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<DIV>I am posting this separately to a few lists, so apologies if you are
already aware of this. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For those who have not caught up on this weekend's vicious attack on APC
and Take Back the Tech.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'd particularly encourage you to read the reddit link, and see how a
distorted campaign has been mounted in the name of freedom of speech on such a
low factual base. What's more, a set of people who were planning to discuss this
subject - and who are already victims of cyber-bullying - have been aggressively
cyber-bullied and exposed to some very poor taste material.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>On Twitter, the hashtag mostly under attack is #takebackthetech - a long
standing APC campaign. This hashtag and #imagineafeministinternet hVE virtually
been taken over by #gamergate followers. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I don't know how we can counter such attacks; nor do i know how you get a
factual basis to these discussions when those mounting the attack want a
distorted situation.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is quite a worrying development that now has spread from APC to an
attack where IGF and UN are being accused of opposing freedom of speech.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I would love to know a good way to address this. But in the meantime, I
think people should be aware of this.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-----Original Message----- </DIV>
<DIV>From: Ian Peter </DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Sunday, October 11, 2015 6:57 PM </DIV>
<DIV>To: Michael Gurstein ; 'Internet governance related discussions' ;
ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca </DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: [JNC - Forum] : [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on
nowagainst a feminist tech movement </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So this attack is still ongoing, and being done in the name of "freedom
from </DIV>
<DIV>censorship". And the devil has become the IGF and the UN!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It's astonishing how well organised it is on a distorted information </DIV>
<DIV>base -see the link below.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/3oa04u/goal_op_take_back_the_truth_phase_ii_the_apc_has/</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-----Original Message----- </DIV>
<DIV>From: Jac sm Kee</DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2015 11:41 PM</DIV>
<DIV>To: Michael Gurstein ; 'Internet governance related discussions' ; </DIV>
<DIV>ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: [JNC - Forum] : [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on
now </DIV>
<DIV>against a feminist tech movement</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----</DIV>
<DIV>Hash: SHA1</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hi Michael,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for the support. I think there are a couple of things that can</DIV>
<DIV>be done:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>a) Reposting the statement in your sites to demonstrate support to
the</DIV>
<DIV>work, and condemning the attacks</DIV>
<DIV>b) Also post something that explains the open, transparent,</DIV>
<DIV>multistakeholder and participatory nature of IGF, and related work</DIV>
<DIV>including intersessionals. The trolls seem to be really confused
about</DIV>
<DIV>what IGF is about, and see this as an "evil UN scheme" to control the</DIV>
<DIV>internet. Which is quite funny. They celebrate it as a victory to be</DIV>
<DIV>able to join a BPF meeting and access archives of documented</DIV>
<DIV>discussion. Very strange, but maybe some information and
clarification</DIV>
<DIV>from the IGF community can help.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you have more ideas, happy to hear them.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best,</DIV>
<DIV>jac</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>- ---------------------------------</DIV>
<DIV>Jac sm Kee</DIV>
<DIV>Manager, Women's Rights Programme</DIV>
<DIV>Association for Progressive Communications</DIV>
<DIV>www.apc.org | www.takebackthetech.net | erotics.apc.org</DIV>
<DIV>Jitsi: jacsmk | Skype: jacsmk | Twitter: @jhybe</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>On 10/10/2015 05:46, Michael Gurstein wrote:</DIV>
<DIV>> Thanks for this below Anriette/Jac...</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> I came across the original message on a list for "Internet</DIV>
<DIV>> researchers" where it is being discussed along with associated</DIV>
<DIV>> attacks under the overall rubric of #gamergate referring to a
quite</DIV>
<DIV>> serious troll attack focusing on an online discussion concerned</DIV>
<DIV>> with the lack of gender responsive actions and outputs among
gamers</DIV>
<DIV>> and game developers.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Apart from actually participating in the troll attack (difficult
if</DIV>
<DIV>> one has no real idea of what is going on) is there anything
useful</DIV>
<DIV>> that sympathetic observers can do at this point.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> M</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> -----Original Message----- From: Forum</DIV>
<DIV>> [mailto:forum-bounces@justnetcoalition.org] On Behalf Of
Anriette</DIV>
<DIV>> Esterhuysen Sent: October 9, 2015 1:39 PM To: Internet
governance</DIV>
<DIV>> related discussions <forum@justnetcoalition.org>;</DIV>
<DIV>> ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca; Jac sm Kee <jac@apcwomen.org> Subject:
Re:</DIV>
<DIV>> [JNC - Forum] ?spam FW: [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going
on</DIV>
<DIV>> now against a feminist tech movement</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Dear JNC and CI researchers</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Aside from this attack being cited as an interesting subject for</DIV>
<DIV>> research, you might also want to take action.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> We would also appreciate support. Hashtag #takebackthetech</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Please find below a statement from APC on the attack.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Anriette Esterhuysen, APC</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Take Action for #TakeBackTheTech and ImagineAFeministInternet</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Today, Friday the 9th of October 2015, misoynists, trolls and a</DIV>
<DIV>> variety of people who associate with the #Gamergate hashtag
decided</DIV>
<DIV>> to occupy and corrupt the #TakeBackTheTech and</DIV>
<DIV>> #ImagineAFeministInternet hashtags by posting thousands of</DIV>
