The Pin of Shame: Examining Content Creators' Adoption of Pinning Inappropriate Comments as a Moderation Strategy

Abstract

Many social media platforms allow content creators to pin user comments in response to their content. Once pinned, a comment remains fixed at the top of the comments section, regardless of subsequent activity or the selected sorting order. The "Pin of Shame" refers to an innovative re-purposing of this feature, where creators intentionally pin norm-violating comments to spotlight them and prompt shaming responses from their audiences. This study explores how creators adopt this emerging moderation tactic, examining their motivations, its outcomes, and how it compares-procedurally and in effect-to other content moderation strategies. Through interviews with 20 content creators who had pinned negative comments on their posts, we find that the Pin of Shame is used to punish and educate inappropriate commenters, elicit emotional accountability, provoke audience negotiation of community norms, and support creators' impression management goals. Our findings shed light on the benefits, precarities, and risks of using public shaming as a tool for norm enforcement. We contribute to HCI research by informing the design of user-centered tools for addressing content-based harm.