In the contemporary digital age, whispering campaigns have assumed a profound, disturbing shape, shifting from innocent chit-chat among pals to a societal spectacle, with the power to implicate and isolate individuals. A stark illustration of this altering landscape is captured in the tale of ‘West Elm Caleb’. In 2022, a social media influencer exposed her experience of being ignored by Caleb, who she suggested was a furniture designer at West Elm. The anecdote prompted an avalanche of identical complaints, exposing a pattern of deceptive behavior in Caleb’s relationships. This digital crucifixion of Caleb triggered much contemplation on the transformation of gossip in the age of the Internet, and the moral obligations held by online civilians in the realm of chatter.
Gaining immunity from becoming the Internet’s next ‘Main Character’ is a crucial survival mechanism in today’s connected world. Every few weeks, the World Wide Web crowns a new victim, scrutinizing their lives, evaluating their choices. Public sentiment takes the role of judge and jury, hardly ever offering the chance of acquittal. The verdict is irrelevant once the court of online public opinion has labeled you the antagonist. Survival in this era of the Internet is not about learning to produce fire, but rather mastering the art of evading it when it threatens you.
The everyday narratives and interactions shared online, even between strangers, all constitute gossip. This boundless web of online chatter, which resembles a panopticon, encapsulates the potential positive and negative implications of gossip.
The reach of the Internet and the interconnectedness it facilitates have allowed for near-unlimited access to individuals from all corners of the globe. This newfound capability is exemplified by the ability to trace a complete stranger, based solely on a social media username spotted on a plane, three rows ahead. This voyeuristic behavior extends to peeping into private properties on real-estate websites, or comparing one’s appearance with that of a significant other’s ex based solely on a first name. The ease of acquiring unreachable personal information has become a phenomenon of its own.
Being a part of contemporary society, whether interacting in physical or digital spaces, bears the risk of unwanted fame as the Internet’s ‘Main Character’. The social media landscape is no longer centred on broadcasting companies alone – everyone is essentially inside the surveillance scope, with minimal concern for the implications of such exposure.
The public’s involvement in filming individuals doesn’t equate to the intrusive surveillance conducted by governments, but it amplifies the government’s capacity to spy on its citizens. This willingly created surveillance society seems to validate an unspoken agreement that justifies the invasion of one’s privacy in exchange for personal benefits. This exploitative mindset views sleuthing as a tool for punishment, and considers gossip a decentralized means of justice.
However, this approach may have grave implications. In the era of shrinking digital borders and tech corporations thirsting for drama, there is a looming risk of sacrificing our own privacy and fueling a witch hunt, undermining the genuine pleasure of gratifying our curiosity.
The delight of perpetual curiosity and education about our surroundings can often turn into a tempting abyss. Using gossip as a grassroots policing mechanism against anonymous individuals bears the risk of unnecessary harm. The digital frenzy against ‘West Elm Caleb’ demonstrated neither principles of justice nor compassion and showcased the unregulated hostility of the online mob.
This has led many to question the ultimate purpose of such digital scrutiny. What did society expect from a man like Caleb or from anybody turned into the ‘Main Character’ of the Internet, unwillingly? An apology? A disappearance? A common foe, over which collective anxieties and frustrations about modern dating could be projected? Such are the concerns triggered by this overwhelming shift in the modus operandi of gossip, veering towards vilification amid the interconnected spider-web of the digital age.