Online Vigilante Behavior – Using Social Media to Punish Strangers

While the NSA scandal is getting attention, there is a smaller level of online vigilante behavior happening that can be just as damaging. An example is the case where a stranger on a train took a photo of another passenger and created a false, harmful accusation that was shared over 276,000 times on Facebook. This is a concern in a society where anyone can become a self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner with no oversight or accountability.