Informal Digital Justice: Functions and Consequences in the Digital Society

Abstract

Informal digital justice, as an emerging model in digital criminology, operates beyond the formal judicial system and leverages the capacities of media platforms to advance social justice. Using a descriptive–analytical method and relying on library-based sources, this study examines the functions and consequences of this phenomenon and proposes a framework for balancing public participation with individual rights. The findings indicate that user activism and online whistleblowing—particularly in the forms of online feminist justice (collective responses to gender-based violence) and viral justice (algorithmic amplification of claims-making)—enhance transparency, accelerate the pursuit of crimes, and provide effective support for victims, especially in cases of domestic violence and online sexual abuse where formal systems often act slowly. However, feminist backlash, doxxing, and the dissemination of misinformation, coupled with premature judgment, violations of the presumption of innocence, unregulated publicization of crimes, and the erosion of privacy, undermine public trust and lead to social instability. This duality demonstrates that preserving positive functions while preventing negative consequences is achievable only through the development of transparent legal frameworks, ethical oversight of platforms, and public education in digital rights—solutions that strengthen public participation while safeguarding individual rights.