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In July, Disney fired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn. Cause for termination: a series of offensive tweets, in most cases about a decade old, that were circulated by a right-wing media personality. Gunn’s tweets, many of which were about molestation or pedophilia, were indefensible. But the method in which they were dug up, as well as the people who circulated them — bad-faith conspiracy theorists who used old jokes made in poor taste to brand Gunn as a pedophile — are part of a larger trend in which problematic or out-of-context tweets are being ripped from the past to ruin their author in the present.
Trial by online fire isn’t new. Milkshake Duck, a term coined by Twitter user @pixelatedboat in 2016, gave a name to a cultural internet phenomenon. It goes like this: someone gains online fame for something innocuous, only for it to come out shortly after that the person holds repugnant or problematic views. After a presidential election debate in 2016, for example, the internet became obsessed with a sweater-clad man named Ken Bone. His reign as a viral darling quickly came to an end after people discovered that his Reddit history included comments about stolen celebrity nudes and the “justified” killing of Trayvon Martin.
In 2018, however, the concept of Milkshake Ducking became far more convoluted. Now it’s not just about present problematic views, but holding people responsible for comments they’ve made previously, in some cases years ago. Call it Gunn’s Law: everyone has a past.
[...] Tweet deletion is no longer a matter of curation, but a necessity. Our lives are lived online more each year. We shouldn’t excuse people who spout racist, misogynist, damaging views online in present day. But as we confront our younger, more problematic past selves preserved online, the line between personal growth and punishment deserves breathing room. Until we can accept that, deleting tweets is all we have.
[This concept goes way back in time. Let the one among you who has no sin, cast the first stone. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Is it just that things are more visible, findable and more easily promulgated, now? --Ed.]
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 28 2018, @05:05AM (4 children)
I won't get upset, I'll just break your fingers if you say that thing to my face. I mean really, unless there's someone holding a gun to your head forcing you to read from a card, it's prima facie evidence of murderous intent on your part.
You have internet access. Remaining ignorant about the direct connection between racist attitudes and genocide must be taken as a deliberate choice now.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 28 2018, @05:17AM (3 children)
"I won't get upset, I'll just break your fingers if you say that thing to my face."
.
.
No, you will discover that I am a person you should not have fucked with, if you try to hurt me, you virtue-signaling dipshit.
Go ahead and post your real name and address, asshole. If you're such a bad motherfucker you won't be afraid to do that.
I'll be waiting, and laughing, because we both know you're just a shit-talking loser.
(Score: 5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 28 2018, @06:04AM (2 children)
I think your posts need a "Keyboard Warrior!" theme song to go with them. Something along the lines of the theme songs from "He Man and the Masters of the Universe" and "Thundercats".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 28 2018, @09:47AM
I point and laught at all keyboard warriors, except when they're wielding a ⌨ [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 28 2018, @03:31PM
Be careful of the Keyboard Warrior! [giphy.com]