Cancel Culture

Extracted Attributes

• Criticisms

  Stifles public discourse, unproductive, fails to enact real social change, fosters intolerance, amounts to cyberbullying, undermines accountability efforts, silences disenfranchised voices, attacks free speech, can interfere with right to counsel

• Definition

  A cultural phenomenon where an individual or group is publicly denounced, ostracized, boycotted, shunned, or fired for perceived unacceptable actions or speech, often aided by social media.

• Connotations

  Mostly negative

• Common Platforms

  Social media (e.g., X/Twitter, TikTok)

• Alternative Names

  Call-out culture

• Impacted Entities

  Individuals, organizations, ideas, celebrities, public figures

• Legal Perspective

  Considered a form of free speech protected under the First Amendment (Eugene Scalia)

• Historical Precedent

  Boycotting has existed long before the term 'cancel culture'

• Proponents' Arguments

  A way to promote accountability, give disenfranchised people a voice, address issues like racism or sexism, a modern form of social ostracism

• Philosophical Perspective

  A desperate, self-defeating attempt to compensate for real violence and intolerance suffered by minorities (Slavoj Žižek)

Timeline

• The slang term 'cancel' (referring to breaking up with someone) originated in a song and was later referenced in film and television. (Source: Web Search)

  1980s

• The trend gained momentum, notably during the #MeToo movement and through platforms like Black Twitter. (Source: Web Search)

  Mid-2010s

• The term 'cancel culture' came into circulation and gained traction. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2018

• Former US Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia wrote an article arguing that cancel culture is a form of free speech protected under the First Amendment. (Source: Web Search)

  2021

• Comedian Andrew Schulz navigated cancel culture by repurchasing his comedy special from Amazon due to creative differences and subsequently found a supportive partner in Netflix. (Source: Related Documents, Summary)

  Undated

Cancel culture

Cancel culture is a cultural phenomenon in which an individual thought to have acted or spoken in an unacceptable manner is ostracized, boycotted, shunned or fired, often aided by social media. This shunning may extend to social or professional circles—whether on social media or in person—with most high-profile incidents involving celebrities. Those subject to this ostracism are said to have been "canceled". The term "cancel culture" came into circulation in 2018 and has mostly negative connotations. The term "call-out culture" is used by some for the same concept. Some critics argue that cancel culture has a chilling effect on public discourse, that it is unproductive, that it does not bring real social change, that it causes intolerance, or that it amounts to cyberbullying. Others argue that the term is used to attack efforts to promote accountability or give disenfranchised people a voice, and to attack language that is itself free speech. Still others question whether cancel culture is an actual phenomenon, arguing that boycotting has existed long before the origin of the term "cancel culture". While the careers of some public figures have been impacted by boycotts—widely described as "cancellation"—others who complained of cancellation successfully continued their careers.

Web Search Results

• Cancel culture | EBSCO Research Starters

  Cancel culture, also known as call-out culture, refers to the phenomenon where individuals or groups publicly denounce and campaign against a target—be it a person, organization, or idea—often through social media platforms. This trend gained momentum in the mid-2010s, notably during the #MeToo movement and through platforms like Black Twitter, which highlighted social issues and fostered community discussions. Cancel culture functions as a modern form of social ostracism and can manifest in [...] Cancel culture, also known as call-out culture, refers to the phenomenon where individuals or groups publicly denounce and campaign against a target—be it a person, organization, or idea—often through social media platforms. This trend gained momentum in the mid-2010s, notably during the #MeToo movement and through platforms like Black Twitter, which highlighted social issues and fostered community discussions. Cancel culture functions as a modern form of social ostracism and can manifest in [...] Cancel culture is a form of public shaming in which groups or individuals swiftly denounce and campaign against a target, often using social media. The target may be an individual, a company, an institution, or even a concept. It is also known as call-out culture. It is a phenomenon that has become widespread due to twenty-first-century technology. Because of the reach of social media, the near permanence of postings on X (formerly known as Twitter) and other platforms, and the ubiquity of

