Ethical dilemma #023
Someone posted a racist comment. Would you share their address to punish them?
Someone posted a racist comment. A group proposes sharing their home address and pressuring their workplace, even though they deleted the message and apologized.
Related reflectionDefending a Just Cause Does Not Justify Cruelty↗What would you do in this situation?
Choose an answer before continuing.
The context
A screenshot appears on social media of a racist comment someone posted two years ago. You find the comment offensive and believe it deserves a response. The person deletes the message and publishes an apology, but not everyone believes it is sincere.
A group you belong to obtains their home address and suggests sharing it so they receive complaints at home. The group also wants to send the screenshots to their employer. They ask you to help spread it. You can share those details, criticize the comment without revealing the address, or leave the campaign. You want to support those offended, but know that publishing an address can attract threats and affect people living with them.
A perspective to continue
A cause can deserve support and still use methods you should question. Who is affected by the consequence you are helping impose?
04
What your decision prioritizes
You try to impose a strong consequence. You cannot control who uses the address or what they do afterward.
You make the harm visible without adding a home address to the discussion. Others might think that response is insufficient.
You question a method that concerns you. You will need to explain how you would also address the harm caused by the comment.
How other people responded
Percentages will appear after enough responses have been collected.
0 recorded decisions
05
The person lives with their sister, who runs a small business from home. The sister has already received threats from people who confused her name with that of the person who posted the comment.
Now that you know this, would you keep your decision?
Keep my decision
The new information does not change what you had decided. Consider whether your original reasons still hold in light of what you have just learned.
Change my decision
What you have just learned leads you to choose a different response. Which detail changed how you see the situation?
I need to know more
The new information leaves you with an important question. What would you need to ask before acting?
0% changed their mind after learning the new context
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