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A group of online vigilantes who publicly shame or harass people for violating social distancing or other public health guidelines, often based on unverified information.
自粛警察がレストランの写真をSNSに投稿し、客が密集していると非難した
The self-restraint police posted a photo of a restaurant on social media and condemned the customers for crowding together
This term emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, where some individuals took it upon themselves to monitor and report perceived violations of public health measures.
This term is almost always used in a critical or negative context, highlighting the tension between public health and personal freedom.
Do not use this term to describe official government enforcement; it specifically refers to unofficial online vigilantes.
From 自粛 (jishuku, 'self-restraint') + 警察 (keisatsu, 'police'). The term combines the idea of voluntary social distancing with the concept of enforcement.
This term is often used critically to describe overzealous or judgmental behavior online. It reflects broader societal tensions around public health measures and individual freedoms.