Comment on Online ‘Pedophile Hunters’ Are Growing More Violent — and Going Viral: With the rise of loosely moderated social media platforms, a fringe vigilante movement is experiencing a dangerous evolution.

infeeeee@lemm.ee ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• tumbleweed@feddit.org ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Pedophile hunting is among several vigilante movements in the United States. Groups in the South try to catch alleged drug smugglers at the border; others monitor local crime. The new wave of pedophile hunters stands out for adopting the social media influencer model, using real-life violence to build a following online.

  This is about clout chasing and being violent monsters

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  • JayGray91@lemmy.zip ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    They can dispel doubt because they are hunting pedophiles.

    “You wouldn’t defend a pedophile now, would you?” - clout chasing violence monger

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    • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      And if you haven’t found any pedophiles yet, well, I guess you’re not trying hard enough. Or maybe… you are one of them… 😠

      Can’t believe this needs an /s

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  • Red_October@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    And if anyone calls them out on it, they’re immediately branded as “pedophile sympathizers” if not actual pedophiles themselves. So, not only do they get to be violent monsters, saying that they shouldn’t commit horrible violence without any sort of legal oversight (or at all, really) makes YOU the bad guy!

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• glorkon@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Is that really the only problem you see with people taking justice into their own hands? Less oversight?

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  • TheOSINTguy@sh.itjust.works ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    The problem is what if they mistake somebody for the wrong person? That’s enough to destroy an innocent persons life.

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    • Telorand@reddthat.com ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      That’s not the only problem. They’re making content, so finding “the right person” will inevitably be less important than finding a person. Can’t fall out of the Almighty Algorithm’s favor, amirite?

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      • fishos@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        So … What you’re saying, it’s that there would be less oversight when it comes to choosing their targets. Almost exactly like OP said. Almost like they were speaking in broad strokes and you failed to notice any nuance.

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  • Valmond@lemmy.world ⁨6⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    When they go after the wrong person, yes. When they decide to both be the police, judge and executioner, yes.

    But if the judiciary system doesn’t do it’s work, what do you expect.

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    • glorkon@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Even if the judiciary system in your country doesn’t do its work, people taking justice in their own hands is a fundamentally bad thing for a society. I don’t pity predators if they get what they deserve, but I pity the society that suddenly has to define boundaries - where do you draw the line? Not all cases are clear cut. Not everyone operates on the same set of morals. Example: Religious zealots really do believe that abortions kill children. If society doesn’t categorically forbids people to take justice into their own hands but goes “well, in this case, we can all understand”, you will have other people acting in ways they perceive as equally justifiable. The users who downvoted me don’t seem to have this understanding, they would rather have revenge. If you people don’t understand that self-justice will ultimately lead to a more violent society, then go ahead, downvote me again. You’re the reason your country isn’t a more civilized place, wherever you live.

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    • Microw@lemm.ee ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      I can assure you that the judiciary system in my country does work. It’s just that these people either a. just want to beat someone up and need an excuse, or b. don’t agree with our laws and think it should be prison time for a 18 year old who wants to date a 16 year old, or a 21 year old who wants to date a 17 year old.

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  • MNByChoice@midwest.social ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    A person does not need to point out all problems when pointing out one problem.

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  • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Disproportionate punishment is another of course. They probably lump pedophiles (a person with a psychiatric disorder) and child molesters (a person that actually harms children) into the same group and you deserve to die for simply thinking the wrong things.

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    • Microw@lemm.ee ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      They lump far more people into the same group. They attack anyone whom they think they can, even if they know that their accusations are BS.

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• Triasha@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  “less oversight than police.” A bar so low you need a shovel to get under it.

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