While existing research has extensively explored felt accountability concerning legally enacted actors and sanctioned evaluation processes, this study embraces the complexities of contemporary digital societies. It is now the norm to have multiple, often undefined, audiences holding sway over public figures. Through a unique empirical setting in the context of a national crisis involving Brazilian local legislators, this paper employs a survey-experiment coupled with semi-structured interviews. The experiment design aims to understand how different forms of forum visibility and technology (in-person parliamentary sessions, livestreaming, and recorded sessions) influence legislators' perceptions of felt accountability. Findings indicate that contested issues drive public personas to focus their attention on broader audiences beyond legally enforced accountability structures. Contributing to both theory and practice, this research expands the understanding of felt accountability in contemporary digital societies. The study suggests that scrutiny and accountability consequences are multifaceted, extending beyond legal repercussions to encompass reputational and career-related concerns, as well as relational capital with specific interest groups. Moreover, it underlines the potential unforeseen effects of transparency, suggesting that the legitimacy and voice granted to specific interest groups within these forums might deviate deliberation from the pursuit of public interest.