Here are some screen caps from a new video that is creating a firestorm of anger across the Internet.
In it, two guys on vacation, lure a squirrel to the edge of the Grand Canyon with food and then boot it off the edge.
Given the coverage this video is getting, it won't be long before these men are identified in real life and villified and harrassed.
I'm calling this effect: "kicking the squirrel"
It's part of the iWar arsenal since it can be used for blackmail and for removing a key individual from a position of influence/power.
Here's how it works.
Evidence -- video, pictures, or story (in descending value) -- of bad behavior is posted online in a public forum.
This evidence can be from any source, it doesn't matter where it came from.
There are a variety of bad behaviors that elicit an immediate and angry reaction. Here they are in descending order:
- Cruelty to animals.
- Pedophilia of any type. Violence to children..
- Violence to women or brazen infidelity.
- A demonstration of sexism, racism, homophobia, or anti-Semitism (effects are dependent on the identity of the person demonstrating it).
The effects of this type of attack typically result in:
- A crowd-sourced search for the individual's identity.
- Vilification of the individual both on-line and off (in China and other places, people will find and follow you). Harassment.
- Loss of job or status. It creates reputational damage that can last for years.
This can be a very effective way to remove key people from an organizational target. For example, Brendan Eich was forced out of his position as the CEO of Mozilla merely for contributing $1,000 to a CA proposition that blocked same sex marriage.
This is going to become an increasingly powerful technique in the near future. Why?
Your reputation will be critical to doing anything, from getting a date to buying or selling anything both online and off, much sooner than you think.
PS: Here's the complete video (it may be taken down).
PPS: A big thanks to Bobby for the improved "Robb" logo.