What are people talking about in moral outrage? Communication processes of online firestorms in Japan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26441/RC19.1-2020-A12Keywords:
online firestorming, social media, aggressive comment, collective communicationAbstract
In the age of the Internet, anonymous online users can form a societal reaction by posting large quantities of critique and insulting comments against (perceived) norm violations on social media. These so-called online firestorms, or Enjō in Japanese, tend to include aggressive behavior against the target. This research aims to reveal the dynamics of Enjō and explores how people communicate with each other in the formation process of Enjō by conducting a comparative case study. This study collects tweets posted in five Enjō cases and compares each case to create conceptual categories of the communication process of Enjō. Results show that the participants of Enjō interact with each other to define the problem of concern through exchange of information. Moreover, it is revealed that there are two types of process in the escalation of Enjō, “social problematization” and “villainization.” In the conclusion, the implications of these findings are discussed.
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References
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Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York, US: The Free Press.
Blumer, H. G. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., US: Prentice Hall.
Buckels, E. E., Trapnell, P. D. & Paulhus, D. L. (2014). Trolls just want to have fun. Personality and Individual Differences, 67, 97-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.01.016
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eltes. (2017). Media trend in Enjō [in Japanese]. Retrieved from Digital Risk Research Institute: https://www.eltes-orm.com/
Erikson, K. T. (1966). Wayward Puritans: A study in the sociology of deviance. New York, US: Wiley.
Fujishiro, H. (2014). The age when everyone is journalist: middle media’s roles and problems. In K. Endo (Ed.). The journalism in complexedly-mediated societies: Do social media change public nature? (pp. 103-123) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo Denki University Press.
Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1965). Awareness of Dying. New York, US: Aldine Publishing Company.
Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago, US: Aldine Publishing Company.
Hogetsu, M. (2004). Sociology of deviance and control [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Yuhikaku.
Kawakami, N. (2014). A cultural area formed on the Internet. In N. Kawakami (Ed.). The culture created by the Internet: The age when anyone can express themselves on the web (pp. 9-40) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: KADOKAWA.
Kiesler, S., Siegel, J. & McGuire, T. (1984). Social Psychological Aspects of Computer-Mediated Communication. American Psychologist, 39, 1123-1134. https://doi.org/10.1
037/0003-066X.39.10.1123
Kobayashi, N. (2011). Collection of Enjō cases on social media [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Nikkei-BP.
Korenaga, R. (2008). Communication in cyber space: Why is the Internet in flames. In Y. Hashimoto (Ed.), Media and communication studies (pp. 162-179) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Taisyukan- Syobō.
Miura, A. (2010). Communication in digital media. In M. Aikawa & J. Takai (Eds.), Communication and interpersonal relationships (pp. 20-36) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Seishin- Syobō.
Morio, H. (2009). CMC and interpersonal relationships. In A. Miura, H. Morio, & Y. Kawaura (Eds.), The frontier of Internet psychology: Individual, group, and society (pp. 88-115) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Seishin- Syobō.
Nakagawa, J. (2010). Crazy people who participate in Enjō: How to cope with mysterious Internet fundamentalists [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Takarajimasya.
NHK. (2017). Tracking Enjō for 500 days [in Japanese]. Retrieved from NHK NEWS WEB: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news /special/
Ogiue, C. (2007). Web Enjō: Stampede and potentiality of Internet crowd [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Chikuma- Syobō.
Reicher, S. D., Spears, R. & Postmes, T. (1995). A Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Phenomena. In W. Stroebe & M. Hewstone (Eds.), European Review of Social Psychology (Vol. 6), 161-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/14792779443000049
Sato, I. (2008). The methodology of qualitative analysis: Its principles, methods, and practices [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Sinyousya.
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Sherif, M. & Harvey, O. J. (1952). A Study in Ego Functioning: Elimination of Stable Anchorages in Individual and Group Situations. Sociometry, 15(3), 272-305. https://doi.org/10.2307/2785740
Spears, R., Lea, M. & Postmes, T. (2007). Computer Mediated-Communication and Social Identity. In A. N. Joinson, K. Y. A. McKenna, T. Postmes, & U. D. Reips (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Internet Psychology (pp. 253-272). New York, US: Oxford University Press.
Spector, M. & Kitsuse, J. I. (1977). Constructing Social Problems. Menlo Park, CA, US: Cummings.
