[governance] #gamergate trolling attack going on nowagainst a feminist tech movement

Mon Oct 12 21:33:42 EDT 2015

Following Ian yesterday - here's the link to the APC statement about the
situation:
https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/facts-takebackthetech

=========================
Facts on #TakeBacktheTech
=========================

12 October 2015: Since Friday, 9 October 2015, a mounting online
attack has been launched against the Twitter hashtag #TakeBacktheTech
and associated initiatives.

Take Back the Tech! was launched in 2006 by a group of young women in
Southeast Asia in response to an increasing recognition that emerging
ICT developments like mobile phones and geolocation software were used
to extend the violence that women faced in physical spaces through SMS
harassment and cyber stalking by abusive partners. See here for full
research on case studies in seven countries.

Echoing the Take Back the Night campaigns by women’s movements in
different parts of the world, the campaign saw the importance of
reclaiming the transformative potential of digital spaces for the
exercise of women’s human rights, including the right to freedom of
expression, public participation and safety. The campaign was
initiated by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
Women’s Rights Programme, and has been taken up, adapted and owned by
individuals, organisations and collectives in places such as
Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada,
Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, India, Kenya,
Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, South
Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay. The
campaign is linked to the longstanding 16 Days of Activism Against
Gender-based Violence global campaign.

Take Back the Tech and APC have never supported censorship; to the
contrary, we have explicitly explored means of addressing online hate
speech in general, and misogynist content in particular, without
resorting to censorship. Claims to this effect in the recent efforts
to hijack the #takebackthetech hashtag are simply not accurate. APC’s
Internet Rights Charter, a document which interprets how fundamental
human rights apply on the internet, was released in 2001.

Claims that APC supports doxing (defined in Wikipedia as searching for
and publishing private or identifying information about a particular
individual on the internet, typically with malicious intent) are also
not accurate. This claim was made in response to a reference in an
educational comic available on the Take Back the Tech! site to the
case of Mary Beard who was offered, via a public tweet, contact
details of the mother of a tweeter who had been attacking her online.
She did not seek it out nor did she use it. Instead she communicated
directly with the person who had been posting the abusive tweets and
in a rare instance, was able to resolve the situation
(http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/27/mary-beard-befriends-twitt
er-trolls-online-abuse)

APC collaborates closely with the United Nations. APC and Take Back
the Tech did not author the ITU Broadband Commission report “Cyber
Violence against Women and Girls: A world-wide wake-up call”. We agree
with most of the content of this report, but there are areas of
analysis and recommendations in the report that we do not support in
full. To learn more about what APC’s position is with regard to online
free expression and responding to harmful content refer to:
http://www.genderit.org/feminist-talk/pulling-back-veil-free-speech.

APC and Take Back the Tech are stakeholders of the Internet Governance
Forum (IGF) Best Practice Forum to share learning and experiences on
how to respond to online abuse and violence against women. The IGF is
a multistakeholder platform that facilitates policy dialogue on key
and emerging issues related to internet policy and governance. As with
all other IGF processes, the work of this Best Practice Forum has been
inclusive and transparent. It is unfortunate that this transparency
has been used to misrepresent the goals of this process
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK7nnL11dIE)
If anyone wants to access accurate information about the IGF and this
Best Practice Forum, refer to:
http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/best-practice-forums/4-practices-to-count
ering-abuse-against-women-online#about
Similarly, if anyone wants to make constructive contributions to the
Best Practice Forum’s work, please comment on Draft II, currently
published for public input:
http://review.intgovforum.org/igf-2015/best-practice-forums/draft-ii-bpf
- -on-practices-to-counter-online-violence-against-women-and-girls/

The attack against APC and Take Back the Tech and efforts to hijack
the #takebackthetech hashtag, which has involved people who
self-associate with #Gamergate posting threats targeting members of
our community and images that depict women being subjected to physical
and sexual violence, illustrate how women’s and girls’ voices are
silenced on social networking platforms by violent and sexist expression
.

The scale of this attack thus far has involved more than 20,000 tweets
and memes containing anti-feminist, racist, violent and abusive
content, which has also been targeted at those who expressed support
for #TakeBacktheTech. Emails that included threatening content have
also been sent to individuals associated with organising the the
initial Twitter conversation that launched the attack. It bears
repeating that the attacks are coordinated, planned and organised, and
this demonstrates the importance of continuing, collaborative efforts
to address this issue.

Thanks to those who have expressed their support.

