videos, adding commentarl, discgssion and calls or
action). However, all o these actions cglminate in a coordinated mass persecgtion o a
targeted citiien).
