online harassment
In depth
In Search of Allies: Interview with TBTT campaigners in India
In this set of interviews, Smita Vanniyar speaks to Japleen Pasricha of Feminism in India, and Divya Rajgopal of WhyHate. In separate ways, both these are projects of passion that find ways to reclaim technology for women and also others marginalised on account of gender non-conformity, sexuality, caste, religion and class. They discuss the pros and cons of anonymity, how to address online VAW...
Feminist talk
Feminist politics of freedom of speech - Reflections on session in AWID 2016
The discourse on technology related violence against women is often pulled into debate vis-a-vis freedom of expression. This article attempts to unpack the possibility of looking at this debate different - to articulate what is the feminist politics of free speech. Does it go beyond the protection of the right as currently imagined, to open up the possibilities of those who are marginalized,...
Publication
Feminist Principles of the Internet [2016]
A feminist internet works towards empowering more women and queer persons – in all our diversities – to fully enjoy our rights, engage in pleasure and play, and dismantle patriarchy. This integrates our different realities, contexts and specificities – including age, disabilities, sexualities, gender identities and expressions, socioeconomic locations, political and religious beliefs, ethnic...
Feminist talk
Invasion of Privacy & The Murder of Qandeel Baloch
The murder of Qandeel Baloch raises many uneasy questions - about the role of media and its complicity in her death, about the persistence of patriarchy and misogyny and the forms it takes, both online and offline.
Republished from Digital Rights Foundation, Pakistan.
Feminist talk
Facebook's Real Name Policy: Does it actually help to keep the online community safe?
We conducted a small survey of LGBTQIA users of Facebook and asked them what do THEY think of the real-name policy. Does this policy ensure their safety which is what Facebook claims, or does it expose them online and leave them vulnerable to harassment.
Three key issues for a feminist internet: Access, agency and movements
The Feminist Principles of the Internet arose from the first Imagine a Feminist Internet meeting in 2014 in Malaysia. The meeting brought together 52 women's rights, sexual rights and internet rights activists from six continents to discuss one question: "As feminists, what kind of internet do we want, and what will it take for us to achieve it?" The principles cover the topics of access, agency...
Publication
Keeping women safe? Gender, online harassment and Indian law
Findings of the Internet Democracy Project research study, ‘”Don’t Let It Stand!”: An Exploratory Study of Women and Verbal Online Abuse in India’, indicate that women in India develop a variety of strategies to deal with the verbal threats they face. However, these strategies very rarely include the law,resulting in a silence around questions of legal effectiveness and recourse for online verbal...
In depth
From fear to courage: Talking about technology, violence and justice in Mexico
An interview by Florencia Goldsman with research report author Gabriela Polanco and APC’s project coordinator in Mexico Erika Smith explores many of the nuances that emerged from the research. From assessing to what extent technology is an enabler of violence to musing on the various meanings of ‘justice’ for survivors, this conversation takes us behind the scenes of the Mexican edition of the...
Feminist talk
Barriers to women’s participation on the internet evolve with increased ‘access’
In the opening session at this year’s Gender and Internet Governance eXchange (gigXAfrica), participants highlighted some key questions they had that they hoped would be answered during the exchange. One participant innocently asked: if the internet is free for all, how are women really marginalized in that space? This is my attempt at a calm response to this question that I am slowly realising...
In depth
What school girls in India can teach us about social media
In most Pune schools, the new term is under way. Activities are in full swing and tests have already begun. Students wake up as early as six in the morning and the school day hums along amidst ringing bells and slamming lockers. At the dinner table, a heated WhatsApp conversation ends only when an exasperated parent confiscates the phone. Everyone has at least one selfie on Instagram. Is it time...
