I think we’re talking at cross purposes. I agree that a lynch mob is a heavy-handed comparison. I am trying to speak to what we do when we encounter the accusation, rather than whether the accusation should be made. I amy not be clear about that, and of course I may not be right.
Accusing someone of plagiarism on the Internet and sentencing someone to death are such completely different scenarios that I have a hard time comparing the two.
edit: Upon further reflection, I do think that creating a honeypot essay for the sole purpose of shaming whoever copies it does seem rather malicious to me. However, I'm speaking more about the general case of publicly naming plagiarists than this particular witch-hunt.