To find out more about online violence against women:
http://www.genderit.org/sites/default/upload/end_violence_malhotra_dig.p
df

For more information contact:

Jac Sm Kee
Women’s Rights Programme Manager, Association for Progressive
Communications
Email: jac at apcwomen.org

Deirdre

On 11 October 2015 at 05:28, Ian Peter <ian.peter at ianpeter.com> wrote:

> I am posting this separately to a few lists, so apologies if you are
> already aware of this.
>
> For those who have not caught up on this weekend's vicious attack on APC
> and Take Back the Tech.
>
> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> I would love to know a good way to address this. But in the meantime, I
> think people should be aware of this.
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Ian Peter
> Sent: Sunday, October 11, 2015 6:57 PM
> To: Michael Gurstein ; 'Internet governance related discussions' ;
> ciresearchers at vcn.bc.ca
> Subject: Re: [JNC - Forum] : [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on
> nowagainst a feminist tech movement
>
> So this attack is still ongoing, and being done in the name of "freedom
> from
> censorship". And the devil has become the IGF and the UN!
>
> It's astonishing how well organised it is on a distorted information
> base -see the link below.
>
>
> https://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/3oa04u/goal_op_take_back_the_truth_phase_ii_the_apc_has/
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Jac sm Kee
> Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2015 11:41 PM
> To: Michael Gurstein ; 'Internet governance related discussions' ;
> ciresearchers at vcn.bc.ca
> Subject: Re: [JNC - Forum] : [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on
> now
> against a feminist tech movement
>
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Hi Michael,
>
> Thanks for the support. I think there are a couple of things that can
> be done:
>
> a) Reposting the statement in your sites to demonstrate support to the
> work, and condemning the attacks
> b) Also post something that explains the open, transparent,
> multistakeholder and participatory nature of IGF, and related work
> including intersessionals. The trolls seem to be really confused about
> what IGF is about, and see this as an "evil UN scheme" to control the
> internet. Which is quite funny. They celebrate it as a victory to be
> able to join a BPF meeting and access archives of documented
> discussion. Very strange, but maybe some information and clarification
> from the IGF community can help.
>
> If you have more ideas, happy to hear them.
>
> Best,
> jac
>
>
>
>
> - ---------------------------------
> Jac sm Kee
> Manager, Women's Rights Programme
> Association for Progressive Communications
> www.apc.org | www.takebackthetech.net | erotics.apc.org
> Jitsi: jacsmk | Skype: jacsmk | Twitter: @jhybe
>
> On 10/10/2015 05:46, Michael Gurstein wrote:
>
>> Thanks for this below Anriette/Jac...
>>
>> I came across the original message on a list for "Internet
>> researchers" where it is being discussed along with associated
>> attacks under the overall rubric of #gamergate referring to a quite
>> serious troll attack focusing on an online discussion concerned
>> with the lack of gender responsive actions and outputs among gamers
>> and game developers.
>>
>> Apart from actually participating in the troll attack (difficult if
>> one has no real idea of what is going on) is there anything useful
>> that sympathetic observers can do at this point.
>>
>> M
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Forum
>> [mailto:forum-bounces at justnetcoalition.org] On Behalf Of Anriette
>> Esterhuysen Sent: October 9, 2015 1:39 PM To: Internet governance
>> related discussions <forum at justnetcoalition.org>;
>> ciresearchers at vcn.bc.ca; Jac sm Kee <jac at apcwomen.org> Subject: Re:
>> [JNC - Forum] ?spam FW: [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on
>> now against a feminist tech movement
>>
>> Dear JNC and CI researchers
>>
>> Aside from this attack being cited as an interesting subject for
>> research, you might also want to take action.
>>
>> We would also appreciate support.  Hashtag #takebackthetech
>>
>> Please find below a statement from APC on the attack.
>>
>> Anriette Esterhuysen, APC
>>
>> Take Action for #TakeBackTheTech and ImagineAFeministInternet
>>
>> Today, Friday the 9th of October 2015, misoynists, trolls and a
>> variety of people who associate with the #Gamergate hashtag decided
>> to occupy and corrupt the #TakeBackTheTech and
>> #ImagineAFeministInternet hashtags by posting thousands of
>> anti-feminist and misogynistic tweets and memes. This attack is the
>> response to a tweet chat organised by the Internet Governance
>> Forum, Best Practice Forum on Countering Online Violence and Abuse,
>> to discuss the impact of such violence. The volunteer who was
>> organising the tweet chat also received an email in her personal
>> inbox declaring the launch of the attack to “destroy” the
>> campaign.This online attack against feminist activism online is
