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Not your ordinary catfishing story: The role of cancel culture behind the hashtag #SamMoralesisOver

Bonne Cañal ; Ira Capuyan ; Hannah del Pilar ; Myril Eloise Enolpe ; Susan Loseo (2022) — Plaridel 19(1), 91–113

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DOI: 10.52518/2022.19.1-02ccpel (opens in a new tab)

Country:   Philippines
Tags:   Cancel Culture, Catfishing, Hashtag Activism, Lgbtq Community, Online Disclosure, Philippines, Twitter
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Synopsis

            
This study explores how the online phenomenon of cancel culture operated around the hashtag #SamMoralesIsOver and how it affected LGBTQ+ catfishing victims’ willingness to speak out. Grounded in a phenomenological approach, the researchers conducted focus group discussions with eight LGBTQ+ individuals who either experienced catfishing or engaged with the hashtag by retweeting or commenting. They apply three theoretical lenses—Convergence Culture, the Spiral of Silence, and Empowerment—to understand how online participation translates into voice, solidarity, and perceived accountability. The findings show that participants generally defined cancel culture as a collective online effort to condemn offensive acts or beliefs and demand accountability, with Twitter identified as the most convenient platform for mobilization. The decision to speak out or participate was shaped by factors such as relatability to the victim, the aim of raising awareness, and the perpetrator’s stated motive for the catfishing. The study attributes a coordinating role to social networks in magnifying calls for justice, illustrating how convergence culture enables victims to act as both consumers and producers of online content, thereby challenging the Spiral of Silence by providing a space to share experiences and support one another. Participants also weighed the benefits and risks: cancel culture can raise awareness and deter future harm, yet it can also invite privacy invasions, public shaming, and hateful backlash toward both the perpetrator and the community. The authors conclude that cancel culture can empower marginalized groups online by amplifying voices and mobilizing allies, but it requires careful, critical engagement to avoid harmful oversimplifications or retaliation that undermines the broader goal of justice and education.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited research on cancel culture, especially beyond case studies of public figures and businesses. It also states that little information is available on issues specifically concerning LGBTQ+ communities. The authors call for research on how cancel culture mobilizes people and raises awareness, as well as first-hand experiences in other catfishing cases.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
This qualitative phenomenological study used a focus group discussion with eight convenience-sampled participants. Participants met at least two criteria: LGBTQ+ membership, catfishing victimization, and participation in the #SamMoralesIsOver Twitter issue. Responses were interpreted through Convergence Culture, Spiral of Silence, and Empowerment theories to examine definitions of cancel culture, platform use, participation, and speaking out.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The study was narrowly scoped to the Sam Morales case and LGBTQ+ community. It used a small, non-probability convenience sample of eight people, of whom only three reported catfishing victimization. Most participants engaged through liking, retweeting, or sharing rather than publicly disclosing their own experiences. Findings therefore provide contextual perceptions of one Twitter-centered cancellation event rather than broadly generalizable evidence about catfishing or cancel culture.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Use Co-cultural Theory; conduct in-depth interviews with victims from other catfishing cases; examine cancel-culture movements involving other marginalized groups; test whether the study's definition of cancel culture applies across movements and purposes; investigate effects of cancellation on cancelled individuals, including employment, popularity, and whether established status changes these effects.

          

              

    
    

        
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