[this post, OP is @pazithigallifreya]

Yep, it IS deeply unsettling to think about how someone’s life could be ruined over a false accusation. There’s something intoxicating about saying you’ve found a monster and want to rally ppl to your cause to go destroy it. That’s been around since long before the internet and will go on in whatever form of communication people have available, whether the monster is a real one or not.

“btw, I’ve talked on private with that blog and it turns out they are a p*******e. y’all know what to do.” 

^I feel terrible saying this, but I couldn’t trust this person at face value. Maybe if it was a very close friend, but even then, I wouldn’t mobilize ppl online to attack the accused person. I’m not a police officer, I would probably tell that victim to go to the police. The police have the tools to find the accused, the time and training to build the evidence properly and legally.

Keep in mind, too, that tweets/chats/etc. can be digitally manipulated, like this tweet (although it could be real for all I know, but I would hope not):

Then there’s the thornier matter of people who ARE guilty of offenses, from the small to the large. There are abusers out there who trawl for prey. There are also people who wrote something in the past that they may have apologized for and definitely deeply regret. 

I’ve certainly made mistakes and written cruel things I would take back if I could. I can’t apologize enough or genuinely enough for how I’ve hurt people. 

[Imagine holding that much authority that you ruin part of someone’s life.]

…And so often they end up with a rabble ready to crucify anyone who doesn’t do as they are told, and that’s when I really run for the hills…

^I’m of the belief that no individual online should have that kind of power, this is why we have a legal system which determines guilt and punishments fairly. No judicial system is perfect but it has to be better than some stranger online telling a mob to pick up torches and pitchforks to attack another stranger online.