Analytical Summary of Cole Stryker’s “The Problem with Public Shaming”

In “The Problem with Public Shaming,” an essay that first appeared in the Nation, Stryker argues against the form of public shaming promoted by online networks and how people have figured out a way to deal with crimes but not with social media. Stryker introduced the essay’s subject matter through social media examples, while reflecting on past experiences and stating important details that reinforce the subject of public shaming as well as “dox” and discusses this term throughout the essay. Stryker helps define the term “dox” by listing the common traits and information “doxxers” try to gather, which include—name, phone number, address, social security and financial history. To provide backing for this claim, Stryker cites a well-known company who is an expert in this subject. He then suggests that these shared characteristics by “doxxers” may in return create an opportunity to help catch these criminals and offering a safer place for people to live, which is shown through many examples to support his thoughts.
After defining “doxxers” characteristics, Stryker reveals the problem at hand: the practice that has been popularized — by anonymous trolls and “hacktivists” — collectively terrorizing teenage girls and disabled government websites (Stryker 587). Stryker explains how the First Amendment protects all kind of speech and because of that people have found a new way to speak out without getting in trouble for it, social media. Stryker uses a quote to show how hard it is to catch someone over social media stating, “It’s difficult to encourage shame if they can easily disappear into other crowds or escape to the next town” (Stryker 588). This quote gives the author more evidences and strengthens his thoughts and deepens his ideas by giving reasons in why he is against the topic.
Stryker