I think what I meant by the gatekeepers is that there is no longer any arbitration on what can and cannot be considered a cancelable offence. Social media allows it to be open season on whoever, providing you can get the mob on your side. For some people that means an uncredible allegation is made, for others it means being taken out of context or even hunting through the back catalogue of their social media. It's open season and ultimately if it's played out to the end point everyone is at risk.

I don't present any evidence because this is my opinion - but I would aruge that there's compelling evidence that Western democracies have become introspective and self punitive at the expense of larger stories. That's just my opinion and i can't provide stats and I'm not sure whether those stats exist. Many of the articles I see on Medium tackle injustice on a micro-level without addressing any of the global or even societal wide concerns

I don't know who Bill Maher is, I'm not from the USA - but his candid observation happens to be true. It might be distasteful or upsetting, but it wasn't good grounds to cancel his show - particularly if he's a comedian. I have no idea who the Dixie Chicks are either or what they did and said (sorry).

My position is politically neutral, canceling is effectively the same as hyped up boycott. In a liberal democracy people can say and do as they please.... my issue with cancel culture as a way of running the social contract, is that the bar for applicability is becoming increasingly lowered. Those who are 'cancelling' are getting to the stage where they can have very real and damaging effects on the fabric of society without going through anything like due process or thinking through the implications of their actions. It's rather like giving a toddler a gun and hoping for the best.