What #MargaretVanWyk can teach us about public shaming

So a less than flattering photo of yourself went viral, what do you do? The recent #MargaretVanWyk viral pic can actually teach us a lot about public shaming, even if you made the mistake of publishing the pic or making a comment in the first place.

How this whole #MargaretVanWyk saga started

Margaret Van Wyk, from Schweizer-Reneke in the North West took an intimate picture of herself, which was intended for her husband. She sent it to him via WhatsApp or so she thought.

She actually sent it to the school’s hockey WhatsApp group, which has 17 members. From there, some of the hockey parents shared the pic and it went viral.  #MargaretVanWyk even trended on Twitter.

We’ve all (almost) been there

We’ve all sent a message to the wrong person, maybe not a sext, but definitely something that wasn’t intended for the actual receiver. It sucks and there is really nothing you can do. Even if you delete it, screenshots don’t lie and they are forever.

You HAVE to see this, but don’t share it with anyone

But what could have been avoided, was the sharing of the personal picture. 17 hockey parents saw the picture, and some one (or more) took a screenshot and shared it. Maybe they only shared it with their BFF or partner, but then the others probably did the same. And that is all it takes for something to go viral.

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Cyber bullying is no joke. Not only is it morally wrong, but there are also legal implications. If you share the post, you are also responsible.

The law makes it clear that if you republish any statement or image that is slanderous, libellous or otherwise unconstitutional, you can still be held accountable for that, even though the publication of the content is second-hand.

The media are also to blame. (Yup, that’s us) Think about how you found out about this story? As well-known media lawyer, Emma Sadlier comments, mentioning the victim’s name leads to further harm.

People are able to say and do things online that would be completely unacceptable in the real (offline) world. The internet gives us a false sense of security and anonymity. We become invincible. Or as I like to say, we put our brave shoes on.

WhatsApp is intended for private communication. Taking a screenshot of a conversation and sharing it is a breach of privacy.

So what can we learn from this?

• Screenshots are forever. Don’t ever send or post anything that you wouldn’t like the whole world to see (No I’m not being dramatic, the internet is everywhere)
• Remember that the people involved have friends and families that will suffer too. This is their real life
• Don’t share something that you wouldn’t want shared about you. This could happen to anyone
• Be a better human! (Sam added this, FYI)

Read this book: Jon Ronson interviews those that have been publicly shamed and sees where they are now (Justine Sacco anyone).

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