Recently, suspicious activity was discovered on A’s Instagram account, raising concerns about potential “counter viral” (try to make someone or something notorious, doing negative viral marketing).
A ticking time bomb seems to be planted on A’s SNS, as suspicious accounts appear to be inciting public opinion through Instagram comments. These accounts, identified by usernames like ig*****, mi*****, kr*****, pu*****, have been posting derogatory comments targeting A every few hours, seemingly spamming and attempting to reinforce negative narratives through repeated posts.
All four accounts consistently mocked A in a similar vein, with comments such as, “All ADOR employees are fine, but the one who quit keeps stirring controversy with the media and HYBE as if they were paid to do so” and “If others had faced such unfair treatment, this would have surfaced long ago.” These conspiracy theories imply that A, the sexual harassment victim, was financially motivated by HYBE or other entities to create a scandal.
The Dark Side of Media: What Is Counter Viral?
Of course, these conspiracy theories have not been verified. Thus, the actions of these accounts can be classified as counter viral, where negative narratives are spread online under the guise of being genuine public opinions. A has reportedly noticed these baseless comments overwhelming their account and is considering taking action to remove them.
So far, counter viral appears to be the work of four specific accounts. However, it’s premature to conclude that CEO Min Hee-jin orchestrated this campaign. It’s also possible that some fans, rallying around CEO Min, attacked A out of a misguided sense of loyalty.
Yet, the mechanism of posting the same content at intervals is unusual. It differs significantly from the more personal, emotional comments typically seen from fans defending Min Hee-jin. A might need to recognize this unique spamming as a coordinated attack and consider taking legal action.
The Ex-Employee Fighting Against “Marketing Legend” Faces Secondary Victimization
One of the issues with this type of online harassment is that it’s difficult to trace and stop. Many celebrities file police complaints about false information and defamation online, but addressing the issue is challenging. When comments are posted through overseas SNS accounts, it’s nearly impossible to identify and hold the responsible parties accountable.
Meanwhile, Min Hee-jin is known for her PR prowess, having personally overseen the rise of NewJeans as the head of ADOR. This has led to speculations that orchestrating such counter viral campaigns would be a routine task for her. However, the real person suffering is A, the victim of sexual harassment. The incessant counter viral comments invading their personal account represent a clear case of secondary victimization, violating their privacy.
Standing against a former employer is challenging enough. For A, publicly revealing their experience and advocating for the rights of sexual harassment victims must be an immense burden. Despite the online harassment, some women who have faced similar situations offer A considerable support. Among them, several legal professionals have expressed their willingness to provide A with legal advice and assistance.
Source: Daum