>> deliberate, planned, and coordinated and it’s only one example of
>> the attack that feminists face online.
>>
>> Take Back the Tech! is a collaborative campaign to reclaim
>> technology to prevent violence against women. It started in 2006
>> and works with local partners to run campaigns online and offline
>> to raise awareness of technology-related violence against women and
>> girls, promote digital safety and amplify women’s voices online.As
>> a hashtag, #TakeBackTheTech has been used by activists to draw
>> attention to issues of online violence against women, and to
>> organise around periods like ‘Sixteen Days of Activism against
>> Gender Based Violence’. #ImagineAFeministInternet first came into
>> use in 2013 when the Association for Progressive Communications
>> convened a gathering of over 50 activists in Malaysia to discuss
>> what a Feminist Internet would look like - open, digitally secure,
>> safer for feminist activists. Increasingly
>> #ImagineAFeministInternet has become more popular as digitally
>> connected feminists have come together to conceptualise what a
>> safe, activist online space would look like.
>>
>> Today’s cyber attack by the trolls emphasise that more than ever
>> feminists and activists need to respond swiftly to online violence.
>> Our organisations, movements and allies need to support the digital
>> security of women’s rights defenders online. More than ever we need
>> to #TakeBackTheTech and #ImagineAFeministInternet. As individual
>> activists and members of various social justice activists we call
>> on you to do the following:
>>
>> Report abusive accounts to Twitter If you feel so inclined, create
>> alternative accounts to push back against the trolls Reclaim the
>> #TakeBackTheTech and #ImagineAFeministInternet hashtags Support the
>> process of documenting instances of online violence against women
>> Highlight the importance of feminism, technology and women's rights
>> online Share knowledge of how to end online violence against women
>> Support #TakeBackTheTech and our efforts to
>> #ImagineAFeministInternet
>>
>> Enquiries
>>
>> Jac Sm Kee Women's Rights Programme Manager, Association for
>> Progressive Communications Email: jac at apcwomen.org
>>
>> On 09/10/2015 22:12, Michael Gurstein wrote:
>>
>>> Interesting roiling in the twittersphere around APC led tech and
>>>  feminism campaign.
>>>
>>> M
>>>
>>> -----Original Message----- From: Air-L
>>> [mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Zara
>>> Rahman Sent: October 9, 2015 8:44 AM To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
>>> Subject: [Air-L] #gamergate trolling attack going on now against
>>> a feminist tech movement
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I thought this might be of interest for those of you studying
>>> trolling: there is a (seemingly well-coordinated) Gamergate going
>>> on right now against those using the hashtag #takebackthetech and
>>> (to a lesser extent) #imagineafeministinternet.
>>>
>>> Both of these hashtags started with the feminist organisation
>>> APC, and they were/are planning an online twitter discussion
>>> tonight on the impact of onlnie violence against women - but
>>> Gamergate trolls seem to have picked up on it in advance.
>>>
>>> The community is organising at the moment on how to respond, but
>>> if you're interested in following/studying/archiving the attack -
>>> head to #takebackthetech
>>> <https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeBackTheTech?src=hash>.
>>>
>>> For reference: https://www.takebackthetech.net/
>>> https://www.apc.org/en/about/programmes/womens-networking-support-pro
>>>
>> g
>
>>
>>>
>>> ramme-
>
>> apc-wnsp
>>>
>>> Thanks - if you end up working on this topic further, please let
>>> me know! And, perhaps this goes without saying but please don't
>>> @/tag me or others in your responses if you choose to respond on
>>> Twitter. The organisers of the twitter chat have already received
>>> abusive twitter and email messages.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Zara
>>>
>>> -- Zara Rahman Fellow at Centre for Internet and Human Rights
>>> http://zararah.net | Twitter: @zararah
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________ The
>>> Air-L at listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the
>>> Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe,
>>> change options or unsubscribe at:
>>> http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
>>>
>>> Join the Association of Internet Researchers:
>>> http://www.aoir.org/
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________ Forum mailing
>>> list Forum at justnetcoalition.org
>>> http://mail.justnetcoalition.org/listinfo/forum
>>>
>>>
>> -- ----------------------------------------- Anriette Esterhuysen
>> Executive Director Association for Progressive Communications
>> anriette at apc.org www.apc.org IM: ae_apc
>> _______________________________________________ Forum mailing list
>> Forum at justnetcoalition.org
>> http://mail.justnetcoalition.org/listinfo/forum
>>
>>
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