Sex, Lies and Deception: Examining Media Discourses Surrounding the Ashley Madison Hack

• In Event: Sex, Aggression, and Deviance: Exploring the Impact of Computer Technology

Abstract

Data breaches are an increasingly common event across businesses globally. Many companies have been subject to large-scale data breaches. Consequently, the exposure of 37 million customers of the Ashley Madison website is not an extraordinary event in and of itself. However, Ashley Madison was an online dating website predominantly known for facilitating extramarital affairs. Therefore, the nature of this website (and business) is very different to those who have previously been breached. This presentation examines the discourses surrounding the victims of the Ashely Madison data breach. It illustrates the high degree of victim blaming which was evident in print media towards individuals (or customers) who had their personal details exposed. It illustrates the emerging tension within this particular case, of the strong victim blaming narrative contrasted against those who attempted to challenge this discourse and refocus attentions on the actual offenders, and the criminality of the act. The article concludes that victims of this data breach were exposed to unprecedented levels of victim blaming, based on the perceived immorality of the website they were connected to, rather than focusing on the data breach itself, and the blatant criminality of the offenders who had exposed the sensitive information.

Author

• Cassandra Cross, Queensland University of Technology