Sproull, L. & Kiesler, S. (1986). Reducing Social Context Cues: Electronic Mail in Organizational Communication. Management Science, 32, 1492-1512. https://doi.org/1
0.1287/mnsc.32.11.1492
Tanaka, T. (2016). Characteristics of the participants of Enjō and countermeasures for Enjō. Japanese Journal of Clinical Psychiatry [in Japanese], 45(10), 1225-1236.
Tanaka, T. & Yamaguchi, S. (2016). A study of Enjō: Who perpetrate, and how should we deal with it? [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Keisō-Syobō.
Toriumi, F. & Sakaki, T. (2016). Rumor and Enjō: Their diffusion and convergence. In K. Endo (Ed.), Social media and public opinion: Complexed-media shock the world (pp. 220-238) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo Denki University Press.
Turner, R. H., & Killian, L. M. (1987). Collective behavior (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US: Prentice-Hall.
Yamaguchi, S. (2017). Empirical analysis of the motives for commenting in Enjō. InfoCom REVIEW [in Japanese], (69), 61-74.
Yoshino, H. (2016). Domestic condition and transition of Enjō: Focused on online survey. Corporate Communication Studies [in Japanese], (20), 66-83.
Zimbardo, P. G. (1969). The Human Choice: Individuation, Reason, and Order versus Deindividuation, Impulse, and Chaos. In W. J. Arnold & D. Levine (Eds.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (pp. 237-307). Lincoln, NE, US: University of Nebraska Press.
@aconitine_NEO. (2015, August 8). Female divers have tended to be described sexually and they have objected to it for a long time [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/aconitine_NEO/status/630008727689519105
@hasekiyo2468. (2016, August 15). This is terrible [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/hasekiyo2468/status/764970138147794944
@HNamachiri. (2018, May 23). It says that Tanaka Hidetoshi has intimidated staff members at the university with this photo [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/HNamachiri/status/999168835495211008
@jackyie. (2015, August 8). In Japan, there exist so many sexual anime characters in public [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/jackyie/status /62995525041
8388992
@KTB_genki. (2015, March 20). The management who decided to release the commercial should be blamed for the problem and resign [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/KTB_genki/status/578655593986170880
@sakuya_little. (2016, August 15). There should be a reason for such a high cost [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/sakuya_little/status/764949126387642368
@shinmk. (2016, August 17). I do not feel that this problem is somebody else’s business. [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/shinmk/status/76575993792
2338816
@ys5project. (2016, August 15). I can understand the accuser’s claim but I feel that the company’s PC support is satisfying and the cost of its services is relatively reasonable [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/ys5project/status/764875011
660222464
Asch, S. E. (1952). Social Psychology. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., US: Prentice-Hall.
Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. New York, US: The Free Press.
Blumer, H. G. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., US: Prentice Hall.
Buckels, E. E., Trapnell, P. D. & Paulhus, D. L. (2014). Trolls just want to have fun. Personality and Individual Differences, 67, 97-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.01.016
Durkheim, É. (1978). The rules of sociological method (T. Miyajima, Trans.) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Iwanami-Shoten. (Translate Les regles de la methode sociologique, 1960, 14th ed., Paris, France: Presses Universitaires de France.)
eltes. (2017). Media trend in Enjō [in Japanese]. Retrieved from Digital Risk Research Institute: https://www.eltes-orm.com/
Erikson, K. T. (1966). Wayward Puritans: A study in the sociology of deviance. New York, US: Wiley.
Fujishiro, H. (2014). The age when everyone is journalist: middle media’s roles and problems. In K. Endo (Ed.). The journalism in complexedly-mediated societies: Do social media change public nature? (pp. 103-123) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo Denki University Press.
Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1965). Awareness of Dying. New York, US: Aldine Publishing Company.
Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago, US: Aldine Publishing Company.
Hogetsu, M. (2004). Sociology of deviance and control [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Yuhikaku.
Kawakami, N. (2014). A cultural area formed on the Internet. In N. Kawakami (Ed.). The culture created by the Internet: The age when anyone can express themselves on the web (pp. 9-40) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: KADOKAWA.
Kiesler, S., Siegel, J. & McGuire, T. (1984). Social Psychological Aspects of Computer-Mediated Communication. American Psychologist, 39, 1123-1134. https://doi.org/10.1
037/0003-066X.39.10.1123
Kobayashi, N. (2011). Collection of Enjō cases on social media [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Nikkei-BP.
Korenaga, R. (2008). Communication in cyber space: Why is the Internet in flames. In Y. Hashimoto (Ed.), Media and communication studies (pp. 162-179) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Taisyukan- Syobō.
Miura, A. (2010). Communication in digital media. In M. Aikawa & J. Takai (Eds.), Communication and interpersonal relationships (pp. 20-36) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Seishin- Syobō.
