Satire—the coupling of criticism and humor—has been a popular means to add a seemingly lighthearted touch to somewhat sensitive topics. For example, Saturday Night Live parodied quarterback Tom Brady ...

The kind of satire highlighted in these examples has become an increasingly common way to criticize people. But because the criticism is couched in humor, it can be easy to pass it off as harmless.

In our digital times as we are inundated with YouTube videos, memes and social media, satire is everywhere, but it can be more damaging to people's reputations than direct criticism, according to new ...