Do we know why people use social media to harass celebrities?
July 4, 2020 3:17 PM Subscribe
As a person who doesn't use Twitter, IG, FB, etc., I'm sometimes out of the loop on social media trends. Two very minor "celebrities" (more like people who are known inside relatively small fan communities) I follow recently shared their own separate stories of dealing with anonymous social media accounts that seemingly only exist to mock and harass them.
Has there been any research into why people harass celebrities they will never meet over social media?
A few notes:
1. Both of the celebrities who spoke about this are straight cisgender White men who are not known for having any particular political view, so this harassment probably isn't based on any of those things.
2. I'd estimate that 99% of the people reading this question have never heard of either of these victims. They aren't the sort of famous person that you sort of have to hear about whether you want to or not.
I was shocked to learn the level of harassment directed towards these minor celebrities, and how common this seems to be on social media. One person shared how the owner of a Twitter account dedicated to mocking him strongly indicated that he was going to break into his house in a series of tweets. The other person discussed the half-dozen or so YouTube channels that have multi-hour long videos of nothing but mocking voice commentary inserted over his own videos. People seem to have dedicated am astonishing amount of time and effort to harassing and mocking these individuals that they could easily just ignore.
I assume there has been research into why people harass and bully other people, and probably also into why people might flame each other through social media. But has anyone studied why someone would go through the effort of persistently directing hateful content to people they will never meet and do not have to interact with? What's going through the mind of a person like that as he edits a three hour video about why this other person's voice-acting is garbage, or posts a tweet about how he travelled for hours to snap a picture of someone else's child's bedroom from the street?
A few notes:
1. Both of the celebrities who spoke about this are straight cisgender White men who are not known for having any particular political view, so this harassment probably isn't based on any of those things.
2. I'd estimate that 99% of the people reading this question have never heard of either of these victims. They aren't the sort of famous person that you sort of have to hear about whether you want to or not.
I was shocked to learn the level of harassment directed towards these minor celebrities, and how common this seems to be on social media. One person shared how the owner of a Twitter account dedicated to mocking him strongly indicated that he was going to break into his house in a series of tweets. The other person discussed the half-dozen or so YouTube channels that have multi-hour long videos of nothing but mocking voice commentary inserted over his own videos. People seem to have dedicated am astonishing amount of time and effort to harassing and mocking these individuals that they could easily just ignore.
I assume there has been research into why people harass and bully other people, and probably also into why people might flame each other through social media. But has anyone studied why someone would go through the effort of persistently directing hateful content to people they will never meet and do not have to interact with? What's going through the mind of a person like that as he edits a three hour video about why this other person's voice-acting is garbage, or posts a tweet about how he travelled for hours to snap a picture of someone else's child's bedroom from the street?
"That shit will get people killed someday."
Hasn't it already?
Edited to add: This looks like I'm being glib when I'm not. Online harrassment is a truly serious issue. People's lives really are at stake.
posted by acidnova at 3:46 PM on July 4, 2020 [5 favorites]
Hasn't it already?
Edited to add: This looks like I'm being glib when I'm not. Online harrassment is a truly serious issue. People's lives really are at stake.
posted by acidnova at 3:46 PM on July 4, 2020 [5 favorites]
why someone would go through the effort of persistently directing hateful content to people they will never meet and do not have to interact with
The celebrities (however small-time) they are fixated on are significant/important to them, and the negative behavior is a way to get attention while also acting out feelings of anger, envy, and resentment.
Lindy West’s ”What Happened When I Confronted My Cruellest Troll” talks about this.
posted by sallybrown at 4:41 PM on July 4, 2020 [6 favorites]
The celebrities (however small-time) they are fixated on are significant/important to them, and the negative behavior is a way to get attention while also acting out feelings of anger, envy, and resentment.
Lindy West’s ”What Happened When I Confronted My Cruellest Troll” talks about this.
posted by sallybrown at 4:41 PM on July 4, 2020 [6 favorites]
tl;dr for the article I posted above:
"It’s cold comfort to know that hateful content is a reflection of the sender’s anger, jealousy, sense of powerlessness, obsessive tendencies, lack of empathy, or an attempt to increase their own sense of social power by diminishing another."
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:43 PM on July 4, 2020
"It’s cold comfort to know that hateful content is a reflection of the sender’s anger, jealousy, sense of powerlessness, obsessive tendencies, lack of empathy, or an attempt to increase their own sense of social power by diminishing another."
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:43 PM on July 4, 2020
I once read an article about (or possibly by?) a teenager who had anonymously and extensively harassed an adult friend of his parent's who lived in a different country and the kid might not have even ever met. I'm having a hard time finding it now, but if you can dig it up, I remember it talking about motivations a lot in a relatively contemplative way. The adult victim was Jewish and a lot of the harassment centered around that. The boy was of course white and not Jewish, and claimed to not otherwise have anti-Semitic beliefs.
posted by teremala at 5:06 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by teremala at 5:06 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Teremala, I think I read the same story. This one? It stuck in my head for a long time too.
posted by EllaEm at 6:16 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by EllaEm at 6:16 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
As far as I know there are no academic studies on this, I've been looking and may attempt to actually research this in a few years. Please let me know if there are any existing studies I can look at.
My best guess is similar to the article Tell Me No Lies posted, combined with parasocial relationships (ie a one sided relationship where the fan thinks it exists and the celebrity does not). Fans will develop emotionally strong parasocial relationships due to their own needs for connection, and once the celebrity "betrays" this, the fan can react the same as an actual scorned lover. It also could be redirected from some perceived slight the celebrity has towards some other celebrity the fan feels a strong relationship with
posted by JZig at 6:38 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
My best guess is similar to the article Tell Me No Lies posted, combined with parasocial relationships (ie a one sided relationship where the fan thinks it exists and the celebrity does not). Fans will develop emotionally strong parasocial relationships due to their own needs for connection, and once the celebrity "betrays" this, the fan can react the same as an actual scorned lover. It also could be redirected from some perceived slight the celebrity has towards some other celebrity the fan feels a strong relationship with
posted by JZig at 6:38 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
Basically, the Internet serves as a network of information focuses--even mild Internet celebrity is like a spotlight saying "this person is of interest." There are enough people online with enough accumulated craziness, meanness, or just plain evil that literally anything or anyone that is identified as of interest will be attacked.
I mean, Muppet History got harassed. Muppet History! All they do is post clips of Debbie Harry singing "The Rainbow Connection" and the Kermit performance of "Once in a Lifetime."
posted by praemunire at 8:44 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
I mean, Muppet History got harassed. Muppet History! All they do is post clips of Debbie Harry singing "The Rainbow Connection" and the Kermit performance of "Once in a Lifetime."
posted by praemunire at 8:44 PM on July 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
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People are angry and they feel better taking their rage out on someone. It makes them feel strong and superior. Same urge to bully online as in real life, except it's easier online and more omnipresent.
This is why I don't participate on social media. That shit will get people killed someday.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:37 PM on July 4, 2020