Blame as a Service (BaaS)

"Companies are particularly interested in paying for services that reduce their likelihood of being associated with negative press. These social dynamics create demand for professional blame absorption. Just as Software as a Service lets companies rent specialized technology services instead of building it, Blame as a Service (BaaS) lets companies rent scapegoats instead of becoming them. These third-party BaaS firms absorb the backlash from unpopular but profitable decisions, allowing their clients to pursue what actually drives their bottom line without sacrificing their carefully cultivated brand image."

"Instagram and Twitter were the defining cultural companies of the 2010s. These platforms created explicit status games where users compete for social capital via metrics such as followers and likes, creating a world where online perception is upstream of real-world outcomes. The social dynamics of these platforms has been extensively written about. Companies are now finding themselves dragged into the same status games."

Instagram and Twitter created explicit online status games where followers and likes translate into social capital and influence real-world outcomes. Companies are increasingly drawn into those status games, adopting direct, edgy tactics and allocating larger budgets to manage social perception. Firms purchase services to avoid association with negative press, generating demand for professional blame absorption. Blame as a Service (BaaS) firms rent scapegoats to absorb backlash from unpopular but profitable decisions, letting clients pursue their bottom-line goals without damaging brand image. Typical BaaS firms conceal blame, shield elite decision-makers, and scale via network effects while doing third-derivative work.

Read at Humaninvariant