Outline

Title: Cancel Culture does not Erode Freedom of Speech

1. Cancel culture;
   •   A term that describes a growing trend where people will call out individuals or organizations whose actions or words are deemed offensive or controversial.
   • While ostracism has been in existence for centuries, social media has perhaps most prominently reflected this phenomenon
2. Cancel culture has brought more accountability among influential individuals and companies
   • As society increasingly integrates, some individuals and organizations are seemingly keen on maintaining the status quo.
   • For instance, social media has given more people the ability to reach out to millions of people in seconds.
3. Cancel culture has democratized the media space and given the ordinary people more power to take on mammoths.
   • Earlier, it could have been more challenging for individuals to take on big corporations, given their vast PR budgets and resources to afford top-notch lawyers.
   • Now, the average person has a platform to voice their opinion, and individuals can mobilize mass criticism

Cancel Culture does not Erode Freedom of Speech

Cancel culture is a term that describes a growing trend where people will call out individuals or organizations whose actions or words are deemed offensive or controversial. While ostracism has been in existence for centuries, social media has perhaps most prominently reflected this phenomenon (Romano, 2019). A common trend is where some social media influencers will call for boycotts from products of certain companies. Others might demand some accounts to be shut down or people to unlike or unfollow. While there are concerns over the trend might be eroding freedom of speech in the United States, there is substantial evidence to prove otherwise.

Cancel culture has brought more accountability among influential individuals and companies. As society increasingly integrates, some individuals and organizations are seemingly keen on maintaining the status quo. For instance, social media has given more people the ability to reach out to millions of people in seconds. While this liberalization of communication is good, some might not be aware of their power. However, cancel culture has helped to provide a sense of responsibility among these public figures. Some biggest victims of cancel culture include Shane Gillis, who was fired from the Saturday Night Live show after making homophobic, racial, and sexist remarks in his podcast (Vera, 2019). As a result, more comedians have learned to be more cautious in what they say, even on their private platforms. Besides celebrities, companies are now more cautious and even investing towards ensuring their people act responsibly, regardless of personal beliefs. Some examples include Disney, which was forced to change some parts of "The Princess and the Frog," "Splash Mountain," and "Jungle Cruise" to ensure they do not offend some minority groups (Smith, 2021). Some companies like Google have launched specific programs to train their employees with regard to racial and sexual diversity. Notably, the company had been previously accused of firing an employee for voicing his concerns about the company’s culture that seemingly undermined freedom of speech (Glaser, 2020).

Cancel culture has democratized the media space and given the ordinary people more power to take on mammoths. Earlier, it could have been more challenging for individuals to take on big corporations, given their vast PR budgets and resources to afford top-notch lawyers. Now, the average person has a platform to voice their opinion, and individuals can mobilize mass criticism that can lead to a company's change of conduct. In 2020, one of the biggest TV hosts, Ellen DeGeneres, was forced to apologize to her producers and staff for perpetuating a toxic work culture. At least three top managers also left the show. Were it not for the cancel culture, through the trend "Cancel Ellen DeGeneres" on Twitter, the average workers in Ellen's show would not have the platform to share their experiences (Smith, 2021). Ellen is arguably one of the most successful talk shows in the US, while the host has a huge following. Ellen has sustained a reputation of kindness through her generosity in the show. Thus, it would be an arduous task for average employees in the show to voice their experiences that contradict Ellen's public persona.

Thus, the cancel culture gives ordinary people a chance to exercise their freedom of speech. Further, it also ensures that influential people and organizations use their freedoms responsibly. Notably, one's rights also have boundaries whereby they should not violate those of other people. By acting irresponsibly, an influential individual or organization encourages irresponsibility among loyalists. As a result, there could be negative implications like hate crimes or discrimination which could undermine the freedoms of some groups.