With Sarah Sobieraj, author of Credible Threat: Attacks Against Women Online and the Future of Democracy. The Commissioner for Human Rights in the Council of Europe says, “just speaking out … about issues online, often when related to feminism, gender equality, sexual abuse or specific aspects of women’s rights, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, may be a trigger for violence and abuse.”  

The goal of this violence, says the Organization of American States, is to “create a hostile online environment for women in order to shame, intimidate, denigrate, belittle, or silence them by means of surveillance, theft or manipulation of information, or control of their communication channels.” 

No wonder that almost one-third of people in Canada are hesitant about using social media or taking part in online discussions due to harassment concerns. We all lose out when women and gender-diverse people are silenced. 

Over coming months, we’re delving into this with leading experts and content creators, releasing in-depth episodes every single week. We talk about the problem and what we can do to change it. We offer practical tips to help you in your digital life, and we talk about what it means to “take back the tech” for all of us. 

Our guest Sarah Sobieraj is Professor and Chairperson in the Department of Sociology at Tufts University and is a Faculty Associate with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. She’s an expert in US political culture, extreme incivility, digital abuse and harassment, and the mediated information environment. Amongst other books, she is the author of Credible Threat: Attacks Against Women Online and the Future of Democracy (Oxford University Press, 2020), The Outrage Industry: Political Opinion Media and the New Incivility (Oxford University Press, 2014) with J. Berry, and Soundbitten: The Perils of Media-Centered Political Activism (NYU Press, 2011). Her scholarship can also be found in journals and venues such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Politico, Vox, CNN, PBS, NPR, National Review, and The Atlantic, among others. 

Content note: this episode addresses gender-based violence. 

Relevant Links: Credible Threat: Attacks Against Women Online and the Future of Democracy, The Facts about Gendered Digital Hate, Harassment, and Violence 

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Episode ⁠Transcripts⁠ 

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