• Cancel culture - Wikipedia

  Cancel culture is a cultural phenomenon in which an individual thought to have acted or spoken in an unacceptable manner is ostracized, boycotted, shunned or fired "Dismissal (employment)"), often aided by social media. This shunning may extend to social or professional circles—whether on social media or in person—with most high-profile incidents involving celebrities. Those subject to this ostracism are said to have been "canceled". [...] Former US Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia wrote in a 2021 Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy article that cancel culture is a form of free speech, and is therefore protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. According to Scalia, cancel culture can interfere with the right to counsel, since some lawyers would not be willing to risk their personal and professional reputation on controversial topics. [...] Philosopher Slavoj Žižek states that, "cancel culture, with its implicit paranoia, is a desperate and obviously self-defeating attempt to compensate for the very real violence and intolerance that sexual minorities have long suffered. But it is a retreat into a cultural fortress, a pseudo-'safe space' whose discursive fanaticism merely strengthens the majority's resistance to it."

• 16 Cancel Culture Examples (2025) - Helpful Professor

  Cancel culture refers to the practice of withdrawing support for individuals or organizations after they have been accused of objectionable behavior. This can include anything from boycotting a person or company’s products to refusing to work with them. It often takes the form of public shaming, and its proponents typically argue that it is a necessary response to moral failings. [...] While today we tend to think of cancel culture as a product of the woke left, it’s been a practice of groups on both sides of the culture wars who have wanted to promote their own ideology and silence their opponents. Examples on the left include canceling of JK Rowling and Joe Rogan, while the right was active in canceling people during the Iraq war and the 1990s ant-gay movements. Chris Chris Drew (PhD)

• What Is Cancel Culture? Origin, Impact, & Controversy - Axis.org

  ## What is cancel culture? The term “canceled” means to delete something or someone out of your life. As the instances of public “canceling” have increased over the past few years, it’s become its own culture. While you can cancel just about anyone or anything you want, “cancel culture” has become the mass-movement of revoking privileges, taking away platforms, and trying to blacklist celebrities and powerful figures—sometimes for something that happened decades prior. [...] One of the most notable springboards of cancel culture is the #MeToo movement, where canceling has been used to call out actual crimes committed by powerful figures. In some cases like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein, there were factual, verifiable allegations that led to cancelation. With other proven-true cases like Aziz Ansari and Louis C.K., their careers were certainly tainted after allegations, but have since resumed as they were before. However, other cases weren’t so cut-and-dry. [...] Cancel culture generally happens on (but is not limited to) apps like TikTok and Twitter, and spreads through user-created hashtags, usually following a #\_\_\_isover format (some recent hashtags include #lanadelreyisover and #jimmyfallonisover). Reasons for why someone is considered “over” vary, but for the ones mentioned, Lana Del Rey was accused of being racist in a post about how she feels her music is wrongfully criticized, and Jimmy Fallon was accused of being racist when a video of him

• Americans and 'Cancel Culture': Where Some See Calls for ...

  The phrase “cancel culture” is said to have originated from a relatively obscure slang term – “cancel,” referring to breaking up with someone – used in a 1980s song. This term was then referenced in film and television and later evolved and gained traction on social media. Over the past several years, cancel culture has become a deeply contested idea in the nation’s political discourse. There are plenty of debates over what it is and what it means, including whether it’s a way to hold people [...] define cancel culture as a way for people to cancel anyone they disagree with (15% say this) or as an attack on traditional American society (13% say this). [...] Five other distinct descriptions of the term cancel culture also appeared in Americans’ responses: people canceling anyone they disagree with, consequences for those who have been challenged, an attack on traditional American values, a way to call out issues like racism or sexism, or a misrepresentation of people’s actions. About one-in-ten or fewer described the phrase in each of these ways.