CenDemTechOct 8, 2024
.@CenDemTech, the Ford Institute for Human Security at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Politus Project at Koç University new report on #OnlineGBV – “Hated More” – summarized in Tech Policy Press: “Our results suggest that overall there is a gender gap in the proportion of posts containing offensive speech and hate speech targeting candidates.” https://www.techpolicy.press/2024-us-election-women-of-color-political-candidates-are-targeted-with-more-offensive-speech-and-hate-speech-than-other-candidates/
2024 US Election: Women of Color Political Candidates are Targeted with More Offensive Speech and Hate Speech Than Other Candidates | TechPolicy.Press

Bad actors seek to deter women of color from participating in representative politics, write Dhanaraj Thakur and Müge Finkel.

Tech Policy Press
Dhanaraj ThakurSep 19, 2024

Join @CenDemTech, the Ford Institute for Human Security at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Politus Project online on October 2, 9:30am ET for the launch of a new research report on the kinds of offensive/hate speech that women of color Congressional candidates are facing on X/Twitter this election in the U.S.
https://cdt.org/event/report-launch-offensive-speech-and-hate-speech-targeted-at-congressional-candidates-in-the-2024-election/

#Election2024 #WomenOfColour #hatespeech #PoliticalCandidate #onlinegbv

Report launch - Offensive speech and hate speech targeted at Congressional Candidates in the 2024 Election.

Date: October 2, 2024 Time: 9:30am to 11am ET Women of color candidates continue to be underrepresented in Congress while also facing significant challenges in running for office. One of these challenges includes the kinds of offensive and hate speech they are subject to on social media platforms. In this research briefing we discuss findings […]

Center for Democracy and Technology
Dhanaraj ThakurAug 19, 2024

As i say in this article by @WIRED,
as a society we don't treat all politicians the same because of racism and misogyny. Yet the social media platforms want to do just that:
https://www.wired.com/story/instagram-gendered-abuse/

#disinformation #Election2024 #harris #onlinegbv

Instagram Isn’t Protecting Women Politicians from Hate Speech

A report found that Instagram left up 93% of violent comments towards female candidates—the kind of online abuse that has led them to not seek office.

WIRED
Show threadDhanaraj ThakurJul 29, 2024

To address these problems our report includes several recommendations specifically aimed at social media companies, political parties, and researchers. Check out the report here: https://cdt.org/insights/an-unrepresentative-democracy-how-disinformation-and-online-abuse-hinder-women-of-color-political-candidates-in-the-united-states/

#misinformation #disinformation
#onlineGBV #womenpoliticians
#elections

An Unrepresentative Democracy: How Disinformation and Online Abuse Hinder Women of Color Political Candidates in the United States

Executive Summary  In a press interview, former Vermont state house representative Kiah Morris said she reported at least 26 incidents to the local police where she and her family felt threatened between 2016 and 2018. The severity of the targeted abuse both on and offline ultimately led Rep. Morris to a premature resignation three months […]

Center for Democracy and Technology
Show threadDhanaraj ThakurJul 29, 2024
Other important findings:
- Although women of color candidates are not the most likely target of online abuse overall—white men are—they are the most likely to be the target of particular forms of online abuse, including sexist abuse (as compared to white women), racist abuse (as compared to men of color), and violent abuse (four times more than white candidates and two times more than men of color.)
#misinformation
#disinformation
#onlineGBV
#womenpoliticians
#elections
Dhanaraj ThakurJul 29, 2024

With the focus of the U.S. #elections now on #KamalaHarris , it's important to consider the social media environment for women of color politicians. Our @CenDemTech research (published in 2022) found that women of color candidates were twice as likely as other candidates to be targeted with or the subject of mis- and disinformation.

#misinformation #disinformation #onlineGBV #womenpoliticians #elections

CDT EuropeMay 22, 2024

So excited to be at #CPDP2024 this week 😄

👉 Follow @AshaOAllen & @aimee who will be posting from some key panels during the conference and come and say hi to the rest of the team 👋

Laura Lazaro Cabrera, our Director of the Equity & Data is speaking now at the #AI regulation panel:
⏰ 10:30 - 11:50

She was also a speaker at this morning’s session on #AI and the brain 🤖🧠

Our Acting Director @AshaOAllen will join the @[email protected] & Glitch session on #OnlineGBV & #deepfakes
⏰ Friday 14:15

Show threadCenDemTechMay 3, 2024
Meta must grant researchers access to data on #deepfakes, gendered #disinformation & #onlineGBV to study their impact, especially on marginalized groups like women of color in the U.S. & minority women in India. Annual risk assessments as per EU rules are key.
Dhanaraj ThakurMay 3, 2024

@AshaOAllen and I submitted comments on behalf of @CenDemTech in response to the Oversight Board’s request based on cases from the U.S. and India it described as “Explicit AI Images of Female Public Figures.”

We explain that deepfakes are a form of online gender-based violence and gendered disinformation. Their use against women in politics in particular is meant to challenge, control, and attack their presence in spaces of public authority.

#deepfakes #onlinegbv

https://cdt.org/insights/cdt-response-to-the-oversight-boards-call-for-public-comments-on-explicit-ai-images-of-female-public-figures/

CDT Response to the Oversight Board's Call for Public Comments on: "Explicit AI Images of Female Public Figures"

On April 30, CDT submitted a response to issues raised by the Oversight Board’s request for public comments regarding cases from the U.S. and India it described as “Explicit AI Images of Female Public Figures.” The cases touch upon key areas of rights-protection that CDT has engaged in extensively, including; free expression and online gender […]

Center for Democracy and Technology
Show threadCenDemTechMar 11, 2024
The law sets minimum standards for the criminalisation of certain forms of gender-based violence (GBV), including #OnlineGBV, that all EU Member States will need to transpose into national law. CDT research has shown the prevalence of online gender-based violence and how women of color are at increased risk: https://cdt.org/insights/cdt-europe-reacts-to-eu-directive-on-gender-based-violence-gbv-new-rules-to-tackle-online-gbv-create-free-expression-concerns/
CDT Europe Reacts to EU Directive on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) – New Rules to Tackle Online GBV Create Free Expression Concerns

On February 6 2024, EU lawmakers reached a political agreement on the Directive to combat violence against women and domestic violence. The law sets minimum standards for the criminalisation of certain forms of gender-based violence (GBV), including online GBV, that all EU Member States will need to transpose into national law. Online GBV is prevalent […]

Center for Democracy and Technology