In this paper, we demonstrate how counter-swarms can act as a form of cyber-vigilantism against dark participation and social injustices using strategies of weaponizing visibility (Trottier, 2017). We argue that communities can be empowered to effectively defend online spaces against enshittification
by turning the tactics of trolls and haters against themselves and beating them in their own game, a form of online jiu jitsu, if you will. Numerous instances on social media have demonstrated that individuals engaged in dark participation tend to withdraw from debates when they lose the shield of anonymity and face accountability for their offenses (Munger 2017)—ideally in front of a
vast online audience (Polak & Trottier, 2020). While this form of activism, employing counterswarming tactics, may appear radical, it serves as a means of self-defense. In an increasingly toxic atmosphere surrounding online discussions and attacks against individuals by swarms of trolls, it has allowed victims and vulnerable communities to push back.