It doesn't work both ways, because the employer is not subject to the same external pressures that the employee is.
The employer answers to the general public, the employee answers to one easily-scared manager.
I meant it is similar in how public shaming and humiliation is accepted as a valid way to deal with such situations.
Initially it was probably done more to companies. It is probably the most efficient way to get a large corporation to listen to a customer -- fear of public shaming.
Adria applied it a personal level and in the context of a tech conference. That was the "new" twist here.
From an external point of view a scared manager, a small pyramid of scared managers, or a single owner doesn't matter. I see it as a corporate response. That is what makes manager's job hard -- making such decisions. He made a bad decision, the company or higher ups haven't responded yet, or apologized.
It's related, but not equivalent.