This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
In recent years, as digitalization has accelerated, social media has evolved beyond being a space for individual expression into a mechanism for generating new forms of public opinion. This transformation has brought with it a behavioral pattern known as the “social lynching culture,” in which individuals are collectively targeted and discredited. Particularly on platforms such as X (Twitter), where instant reactions are widespread, users increasingly become subjects of collective attacks resembling extrajudicial punishment. Some examples of social lynching in Türkiye and around the world reveal that the concept of “social media justice” has generated various forms of victimization while simultaneously accelerating societal polarization on digital socialization platforms. Initially, expressing a reaction to an event or attempting to draw attention to it may be a personal response, but it can later escalate into a collective punishment.
Social lynching culture is a practice in the digital environment, primarily on platforms such as X (Twitter), where individuals are collectively targeted with judgmental and exclusionary attitudes. Within society, this culture creates conditions under which individuals, perceiving delays or failures in justice, choose the path of “verbal and digital enforcement.” This situation often produces new forms of victimization rather than achieving justice.
Although social media lynchings are sometimes perceived by the public as “deserved backlash” or “public conscience,” they can transform into a form of violence that suppresses freedom of thought and exceeds legal boundaries. For instance, personal and private information of individuals subjected to social lynching—including their full names, home addresses, educational backgrounds, Turkish identity numbers, and family details—is often collected by various individuals and published across social platforms. This culture today emerges particularly following incidents captured in videos recorded secretly or openly in public spaces, and spreads rapidly through instantaneous outbursts of anger directed at those perceived as “unjust” in the video, eventually becoming normalized as part of the ongoing event.
In 2023, Turkish actress Merve Dizdar won the Best Actress award at the 76th Cannes Film Festival. In her acceptance speech, she emphasized women’s rights and the struggle for gender equality. Her statement, “I accept this on behalf of those who fight for women,” became a focal point of public attention and triggered a massive wave of social media lynching. While some segments criticized her speech as containing a “political message,” others defended the actress’s freedom of expression. The incident demonstrated that individuals can gain media attention through bold actions, but also revealed how such actions can subsequently ignite a broader social lynching culture.
In 2024, singer Aleyna Tilki became a target of intense online backlash due to stage outfits and promotional images she shared on her social media accounts. On platforms such as Instagram and X (Twitter), various groups launched a wave of lynching, criticizing her clothing as absurd and flooding her with insults and demeaning messages. During this period, not only her attire but also her private life, past statements, and family members were targeted, fueling a widespread social lynching campaign. This culture extended beyond Tilki herself, spilling over to various agencies and fashion brands, with calls urging them to sever ties with her.
The “Hated in the Nation” episode of the series Black Mirror (Season 3, Episode 6) powerfully examines the contemporary culture of lynching shaped through social media in the digital age. In this episode, the writers depict a scenario in which individuals targeted on a platform similar to X with the hashtag #DeathTo are assassinated within a short time, and the public comes to believe that “justice” has been served.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that the murders are carried out by autonomous bee drones controlled by advanced artificial intelligence. However, the central focus is not on the individuals labeled as perpetrators, but on the masses who collectively express anger against the targeted person on social media. The public’s perception of “digital justice” transforms into a lynching mechanism rather than a moral one, producing irreversible consequences. The episode compellingly illustrates that social media lynchings pose a potential threat not only to those targeted but also to everyone who participates in the process.
The Place of Social Lynching Culture in Society
Recent Examples of Social Lynching Culture
The Merve Dizdar Case
The Aleyna Tilki Case
The Black Mirror “Hated in the Nation” Episode Example
Measures to Avoid Participating in Social Lynching Culture
