Film

SHAMED

WIFF Prize in Canadian Film Nominee

Through its five-year reign, Creeper Hunter TV exposed over 100 men identifying themselves as child predators, 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.

After the death by suicide of one of the Creeper Hunter TV ‘catches’, it is Nassr himself who ends up in court where he is tried and convicted.

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.