Glossary
Cancel culture
The practice of withdrawing support from or publicly shaming people or institutions deemed to have said or done something offensive, a contested label.
Also called: cancelling, call-out culture, public shaming
Cancel culture is a phrase for collective efforts, often on social media, to punish people over speech or conduct judged offensive, through boycotts, pressure on employers, removal from platforms or social ostracism. "Cancel" in this sense spread around 2017-2019, with roots in Black social-media slang.
Critics, including many conservatives and some liberals, argue that it creates a climate of fear, penalizes minor offenses or old statements disproportionately, lacks due process and chills speech and debate. A 2020 open letter in Harper's Magazine, signed by prominent writers of varying politics, warned about an "intolerance of opposing views." Supporters argue that it is a form of free speech and accountability, in which people who face criticism have not lost the right to speak and that previously powerful groups are now facing consequences.
Because the term is applied to everything from sincere criticism to harassment, scholars note that it is difficult to define, and surveys show the public divided about its extent. The First Amendment limits the government, not private critics, which means campaigns by private actors are not legally censorship, though pressure from officials is another matter, as in discussions of viewpoint discrimination. Related disputes include deplatforming and political correctness.
Last reviewed November 8, 2026