Social Shaming Essay

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Social Shaming In Jessica Bennett's essay The Flip Side of Internet Fame, Bennett explores the darker side of the social media phenomenon. She discusses public shaming and the damaging effects it has on people's lives. Social media can be a great tool when used properly to help people network and expand their businesses. But when it is misused, it becomes a breeding ground for stupidity. Many Americans are so fascinated by social media because average people can become famous over night for doing virtually nothing. Jessica Bennett quotes Daniel Solove saying, “Anybody can become a celebrity or a worldwide villain in an instant” (114). This possibility for instant notoriety is what gives social media its allure. Although, instant fame is an attractive idea for some, many times people who never sought out the limelight end up a target for public shaming. Many users are unaware of the privacy rights they are giving up while posting on social media, and others can become victimized without their knowledge or consent. There are currently no laws protecting a person’s privacy on the internet, and no legal action can be taken until it is too late. Many people have a false expectation of privacy when using social media. No one knows this better than Denise Helms. Helms is the California woman who found out the hard way that there is no such thing as privacy on social media. In November 2012, after the election Helms was frustrated by the news of President Obama's reelection. Helms immediately took to her Facebook page to air her grievances. Assuming that her outrageous comment would only be seen by family and friends Helms wrote, “Another 4 years of this n****. Maybe he will be assassinated this term.” Denise Helms ex-boyfriend took a screen shot of the vulgar comment and posted it to twitter. Not only did Helms catch the attention of friends and family, Denise

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