Document Type
Article
Source of Publication
Semiotica
Publication Date
1-1-2026
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.
DOI Link
ISSN
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Volume
2026
Issue
268
First Page
129
Last Page
159
Disciplines
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Keywords
collective emotions, digital narratives, media representation, online gender-based violence, social activism
Scopus ID
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Greco, Cristina and Boero, Marianna, "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" (2026). All Works. 7905.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/7905
Indexed in Scopus
yes
Open Access
yes
Open Access Type
Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series