Tech bros have been feeding the trolls – and women are paying the price

theguardian.com

7 points·equalsione··5 comments

Here's the archived link, in case don't want to feed the prestigious trolls out there [1]: https://archive.ph/APXsC

[1]: https://i1.wp.com/www.opindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01...

This needs more discussion. The underlying problem is there for all to see but we allow "your solution entirely won't work because" truisms to block things.

Btw the root problem isn't the tech, it's the people doing the trolling. But that doesn't make this any less of a tech problem in my opinion.

> Btw the root problem isn't the tech, it's the people doing the trolling. But that doesn't make this any less of a tech problem in my opinion.

Yeah, it doesn't happen in real life to this degree, which is why it's a tech problem.

The massive point of difference to real life has to be the anonymity, but defence of the anonymous lies at the heart of the problem. I don't want to pretend removal of anonymity is "the answer" because many people depend on it for personal safety.

I just mean that it's the principle difference. That said there's a class of troll who does it openly and apparently without consequence. I think in the "real world" the harassment would be more subject to law. Odd.

The other day I was playing an online game with voice chat, when a a couple of women who sounded black started speaking. Most online games have a problem with sexism and racism, and I immediately braced for someone to start being sexist and/or racist, which of course happened.

This was honestly the first time I remember hearing a black sounding women in voice chat on an online game, which isn't surprising if this is the reaction they get even a tiny minority of the time. It sucks that their only options are to try and hide their identity, not speak at all, or speak and take the abuse.

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