Morio, H. (2009). CMC and interpersonal relationships. In A. Miura, H. Morio, & Y. Kawaura (Eds.), The frontier of Internet psychology: Individual, group, and society (pp. 88-115) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Seishin- Syobō.
Nakagawa, J. (2010). Crazy people who participate in Enjō: How to cope with mysterious Internet fundamentalists [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Takarajimasya.
NHK. (2017). Tracking Enjō for 500 days [in Japanese]. Retrieved from NHK NEWS WEB: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news /special/
Ogiue, C. (2007). Web Enjō: Stampede and potentiality of Internet crowd [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Chikuma- Syobō.
Reicher, S. D., Spears, R. & Postmes, T. (1995). A Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Phenomena. In W. Stroebe & M. Hewstone (Eds.), European Review of Social Psychology (Vol. 6), 161-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/14792779443000049
Sato, I. (2008). The methodology of qualitative analysis: Its principles, methods, and practices [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Sinyousya.
Scott, C. (1998). To reveal or not to reveal: A theoretical model for anonymous communication. Communication Theory, 8(4), 381–407. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.1998.tb00226.x
Sherif, M. & Harvey, O. J. (1952). A Study in Ego Functioning: Elimination of Stable Anchorages in Individual and Group Situations. Sociometry, 15(3), 272-305. https://doi.org/10.2307/2785740
Spears, R., Lea, M. & Postmes, T. (2007). Computer Mediated-Communication and Social Identity. In A. N. Joinson, K. Y. A. McKenna, T. Postmes, & U. D. Reips (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Internet Psychology (pp. 253-272). New York, US: Oxford University Press.
Spector, M. & Kitsuse, J. I. (1977). Constructing Social Problems. Menlo Park, CA, US: Cummings.
Sproull, L. & Kiesler, S. (1986). Reducing Social Context Cues: Electronic Mail in Organizational Communication. Management Science, 32, 1492-1512. https://doi.org/1
0.1287/mnsc.32.11.1492
Tanaka, T. (2016). Characteristics of the participants of Enjō and countermeasures for Enjō. Japanese Journal of Clinical Psychiatry [in Japanese], 45(10), 1225-1236.
Tanaka, T. & Yamaguchi, S. (2016). A study of Enjō: Who perpetrate, and how should we deal with it? [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Keisō-Syobō.
Toriumi, F. & Sakaki, T. (2016). Rumor and Enjō: Their diffusion and convergence. In K. Endo (Ed.), Social media and public opinion: Complexed-media shock the world (pp. 220-238) [in Japanese]. Tokyo, Japan: Tokyo Denki University Press.
Turner, R. H., & Killian, L. M. (1987). Collective behavior (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US: Prentice-Hall.
Yamaguchi, S. (2017). Empirical analysis of the motives for commenting in Enjō. InfoCom REVIEW [in Japanese], (69), 61-74.
Yoshino, H. (2016). Domestic condition and transition of Enjō: Focused on online survey. Corporate Communication Studies [in Japanese], (20), 66-83.
Zimbardo, P. G. (1969). The Human Choice: Individuation, Reason, and Order versus Deindividuation, Impulse, and Chaos. In W. J. Arnold & D. Levine (Eds.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (pp. 237-307). Lincoln, NE, US: University of Nebraska Press.
@aconitine_NEO. (2015, August 8). Female divers have tended to be described sexually and they have objected to it for a long time [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/aconitine_NEO/status/630008727689519105
@hasekiyo2468. (2016, August 15). This is terrible [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/hasekiyo2468/status/764970138147794944
@HNamachiri. (2018, May 23). It says that Tanaka Hidetoshi has intimidated staff members at the university with this photo [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/HNamachiri/status/999168835495211008
@jackyie. (2015, August 8). In Japan, there exist so many sexual anime characters in public [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/jackyie/status /62995525041
8388992
@KTB_genki. (2015, March 20). The management who decided to release the commercial should be blamed for the problem and resign [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/KTB_genki/status/578655593986170880
@sakuya_little. (2016, August 15). There should be a reason for such a high cost [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/sakuya_little/status/764949126387642368
@shinmk. (2016, August 17). I do not feel that this problem is somebody else’s business. [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/shinmk/status/76575993792
2338816
@ys5project. (2016, August 15). I can understand the accuser’s claim but I feel that the company’s PC support is satisfying and the cost of its services is relatively reasonable [Twitter post, in Japanese]. https://twitter.com/ys5project/status/764875011
660222464
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