Digital spaces are teeming with possibilities, from fostering connectivity to promoting diverse viewpoints. But alongside these potentials are risks, notably, the increasing online targeting of women’s voices. Women are often subject to online harassment, with figures from the Pew Research Center revealing that 33% of women under the age of 35 have experienced online sexual harassment. The number raises even more concern as speakers, trainers, or professionals particularly active on online and event platforms.
The shift from physical conferences to virtual events due to the Covid-19 pandemic has, unfortunately, expanded the spaces in which assaults on women’s voices can take place. An instance of such targeting is witnessed in the alarming increase in ‘Zoombombing’ incidents – unsolicited intrusions into virtual meetings with explicit or hate-filled content. Professionals, particularly women of color, are often the targets, thereby escalating the intersectionality of this online challenge.
One such expert is Dr. Ruha Benjamin, a professor at Princeton University who experienced a ‘Zoombombing’ incident during an academic conference. Zoombombers interrupted her keynote speech with racial slurs and derogatory remarks, blemishing a platform intended for the enrichment of academic discourse.
While this incident rightly sparked outrage and calls for action, it was not an isolated incident. Virtual event platforms and social media sites are becoming hotbeds for gender-based harassment and hate speech. The underrepresentation of female voices and, most importantly, the targeting of women who dare to speak up, often results in self-censorship, altering the diversity of opinion and outlook in these communal spaces.
Recognizing the gravity of this problem, organizations like the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI) have been set up to safeguard online spaces. CCRI comprises a team of lawyers, academics, and policymakers who work to create legal and social change to protect individuals’ rights and freedoms online.
CCRI’s president, Professor Mary Anne Franks, reiterated the crucial role that online and event platforms can play in this battle. Platforms must engage in proactive measures, she noted, rather than simply react after an attack has occurred. Many platforms currently rely on users to report abuses, but this puts burdens on victims and does not prevent future occurrences.
Event platforms need to recognize their integral part in ensuring that every user, regardless of their gender or background, can safely express their views and perspectives. A diverse mix of voices is essential to stimulate healthy conversation, innovation, and progress.
Franks urged platforms to preemptively moderate content, implement stricter security measures, and amend their Terms of Service to explicitly condemn hate-based attacks. And these changes require a shift in the tech sector’s mindset on dealing with online harassment – recognizing it as a significant concern that impinges on users’ fundamental rights.
Furthermore, there is a call for transparency. Platforms should provide clear information about their preventive measures and actions taken against those who violate community standards. By offering reassurances that they take user safety seriously, these platforms can actively contribute to fostering a safer and more inclusive online environment.
However, the road to online safety goes beyond these platforms. Policymakers, law enforcement, and educational institutions all have roles to play in creating an online culture that does not merely pay lip service to equality and respect but actively champions these principles.
Ultimately, the fight to protect women’s voices in these virtual avenues is more than just a battle against online harassment. It is about enabling a healthier, more diverse, and inclusive digital environment where everyone’s opinion is valued, and the true potential of online spaces can be unlocked. Women have much to contribute to the global dialogue, and their voices should not be silenced by a fear for their safety. Virtual event platforms have an essential role to play in this urgent endeavour. And it is high time they step up and do their part.
