<div dir="ltr">Hey all, <div><br></div><div>One of the reasons I decided to write up a post and risk feeding the trolls on this issue was the positive attention that the trollers have been receiving from conservative/libertarian media here in the US. Examples include: </div><blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><div><a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/09/internet-governance-forum-plans-new-anti-cyberviolence-push/" target="_blank">http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/09/internet-governance-forum-plans-new-anti-cyberviolence-push/</a></div><div><a href="http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/09/the-un-cant-solve-world-hunger-but-it-thinks-it-can-end-cyberviolence/" target="_blank">http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/09/the-un-cant-solve-world-hunger-but-it-thinks-it-can-end-cyberviolence/</a></div><div><a href="https://reason.com/archives/2015/10/13/un-cyber-violence-report" target="_blank">https://reason.com/archives/2015/10/13/un-cyber-violence-report</a></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I tend to agree with the view that arguing with trolls on twitter is fruitless. But I do think that libertarian-oriented individuals and organizations working on internet governance should consider repudiating this misguided campaign. </div><div><br></div><div>Best,<br>David </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Oct 14, 2015 at 4:31 PM, Ian Peter <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ian.peter@ianpeter.com" target="_blank">ian.peter@ianpeter.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div style="FONT-SIZE:12pt;FONT-FAMILY:Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;COLOR:#000000;BACKGROUND-COLOR:#ffffff" dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="FONT-SIZE:12pt;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri';COLOR:#000000">
<div>You are probably right Lee, the best thing might be to let them carry on
(they still are six or so days later).</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But I do wonder what happens if they begin to think their bully boy tactics
are successful, and they can then go invade as many other spaces as they
like.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Alternatives would be</div>
<div> </div>
<div>continuing acts of passive resistance (some of us have been engaging in
occasional postings trying to correct the record)</div>
<div> </div>
<div>a large campaign (woudnt be hard to organise) of several thousand
simultaneous postings supporting #takebackthetech</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Just brainstorming here.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>BTW the best post yesterday from one of their leaders had the APC and IGF
responsible for and supporting Saudi Arabian bids for positions on UN bodies.
Retweeted all over the place. Very little thinking or analysis going on here and
lots of misinformation. Perhaps the best thing is to just let them play with
themselves which might be something they are quite experienced at doing.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But I have to say I am angry (and sad) that this misinformed attack is
going on and so many young people are just following with seemingly no capacity
to analyse inputs. And that people doing good work are under attack.
Those more directly affected might not find it easy to shake this off and maybe
we need to show them they have strong support in some way?</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ian</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE:small;TEXT-DECORATION:none;FONT-FAMILY:"Calibri";FONT-WEIGHT:normal;COLOR:#000000;FONT-STYLE:normal;DISPLAY:inline">
<div style="FONT:10pt tahoma">
<div> </div>
<div style="BACKGROUND:#f5f5f5">
<div><b>From:</b> <a title="lmcknigh@syr.edu" href="mailto:lmcknigh@syr.edu" target="_blank">Lee W McKnight</a> </div>
<div><b>Sent:</b> Monday, October 12, 2015 1:21 PM</div>
<div><b>To:</b> <a title="bestbits@lists.bestbits.net" href="mailto:bestbits@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">bestbits@lists.bestbits.net</a> ; <a title="ian.peter@ianpeter.com" href="mailto:ian.peter@ianpeter.com" target="_blank">Ian Peter</a>
</div>
<div><b>Cc:</b> <a title="anriette@apc.org" href="mailto:anriette@apc.org" target="_blank">anriette@apc.org</a> </div>
<div><b>Subject:</b> Re: [bestbits] The attack on APC, IGF and
UN</div></div></div>
<div> </div></div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE:small;TEXT-DECORATION:none;FONT-FAMILY:"Calibri";FONT-WEIGHT:normal;COLOR:#000000;FONT-STYLE:normal;DISPLAY:inline">
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">Ian, Anriette,
friends,</span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">My 2 cents:</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>As they say in Hollywood, there is no such thing as bad publicity : ) - as
long as they spell your name right.<br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">Seriously, it would not be
hard to turn this into a free media PR and education campaign for IGF, APC
for... </span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">'Take Back the Tech2.0.'
