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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 19, 2022

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If someone's an annoying sex pest online, yelling that they're an annoying sex pest and here's their real name doesn't actually protect the online spaces they've been preying on --

There is an approach to alleged abusers that is nuanced but might be the right thing to do: they are removed from positions of power, but just that; you do not need to unjob them or take away their phone number or anything else.

Say there are adults modding subreddits for teenagers that have a record of violating sexual boundaries and thinking that kids ought to be able to consent to sex. Them having a position of power is the issue.

but I find it easier to model the doxxing entirely separately from the cancel culture entirely separately from the harassment itself

I think you are right that there need to be separate, but related, discussions

  • when you can/cannot break anonymity (many times you can, maybe times you cannot)

  • when you can/cannot reveal specific personal information (this probably never a reason to post someone's street address, SSN, phone number, or anything about their family members, unless the subject is trying to say that they are not the same John Smith)

  • when you can/cannot reveal less private but still sensitive information (in this case I specifically think "their employer" and this would only be relevant if their specific job is a problem that puts them in a position of power over vulnerable people -- and "oh I just saw their linked in page" is not a sufficient reason to post it)

  • maybe distinct from the above, or maybe not: when you can actually contact their employer (and this is really easily abused with the bullshit of "hey I am just letting you know." If your reasoning would enable you to just letting the boss know that an employee of theirs was gay in the 1980s, your reasoning is probably wrong) or any business partners or family members

As a metaphor, compare breaking the lock to someone's front door. On its own, the damages aren't that severe

"Irreversibly breaking the lock on someone's front door" is a good analogy and I am going to start using it.