Hisashi Eguchi's "Tracing Allegations" - The Five Psychological Mechanisms Fueling the Outrage of Copy & Paste

On social media, the anger and sadness of victims are traced onto others' posts and spread as if they were personal issues. This phenomenon can be explained by the overlap of several factors: ① the digital space has altered the cost and reward structure of expressing anger (Crockett), ② moral contagion where moral-emotional language accelerates dissemination (Brady et al.), ③ group polarization where like-minded groups become more extreme (Sunstein), ④ parasocial identification with celebrities or victims (Horton & Wohl), and ⑤ algorithmic preference through engagement optimization (Milli et al.). As a result, the voices of the individuals involved are often drowned out by noise, leading to unauthorized proxy wars and secondary victimization. Countermeasures include individual actions such as delay, summarization, and consideration; community norms, verification, and a focus on the individuals involved; and platform improvements like increasing the viscosity of dissemination and diversifying recommendations. Adopting an approach that accompanies with boundaries and consideration, rather than copying anger, can lead to a reduction in online firestorms.