<DIV>> anti-feminist and misogynistic tweets and memes. This attack is
the</DIV>
<DIV>> response to a tweet chat organised by the Internet Governance</DIV>
<DIV>> Forum, Best Practice Forum on Countering Online Violence and
Abuse,</DIV>
<DIV>> to discuss the impact of such violence. The volunteer who was</DIV>
<DIV>> organising the tweet chat also received an email in her personal</DIV>
<DIV>> inbox declaring the launch of the attack to “destroy” the</DIV>
<DIV>> campaign.This online attack against feminist activism online is</DIV>
<DIV>> deliberate, planned, and coordinated and it’s only one example
of</DIV>
<DIV>> the attack that feminists face online.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Take Back the Tech! is a collaborative campaign to reclaim</DIV>
<DIV>> technology to prevent violence against women. It started in 2006</DIV>
<DIV>> and works with local partners to run campaigns online and
offline</DIV>
<DIV>> to raise awareness of technology-related violence against women
and</DIV>
<DIV>> girls, promote digital safety and amplify women’s voices
online.As</DIV>
<DIV>> a hashtag, #TakeBackTheTech has been used by activists to draw</DIV>
<DIV>> attention to issues of online violence against women, and to</DIV>
<DIV>> organise around periods like ‘Sixteen Days of Activism against</DIV>
<DIV>> Gender Based Violence’. #ImagineAFeministInternet first came
into</DIV>
<DIV>> use in 2013 when the Association for Progressive Communications</DIV>
<DIV>> convened a gathering of over 50 activists in Malaysia to discuss</DIV>
<DIV>> what a Feminist Internet would look like - open, digitally
secure,</DIV>
<DIV>> safer for feminist activists. Increasingly</DIV>
<DIV>> #ImagineAFeministInternet has become more popular as digitally</DIV>
<DIV>> connected feminists have come together to conceptualise what a</DIV>
<DIV>> safe, activist online space would look like.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Today’s cyber attack by the trolls emphasise that more than ever</DIV>
<DIV>> feminists and activists need to respond swiftly to online
violence.</DIV>
<DIV>> Our organisations, movements and allies need to support the
digital</DIV>
<DIV>> security of women’s rights defenders online. More than ever we
need</DIV>
<DIV>> to #TakeBackTheTech and #ImagineAFeministInternet. As individual</DIV>
<DIV>> activists and members of various social justice activists we
call</DIV>
<DIV>> on you to do the following:</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Report abusive accounts to Twitter If you feel so inclined,
create</DIV>
<DIV>> alternative accounts to push back against the trolls Reclaim the</DIV>
<DIV>> #TakeBackTheTech and #ImagineAFeministInternet hashtags Support
the</DIV>
<DIV>> process of documenting instances of online violence against
women</DIV>
<DIV>> Highlight the importance of feminism, technology and women's
rights</DIV>
<DIV>> online Share knowledge of how to end online violence against
women</DIV>
<DIV>> Support #TakeBackTheTech and our efforts to</DIV>
<DIV>> #ImagineAFeministInternet</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Enquiries</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> Jac Sm Kee Women's Rights Programme Manager, Association for</DIV>
<DIV>> Progressive Communications Email: jac@apcwomen.org</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> On 09/10/2015 22:12, Michael Gurstein wrote:</DIV>
<DIV>>> Interesting roiling in the twittersphere around APC led tech
and</DIV>
<DIV>>> feminism campaign.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> M</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> -----Original Message----- From: Air-L</DIV>
<DIV>>> [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Zara</DIV>
<DIV>>> Rahman Sent: October 9, 2015 8:44 AM To:
air-l@listserv.aoir.org</DIV>
<DIV>>> Subject: [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on now
against</DIV>
<DIV>>> a feminist tech movement</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Hi all,</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> I thought this might be of interest for those of you
studying</DIV>
<DIV>>> trolling: there is a (seemingly well-coordinated) Gamergate
going</DIV>
<DIV>>> on right now against those using the hashtag #takebackthetech
and</DIV>
<DIV>>> (to a lesser extent) #imagineafeministinternet.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Both of these hashtags started with the feminist
organisation</DIV>
<DIV>>> APC, and they were/are planning an online twitter discussion</DIV>
<DIV>>> tonight on the impact of onlnie violence against women - but</DIV>
<DIV>>> Gamergate trolls seem to have picked up on it in advance.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> The community is organising at the moment on how to respond,
but</DIV>
<DIV>>> if you're interested in following/studying/archiving the attack
-</DIV>
<DIV>>> head to #takebackthetech</DIV>
<DIV>>>
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeBackTheTech?src=hash>.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> For reference: https://www.takebackthetech.net/</DIV>
<DIV>>>
https://www.apc.org/en/about/programmes/womens-networking-support-pro</DIV>
<DIV>g</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>ramme-</DIV>
<DIV>>> apc-wnsp</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Thanks - if you end up working on this topic further, please
let</DIV>
<DIV>>> me know! And, perhaps this goes without saying but please
don't</DIV>
<DIV>>> @/tag me or others in your responses if you choose to respond
on</DIV>
<DIV>>> Twitter. The organisers of the twitter chat have already
received</DIV>
<DIV>>> abusive twitter and email messages.</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Best,</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Zara</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> -- Zara Rahman Fellow at Centre for Internet and Human
Rights</DIV>
<DIV>>> http://zararah.net | Twitter: @zararah</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> _______________________________________________ The</DIV>
<DIV>>> Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the</DIV>
<DIV>>> Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org
Subscribe,</DIV>
<DIV>>> change options or unsubscribe at:</DIV>
<DIV>>> http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> Join the Association of Internet Researchers:</DIV>
<DIV>>> http://www.aoir.org/</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>>> _______________________________________________ Forum
mailing</DIV>
<DIV>>> list Forum@justnetcoalition.org</DIV>
<DIV>>> http://mail.justnetcoalition.org/listinfo/forum</DIV>
<DIV>>></DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>> -- ----------------------------------------- Anriette
Esterhuysen</DIV>
<DIV>> Executive Director Association for Progressive Communications</DIV>
<DIV>> anriette@apc.org www.apc.org IM:
ae_apc</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>