Men fear being shamed online at stag parties

RAUCOUS stag parties are dying out because grooms fear their drunken antics will be posted online, researchers have found.

Almost a third of men in a survey said their biggest fear was videos “getting out” after the party and wrecking marriages, relationships and careers.

Camera phones and social media now mean embarrassing moments of excess can go viral in minutes.

The objectification of women at stag parties was also a concern for modern men, with 56 per cent of respondents saying they “hated” it.

As a result, 60 per cent of men now dread being invited to stag parties or holidays, 40 per cent turn down invites and 33 per cent hope that the stag party tradition dies off.

Respondents to the survey believed embarrassing antics that were previously seen as harmless are now considered highly risky in the era of social media, with 18 per cent saying that the prospect of being caught in “compromising photos” meant the traditional stag party was no longer “a laugh”.

The research was carried out by Big Domain, the group travel specialist, which asked 1,000 UK men about stag parties.

“In the digital age a single lapse of judgment can be broadcast for the whole world to see, for ever,” said James Starkey, the company’s marketing director.

“Facebook and social media is playing a part in changing the traditional stag party culture because men fear the backlash they’d receive for their holiday antics.

Party organisers are now reporting the rise of the “sten” party – joint parties for hens and stags – which are considered safer options for a social media age.