C2 Listening & Speaking Cancel Culture: Accountability or Censorship?

When exploring the topic of technology, it is easy to appreciate the advantages it brings: we can listen to almost any music we like, find a wealth of resources and voice our concerns on social media. However, technology can also be a double-edged sword, and this week we’re exploring some of the tensions that arise when our lives and opinions move online.

Just imagine the following situation: a video disappears. An account is restricted. A notice tells us that community guidelines have been breached—but offers little explanation. Would we question the creator’s behaviour or the platform’s judgement?

This lesson opens with a simulated video-removal notice and speaking prompts that invite learners to explore censorship, accountability and the power of online platforms. Students consider competing interpretations, question assumptions and discuss where they would draw the line between protecting users and silencing voices.

A listening activity then introduces the concept of cancel culture, outlining how it operates and why it divides opinion. Does withdrawing support give people a necessary means of holding others accountable? Or can public backlash leave too little room for context, proportion and change?

Designed for my C2 learners, these activities encourage students to qualify their opinions, respond to opposing arguments and recognise that different cases may call for different judgements.

To get started, look at the image below.

Imagine that you want to watch a video on one of your favourite YouTube channels, but this notice appears instead. What would your first reaction be?

What might have led to this notice? Suggest two scenarios: one in which removing the video was justified, and another in which the decision could be challenged.
Would you instinctively distrust the creator or question the platform’s decision? What might influence your reaction?

The discussion is followed by a sentence-completion listening activity exploring cancel culture, its consequences and the debate surrounding it. Listen and complete the sentences with the missing information.

Created by

blogdeserena

C2 Cancel Culture

Sentence completion

Listen to the audio and complete with NO MORE than two words.

Activity by Serena

1. Before entering mainstream public discourse, the phrase "cancel culture" originated within ________/_________.

2. In 2019, the Macquarie Dictionary named "cancel culture" its Word of the Year, and two years later it was nominated for word of the __________.

3. According to dictionary definitions, canceling involves taking away support from public figures who display a socially _____________ behavior or remark.

4. Consequences of being canceled may include losing employment, platform removal, or encountering ___________.

5. Beyond celebrities, cancel culture can also target everyday people, commercial entities, or ______/________.

6. Educational settings such as schools and universities have seen debates over whether to endorse specific ______________, lecturers, or resources.

7. Proponents believe the phenomenon provides a mechanism to hold _______/_______ responsible for their actions.

8. Critics express concern that cancel culture might stifle ______/______and impede learning from past errors.

Your score is

Is cancel culture more about justice or punishment?
A lot of famous people talk about cancel culture. Read these quotes and choose one that you agree with the most. Explain why.

Follow up

Is cancel culture more about justice or punishment?

A lot of famous people talk about cancel culture. Read these quotes and choose one that you agree with the most. Explain why.

“To Cancel or Not to Cancel: That Is the Question”

Read the short scenarios. Each situation describes a fictional person or company. In pairs or small groups, decide if you would cancel them and why. Also, think about what consequences (if any) are appropriate: apology, discussion, education, warning, boycott, no action, etc. Be ready to explain your decision to the class.