Shame Nation

To create a kinder and more tolerant society, each of us must do our part. This incredible work by Sue Scheff illustrates why-and more importantly-how! Shame Nation isn't just a must-read for all parents and teachers, but for every human who desires a more thoughtful and empathetic community in our global village. - Richard Guerry, author and executive director of the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell Phone Communication There is no better time than the present to deal with the issues that Sue Scheff presents in Shame Nation. Finally there will be sage advice and necessary tools to understand and help each other live in the society-shaming environment we all share. - Stacey Honowitz, author, CNN legal analyst, and sex crimes prosecutor This book offers readers an important and eye-opening exploration into how public shaming transforms lives in the digital age. By humanizing today's digital interactions, Scheff and Schorr show readers how to recognize, protect, and, when needed, restore their digital identity. - Stacey Steinberg, Legal Skills Professor, University of Florida Levin College of Law Engaging, sharp, and important - Shame Nation will inspire you to open your eyes and be better in society's growing cyber culture. - Theresa Payton, CEO of Fortalice Solutions and Deputy Director of Intelligence on CBS' Hunted This is a welcome and timely guide to practical Internet use. Scheff, a parents' advocate and Internet safety activist, suffered from an anonymous smear campaign and wrote this book with journalist Schorr to advise the many others who have experienced or fear similar attacks. From sextortion to cyber humiliation, Scheff explains how shame happens, how to defend yourself online, how to weather the storm, and how to recover from attacks on your reputation. Like most social problems, solutions and remedies arise through experience and time. Scheff details many of the organizations and companies that have been created to combat the scourge of shame online while providing many case studies, stories of survival, and campaigns of support. There is a chapter on trolls, and how to deal with them, but little specifically dealing with the partisan political trolls poisoning our democracy. Parents will find the book's advice useful in protecting their children from danger as they explore online, as will anyone who has made a hasty comment or tweet and lived to regret it. Shame Nation is a strong addition to any collection. - Booklist Shame Nation is a terrific parenting resource, one that combines real-life cautionary tales with practical solutions for every scenario. This is a must-read in the digital age for anyone who has an internet presence especially as teens are generally more vulnerable to cyber shaming. - Your Teen Mag Hardly a day goes by without another vivid example of online hate or cyberbullying in the news. Sue Scheff is determined to put an end to this culture of online shaming with her new book. Brimming with captivating stories of online abuse that keep you hooked, the real rewards of this book are its powerful tips aimed at keeping you from becoming a victim and, more importantly, sage advice on what to do should you find yourself the target of any online abuse. This book is the must-read survival guide for anyone who uses the Internet today. - Diana Graber, Founder of CyberCivics and co-founder of Cyberwise Relatable, intelligent, and engaging from the first sentence, Shame Nation sheds much-needed light on our current culture of online shaming and cyberbullying. Thoroughly researched and packed with eye opening anecdotes, Shame Nation will help you learn why people choose to shame one another online, and what to do if it happens to you or a loved one. Sue Scheff is an invaluable resource in the digital world and this book should be required reading in high school, college, and the workplace. - Katie Hurley, LCSW and author of No More Mean Girls and The Happy Kid Handbook With online cruelty and shaming at an all time high, the Internet can be hurtful and harmful, leaving irreversible damage on its victims and their families. But rather than shrugging our shoulders and closing our eyes, we can empower ourselves through the practical advice and protective measures outlined in Shame Nation. Not only does Sue Scheff show us ways to respond when digital damage occurs, she can help us prevent it. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know. Shame Nation holds that elusive key to stopping the trend of online hate so kindness and compassion can prevail. - Rachel Macy Stafford, New York Times bestselling author of Hands Free Mama, Hands Free Life, and Only Love - Today In a world where pronouncements of 140 characters are the rule of the day, where impersonal combatants wage daily war on civility, and where our attention span lasts no longer than a Snap, Shame Nation is a must-read for everyone. From Baby Boomers to Millennials, social media is a societal game-changing phenomena impacting our family, friends, communities, education, politics and employment. In a refreshingly objective and non-judgmental style, Sue Scheff analyzes this new digital reality and how it has quickly come to redefine how we view privacy, acceptable behavior, reputation, and opportunity in the 21st century. Sue astutely maps where we are and then takes us on the path towards recovery and digital rejuvenation. - Alan Katzman, Founder of Social Assurity LLC. Shame Nation is a book that illustrates the harm our culture of shame can wreak when we fail to instill a sense of empathy and kindness. Sue Scheff's advice, couched in examples from current events, has already changed the way I approach social media. Her words have caused me to stop, think, and approach my online relationships from a place of respect, even when I'm angry or apt to reach for the keyboard in retribution for a perceived slight. Shame Nation is a practical and helpful book that forges a way forward through the gauntlet of social media and online shaming while encouraging an ethical approach to an increasingly judgmental world. - Jessica Lahey, New York Times bestselling author of The Gift of Failure A leading expert in the digital world, Scheff offers the latest insight as to why people publicly shame each other and will equip readers with the tools to protect themselves from what has now become the new Scarlet Letter. - Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of STOMP Out Bullying Shame Nation is primarily a self-help book for those who are facing an Internet scandal, or who are living through an online shaming campaign. The last few chapters include helpful hints and online resources for avoiding and dealing with scandals. The real interest here comes from the stories of others who have brought down scandal upon themselves. Cyberadvocate Scheff and Schorr (Goy Crazy) include story after story featuring trolls, sex-related embarrassment, mistakes caught on tape, swatting, and fat shaming. It may well make the reader paranoid about the reach and power of Internet culture, but the tales are shamefully fascinating. The book does not dwell on the psychological or sociological aspects of trolling or shaming, emphasizing practical advice instead. With a foreword by Monica Lewinsky, this would be a good read for anyone who enjoyed Jon Ronson's So You've Been Publicly Shamed. - Library Journal We all have the power to create the inclusive Internet reality that we so desperately need. Scheff recognizes that participating in that creation can be overwhelming and intimidating, especially given the personal risks we face as women who want to join a public discourse, and provides in Shame Nation a clear-eyed, approachable guide to facing a hostile online environment while maintaining our dignity and sanity. - Emily Lindin, Founder and Director of The UnSlut Project Filled with compelling and relatable stories, interviews and quotes from celebrities and experts, and practical strategies, expert Sue Scheff's new book powerfully portrays the all-too-real phenomenon of online shame. Either it has happened to us, or to someone we care about - and so much of what is conveyed connects immediately and viscerally with the reader. But there are solutions, and there is hope - as she explains. Take the time to read it. - Dr. Sameer Hinduja, Co-Director of the Cyberbullying Research Center Smart. Timely. Essential. Shame Nation is the era's must read to renew internet civility where humiliating, criticizing and judging are normalized. And there is no one better than Sue Scheff to share how to prevent as well as rebound from digital shaming. Her own battle against cyber-shaming riveted the world and changed the way we use the Internet. Scheff's sage advice and realistic tips for cyber-etiquette are indispensable and must be heeded for any hope of a civil existence and restoring empathy in cyberspace. - Michele Borba, author of Unselfie