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VOL. 12, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Legality and social impact of "Cancel Culture”
Authors
Wiwin Wiwin, Muh Akbar Fhad Syahril, Muhammad Aditya, Salmi Annadiyah
Abstract
This study examines the legality and social
impact of cancel culture in digital spaces by situating it at the tension point
between freedom of expression, the protection of human dignity, and legal
certainty. It departs from the phenomenon of mass social punishment through
boycotts, stigmatization, and “trials” by public opinion on social media, and
seeks to explain how cancel culture operates as a mechanism of accountability
while simultaneously holding the potential to generate violations of
constitutional rights, particularly the right to reputation and the right to
due process. The study employs a combination of normative and empirical legal
methods: the analysis of relevant legislation, legal doctrine, and case law is
integrated with a critical reading of empirical findings on perceptions,
practices, and social consequences of cancel culture in the digital sphere. The
findings indicate that the existing positive legal framework has not yet fully
succeeded in balancing the function of public criticism with the prevention of
mob mentality and excessive chilling effects on freedom of expression, while at
the social level cancel culture is ambivalent it can amplify the voices of
vulnerable groups, but also trigger psychological trauma, polarization, and the
erosion of spaces for dialogue. The study recommends strengthening clearer
regulations, establishing mechanisms for the restoration of reputation,
adopting proportionate arrangements regarding the responsibility of digital
platforms, and advancing digital literacy and communication ethics so that
cancel culture can be directed towards a more humane and just form of public
oversight that is consistent with the principles of a democratic rule of law.
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Pages:42-46
How to cite this article:
Wiwin Wiwin, Muh Akbar Fhad Syahril, Muhammad Aditya, Salmi Annadiyah "Legality and social impact of "Cancel Culture”". International Journal of Law, Vol 12, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 42-46
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