Brigading: meaning, definitions and examples

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brigading

 

[ brɪˈɡeɪdɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

online harassment

Brigading refers to the organized action taken by a group of individuals to swarm or attack another group, commonly seen on social media platforms or online forums. This tactic often involves directing a large number of users to disrupt discussions, downvote comments, or harass individuals. It is frequently used in political discourse or community disagreements, where one group seeks to dominate the conversation or silence opposing views. The term comes from the idea of a brigade, which is a military unit organized for a specific task, emphasizing the coordinated nature of this activity.

Synonyms

attacking, mobbing, swarming

Examples of usage

  • The subreddit faced brigading after the controversial article was published.
  • Users reported instances of brigading on the forum during the heated debate.
  • She was a target of brigading following her critical post on social media.

Translations

Translations of the word "brigading" in other languages:

🇵🇹 brigadismo

🇮🇳 ब्रिगेडिंग

🇩🇪 Brigadierung

🇮🇩 brigading

🇺🇦 бригадування

🇵🇱 brygadowanie

🇯🇵 ブリゲーディング

🇫🇷 brigading

🇪🇸 brigadeo

🇹🇷 birlik oluşturma

🇰🇷 브리게이딩

🇸🇦 تجنيد

🇨🇿 brigádování

🇸🇰 brigádovanie

🇨🇳 集结

🇸🇮 brigadiranje

🇮🇸 brygðing

🇰🇿 бригада құру

🇬🇪 ბრიგადირება

🇦🇿 briqadlaşdırma

🇲🇽 brigadeo

Etymology

The term 'brigading' derives from the word 'brigade,' which signifies a military unit comprised of multiple companies or soldiers working together to achieve a common goal. Historically, a brigade would be organized to confront opponents in battle or to execute strategic operations. The transition of this concept to the online space occurred with the rise of the internet and digital communities, where groups of users could coordinate their efforts to influence conversations or opinions. In this context, brigading has evolved into a phenomenon where individuals leverage social media's reach and connectivity to enforce collective action, often with the aim of undermining dissent or amplifying a particular viewpoint. The rapid growth of such tactics can be linked to the increasing polarization of online discourse, leading to instances of online harassment and echo chambers.