When Anger Over Abuse of Power Becomes Excessive, It's a 'Witch Hunt'

[Online Vigilantes: Justice or Anger?]
Part 2. One-Way Street of Personal Attacks

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A Generation Sensitive to Fairness and Justice
Need to Listen to the Other Side Too
Concerns Over Innocent Victims Like the 'Seoul 240 Bus' Incident

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[Asia Economy Reporters Seungyun Song and Jeongyun Lee] In September 2017, a post appeared on an online community stating that "a mother requested the bus driver to stop because the bus was crowded and she could not get off, but the driver ignored her." This was the beginning of the so-called "Seoul Bus No. 240" incident. Online, criticism and calls for revealing the bus driver's identity spread like wildfire. However, the Seoul city investigation revealed that most of the content posted on the community was false. The bus driver reportedly even contemplated extreme measures due to mental distress.

There is also the "Chaesundang Incident." In 2012, a post appeared online claiming that an employee at a Chaesundang shabu-shabu specialty restaurant branch in Cheonan, Chungnam, kicked the belly of a pregnant customer after an argument. This incident led to a boycott movement, causing significant damage to franchise owners and Chaesundang. Police investigations revealed that the assault claim was baseless and false, but the damage continues to this day. Similar cases still occur frequently.

Justice without control mechanisms is no different from "doxxing" or "witch hunts." Professor Hangseop Choi of the Department of Sociology at Kookmin University explains that such behavior is rooted in anger toward abuse of power. He said, "Abuse of power by both the privileged and ordinary people is increasing, and because punishments are weak, anger accumulates and is strongly expressed," adding, "In other words, it can also be understood as a call for institutionalized strict punishment of abuse of power." This is similar to how online communities have been used as venues for public trials or how distrust in judicial institutions has created "digital prisons," which have received tacit public support.

Professor Hongsik Yoo of the Department of Media Communication at Chung-Ang University said, "Claims can be contested, so a social process of listening to the other party's story is necessary," adding, "If doxxing is done without hearing the accused person's side, it risks producing innocent victims." He further explained, "With the development of the internet and social networking services (SNS), anyone can easily obtain and share others' personal information. When victims of wrongful doxxing appear, related posts are difficult to delete, causing lifelong suffering for the individuals and their families."

Many also believe that this atmosphere will not change easily. Professor Myeongho Im of the Department of Psychology at Dankook University said, "The current younger generation is particularly sensitive to fairness and justice because economic achievements are lacking relative to their efforts," adding, "Through candlelight rallies, they have learned that participating in social movements can bring change, so such movements are expected to continue." Professor Im emphasized, "Because excessive doxxing and polarization of public opinion can cause side effects, it is important to have a responsible attitude when writing and sharing posts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.