Toronto writer Carla Ciccone's story about her accidental bad date is just the latest example of how the Internet is reshaping public shaming.
Ciccone's tale of what she thought was a "friend date" with an older man that culminated in some unwanted touching of the behind, a failed kiss and some sad, sad tweets and emails went viral Monday evening after it was posted on the website XOVain.
The writer framed her story as a cautionary tale on Twitter, posting that "If you find yourself on an accidental date with one of the pushiest creeps in Canada, don't do like me."
In the piece, which has more than 3,000 likes on Facebook, Ciccone laments how she was too nice to her bad date and made excuses to get away from him rather than being truthful.
Ciccone's public shaming of her bad date on the Internet follows a woman who posted a photo of a man she overheard on a train talking about cheating on his wife last week. The photo was quickly shared tens of thousands of time on Facebook and was written up on several websites.
But public shaming doesn't have to start on the Internet to end up there. A recent "WELCOME HOME CHEATER" sign plastered on a Washington state home went viral on Reddit. Before that, there was the billboard a scorned wife used to publicly chastise her husband. That too ended up all over the Internet.
The lesson? In the Internet age, don't expect to be able to keep shady behaviour in the dark for long. In a digital world, everything comes out and nothing is forgotten.
Also on HuffPost
They Dated?!
