So You've Been Publicly Shamed

What role should shame play when considering when and how to pursue justice? How does shame affect other aspects of society, such as mental health, freedom of speech, public safety, and creativity?

Ronson does not present any antidotes to public shaming on social media. What alternatives might there be and how could changes to this online ecosystem contribute to a more just society?

Ronson describes the effects of public shaming as “ruining” or “destroying” lives. What are the connotations of these words and how well do they align with the experiences of those who have been publicly shamed? Is the level of destruction the same for all those who have been publicly shamed? If not, what accounts for the difference?

What ethical role, if any, do Google and other search engines have in the creation of algorithms that perpetuate public shaming? Is it detrimental or advantageous to them if people are publicly shamed on social media? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

To what extent does Ronson being a public media figure and a well-off white, cisgender, straight man who spends a lot of time on Twitter shape his views of the subject of public shaming on social media? How do these factors influence the conclusions Ronson comes to in the book?

Juxtapose Lehrer’s experience of being publicly shamed with that of Mosely’s. How are their experiences similar and/or different? To what extent has the experience changed how they see the world?

How does the Internet contribute to the search for justice? Develop an argument for whether the Internet has influenced the modern justice system for better or worse.

In your opinion, should social media companies be compelled to create new rules to reduce public shaming? What, if any, new guidelines or laws should be made and why?