If they follow, fine, move to 2.1.<br></span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">'#imagineafeministopeninternet'
etc<br></span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">Meaning, let the loser
gamergate crowd have the original twitter hashtags. Just tweak slightly and move
the campaigns to 2.0 tags. They can keep talking to themselves, who
cares?</span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace">This could be made into a
mainstream media story, like the many ones about the gamergate losers trolling
women in Silicon Valley tech firms some months back. <br></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>And, therefore, also a chance to educate more folks about what the IGF is,
and why it matters, but it is actually laughably dumb for the gamergate losers
to think IGF could ever 'take over' anything. <br></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lee<br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><br><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"></span></p>
<p><span style="FONT-FAMILY:"Courier New",monospace"> </span><br></p>
<div style="COLOR:rgb(33,33,33)" dir="ltr">
<hr style="WIDTH:98%;DISPLAY:inline-block">
<div dir="ltr"><font style="FONT-SIZE:11pt" color="#000000" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net</a>
<<a href="mailto:bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net</a>> on behalf of Ian Peter
<<a href="mailto:ian.peter@ianpeter.com" target="_blank">ian.peter@ianpeter.com</a>><br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, October 11, 2015 5:29
AM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:bestbits@lists.bestbits.net" target="_blank">bestbits@lists.bestbits.net</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [bestbits] The
attack on APC, IGF and UN</font>
<div> </div></div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="FONT-SIZE:12pt;FONT-FAMILY:'Calibri';COLOR:#000000">
<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' ;
<a href="mailto:ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca" target="_blank">ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca</a> </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><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/3oa04u/goal_op_take_back_the_truth_phase_ii_the_apc_has/" target="_blank">https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/3oa04u/goal_op_take_back_the_truth_phase_ii_the_apc_has/</a></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><a href="mailto:ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca" target="_blank">ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca</a></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><a href="http://www.apc.org" target="_blank">www.apc.org</a> | <a href="http://www.takebackthetech.net" target="_blank">www.takebackthetech.net</a> | <a href="http://erotics.apc.org" target="_blank">erotics.apc.org</a></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:<a href="mailto:forum-bounces@justnetcoalition.org" target="_blank">forum-bounces@justnetcoalition.org</a>] On Behalf Of
Anriette</div>
<div>> Esterhuysen Sent: October 9, 2015 1:39 PM To: Internet
governance</div>
<div>> related discussions <<a href="mailto:forum@justnetcoalition.org" target="_blank">forum@justnetcoalition.org</a>>;</div>
<div>> <a href="mailto:ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca" target="_blank">ciresearchers@vcn.bc.ca</a>; Jac sm Kee <<a href="mailto:jac@apcwomen.org" target="_blank">jac@apcwomen.org</a>> 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: <a href="mailto:jac@apcwomen.org" target="_blank">jac@apcwomen.org</a></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:<a href="mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org" target="_blank">air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org</a>] On Behalf Of Zara</div>
<div>>> Rahman Sent: October 9, 2015 8:44 AM To:
<a href="mailto:air-l@listserv.aoir.org" target="_blank">air-l@listserv.aoir.org</a></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>>>
<<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeBackTheTech?src=hash" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeBackTheTech?src=hash</a>>.</div>
<div>>></div>
<div>>> For reference: <a href="https://www.takebackthetech.net/" target="_blank">https://www.takebackthetech.net/</a></div>
<div>>>
<a href="https://www.apc.org/en/about/programmes/womens-networking-support-pro" target="_blank">https://www.apc.org/en/about/programmes/womens-networking-support-pro</a></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>>> <a href="http://zararah.net" target="_blank">http://zararah.net</a> | Twitter: @zararah</div>
<div>>></div>
<div>>></div>
<div>>> _______________________________________________ The</div>
<div>>> <a href="mailto:Air-L@listserv.aoir.org" target="_blank">Air-L@listserv.aoir.org</a> mailing list is provided by the</div>
<div>>> Association of Internet Researchers <a href="http://aoir.org" target="_blank">http://aoir.org</a>
Subscribe,</div>
<div>>> change options or unsubscribe at:</div>
<div>>> <a href="http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org" target="_blank">http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org</a></div>
<div>>></div>
<div>>> Join the Association of Internet Researchers:</div>
<div>>> <a href="http://www.aoir.org/" target="_blank">http://www.aoir.org/</a></div>
<div>>></div>
<div>>> _______________________________________________ Forum
mailing</div>
<div>>> list <a href="mailto:Forum@justnetcoalition.org" target="_blank">Forum@justnetcoalition.org</a></div>
<div>>> <a href="http://mail.justnetcoalition.org/listinfo/forum" target="_blank">http://mail.justnetcoalition.org/listinfo/forum</a></div>
<div>>></div>
<div>></div>
<div>> -- ----------------------------------------- Anriette
Esterhuysen</div>
<div>> Executive Director Association for Progressive Communications</div>
<div>> <a href="mailto:anriette@apc.org" target="_blank">anriette@apc.org</a> <a href="http://www.apc.org" target="_blank">www.apc.org</a> IM: ae_apc</div></div></div></div></div>
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