Who’s to blame? Exploring collective emotions between shared guilt and anger: a semiotic study of digital narratives and social activism in the context of online gender-based violence

Abstract The present study explores digital narratives and social activism in the context of online gender-based violence, focusing on the mechanisms of collective emotions, such as guilt, anger, shame, and fear. In this perspective, the narrative continues to deal with how media representations legitimate ideological conceptions and perpetuate the normalization of online violence against women. By deepening our understanding of how collective emotions are constructed and manipulated, the study aims to identify the subtle and hidden link between media discourses and actual events as they occur online. In doing so, it explores media narratives evoking collective shame, fear, anger, and guilt, particularly in cases of online gender-based violence, with a focus on fake social media confessions, misinformation, and digital activism. Thus, the question is about the role of the media in the formation of dominant ideologies and the reinforcement and normalization of online gender-based violence through their modes of representation. Through the semiotic analysis of critical cases, the study will contribute to comprehending the mechanisms that digital media employs to shape public opinion on online gender-based violence, roles, and dynamics. In turn, it will reveal pathways to potential solutions for a social revolution.