What does Dogpiling mean?
Ganging up on someone online
Detailed Explanation
'Dogpiling' is a form of online group harassment where a large number of people gang up on a single person with a flood of critical, negative, or abusive messages. This often happens after someone shares a controversial opinion or makes a mistake, leading to a massive, coordinated wave of public condemnation. It can be overwhelming and is a form of cyberbullying.
Usage Examples
“She made one unpopular tweet and got dogpiled by thousands of angry users.”
“The community started dogpiling the developer after the unpopular game update.”
“It wasn't a debate; it was a dogpile.”
Origin & History
The term is a metaphor based on the physical act of multiple people piling on top of one person. Its use to describe this specific online phenomenon became common on social media, particularly Twitter, in the mid-2010s as the platform's dynamics made large-scale public callouts more frequent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dogpiling the same as criticism?
No. Criticism is about the content of an idea. Dogpiling is about the overwhelming volume and often personal nature of the attacks. It's a shift from debating a point to collectively attacking a person.