When it comes to "regular people," the internet and social networks have played a historically positive role in democratizing the media scene and giving them a voice (except all those times when centralized giants decide to censor it) - but this communication revolution definitely has a dark underbelly.
First we had fast food and fast fashion, and now we have "fast justice." Internet vigilantism is another way of putting it. Those practicing it seem to be driven by a feeling that they now have all the power to go against anyone they choose and none of the responsibility that normally comes with making extremely serious accusations, like those of attempted murder fueled by racism.
Online mobs and their instigators are assembling as real-world events and social media feed off of each other in a tsunami of chaotic energy rising in the context of political unrest and violence in the US. And as instigators are known to do, they give little to no thought to the possibility that the wrong person might be their target.
Twitter doesn't require any proof, either, and doesn't seem to be taking any action - and it is within that ecosystem that this just happened.
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