SHAMED is the cautionary tale of one online vigilante who played judge and jury with deadly results and a criminal justice system on both sides of the Canada-US border struggling to contain the fallout.
Through its five-year reign, Creeper Hunter TV exposed online over 100 men identifying them as child predators and tossing the suspect's name and image into a court of public opinion regardless of the evidence. It made for dramatic videos but was ultimately proven ineffective, for only a small percentage of the men accused will see the inside of a courtroom.
At the centre is Jason Nassr, the self-described “Creeper Hunter” from Windsor, Ontario. Nassr maintains he is a journalist and an educator who is motivated by his desire to protect children.
But after the death by suicide of one of Creep Hunter TV ‘catches’, it is Nassr himself who ends up in court where he is tried and convicted of extortion, harassing communications based on his exchange with the deceased man, and making and distributing written child pornography. In SHAMED, we learn of more untimely deaths and begin to understand the collateral damage caused by Nassr’s extreme form of vigilantism.
Blurring the line between justice and entertainment, Nassr and other vigilantes like him have increasingly become a serious cause for concern for law enforcement and have spawned a dark and committed online fanbase who seem to relish in the shaming and destroying of people. Encouraged by clicks and likes, the original purpose of protecting children from predators is seemingly lost in the pursuit of increasing the shock value and satisfying the audience.
Since Nassr's conviction, the Creeper Hunter TV website has been taken down. However, videos can still be found in some dark corners of the net, and many other online vigilantes remain active globally.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
By Matt Gallagher
SHAMED was the most difficult film I have ever tackled. Balance, transparency, and fairness were crucial in the process of making this film, and our team understood the immense responsibility that comes with doing a film that touches on many hot-button, emotional topics including child predators, pedophilia, vigilantism, online mob mentality, suicide, policing, and the criminal justice system.
We have been ahead of the curve on this issue, which is always a tricky place to be, but our experience taking on challenging stories like for example PREY, about clergy sex abuse, was invaluable. The topic may be provocative and the vigilante videos offensive, but we worked hard in content and tone to differentiate and provide the nuance this story so desperately required.