“Cancel culture” or “call-out culture” describes a form of public humiliation or shaming when someone has shared a questionable or unpopular opinion or has behaved in the past in a way now deemed to be offensive or otherwise unacceptable. The person is called out on social media for the purpose of “cancelling” whatever public position or positive reputation they may have, which can lead to a destruction of their career, relationships and livelihood.

In a survey conducted on Super Tuesday 2020, over half of likely American voters said they reject “cancel culture” and another quarter aren’t even sure what it is all about. Only 1 in 5 people believe that it is acceptable to target someone with the goal of silencing them because of their opinions or behavior.

For some organizations and activists, targeting and intimidating individuals is easier than engaging in a productive debate about issues and ideas. There are countless personal stories of harassment because of the exposure of someone’s support for a cause. No one deserves to be threatened with violence or financial ruin because of their opinions.