Toward a definition of cancellation: A historical review of the evolution of the concepts that define this dynamic on the internet

David Alberto Ruíz Espinosa

SAP Southern Studies, 2025

Abstract: Cancellation has been among the phenomena that have had the most marked effect on social media in recent years. However, no theoretical approaches have been made to the concept or what constitutes it, with the few considerations of the phenomenon being opinion articles or studies analyzing it as purely political without any attempt to define its characteristics and dynamics. This paper conducts a historical exploration of different phenomena in digital communication, namely, trolling and doxxing, to establish a background with dynamics that have evolved into what is now known as cancellation, establishing a relationship between the technology available to different generations of users and the global sociopolitical situation with the use of technology. Evidence is presented that these phenomena are part of a constant cycle that will generate similar phenomena in the future. Finally, an exploration is made of what constitutes the so-called culture of cancellation, its history, and its characteristics.

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cwf:ssarti:ss202515

DOI: 10.62486/ss202515

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