Two weeks ago Canada was convulsed with embarrassment by the riots that followed the Stanley Cup ice hockey play-offs in Vancouver.

Now some of those allegedly to blame for the violence are starting to suffer the consequences with the proliferation of websites dedicated to naming and shaming those responsible, in what has been described as internet "vigilantism".

The Stanley Cup is never genteel but the rioting by Canucks fans after their defeat by the Boston Bruins – which included looting, vandalism and an attempt to torch a police car – has spawned dozens of social media sites dedicated to identifying those involved.

With images, names and addresses of alleged rioters published online, some are complaining that they have been deluged by hate calls and threats, including racist and homophobic language, while others have been sacked from their jobs. The campaign follows requests for help from the public by the city's mayor and police.

Among those named is Robert Snelgrove, a 24-year Vancouver resident who joined the looting after returning drunk from watching the game with friends.

Snelgrove is one of those identified on the website Canucks Riot 2011, which invites viewers to turn in anyone they recognise. Facebook groups that have identified rioters include Canucks fans against the 2011 Vancouver Riots and Report Canuck RIOT Morons, both of which have tens of thousands of "likes".

For Snelgrove the backlash began the day after the riot. He told the Vancouver Sun:"I was called a loser, a thief; they were going to go to the police and turn me in." As his identity became known the circle of abuse widened.

"I got dozens and dozens of messages … it was downright hateful. Some people said, like, 'go die', 'go jump off a bridge', and then there's a lot of homophobic comments," he said.

Among others named is Nathan Kotylak, a 17-year-old Olympic hopeful in the Canadian junior men's water polo team who was allegedly photographed trying to set fire to a police car.

Despite being a minor, who would not usually be identified by name in court proceedings, Kotylak was identified and his family were forced to leave home after their address was posted online.

Kotylak has also been the target of a Facebook group entitled 100,000 strong to ban Nathan Kotylak from the Canada Olympic Team.

Jeromie Williams, one of four administrators of the website, said: "After what happened this is a litmus test for events around the world … where people are caught on camera. I think we are in the position to lead the charge in encouraging people not to do these kind of things."

The dismissals and hate messages have begun provoking concern. Williams insists his site has acted responsibly and removed offensive and threatening comments quickly. "We do not endorse what some are calling a lynch-mob mentality."

The Canadian media has also reported cases of employers Googling job applicants suspected of being involved or sacking those already in their employ, including Connor McIlvenna, a carpenter fired for applauding the rioters on his Facebook page, after posting that "Vancouver needed remodelling anyway."

Alexandra Samuel, director of the social and interactive media centre at Emily Carr University, is anxious about the notion that Vancouver's experience could be a blueprint for "crowdsourced justice".

"The way that the internet works in creating models that are reproduced, well, it just makes you shudder what it could be used for," she told the Guardian.

"When you have people saying you could have something that runs in parallel with the justice system then it leads to the question – why would you need a justice system? The shaming and firing – it is medieval."

She would prefer that the sites involved were not editing the most hateful comments. "It blunts the sharpest edges and makes it easier for people to accept what is happening. But if you read some of the comments – calling a 14 year old girl a cunt. It is hateful."

Samuel believes too that just as the riots were the product of a mob mentality so too has been some of the response. "What is more surprising is the way in which this [second] mob mentality has cropped up despite people's time for reflection after the initial outrage."