Toxicity online:

Harassment has been growing online. And online abuse is discouraging vulnerable groups from participating in online discourse.

Globally, underrepresented populations — especially those made up of people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ community members — are the most likely to experience violence online.¹

A full 85% of women have witnessed online violence, and 38% have experienced it personally.²

Types of online harassment

Jigsaw, a team within Google that explores threats to open societies, partnered with The Economist Intelligence Unit to research the problem. We learned that the most prevalent tactics used to threaten women online are often wielded together in attempts to remove them from public discourse. 3 Repeated behavior using textual or graphical content to frighten and undermine self-esteem Sexist or hateful language designed to attack or humiliate Creating a false online presence in someone else’s name A coordinated effort to concurrently share damaging content across platforms Sharing private images or video with malicious intent Intercepting communications and data; targeting across social accounts and location tracking Posting personal real-world information to perpetuate violence Spreading rumors and false information to discredit or damage someone’s character Threats of physical harm through online channels Source: Economist Intelligence Unit research supported by Jigsaw

Though many platforms have clear policies prohibiting abusive behavior, some users still manage to find ways to harass, attack, and intimidate others.

While anyone can experience harassment online, women who are journalists , politicians , and activists in the public eye are at the highest risk. 4 JOURNALISTS POLITICIANS ACTIVISTS

A full 63% of women journalists said they had been threatened or harassed online. Of those, roughly 40% said they avoided reporting certain stories as a result . 5

The easiest part is dealing with the impact of online violence and disinformation on me. I just see the impact on the world, and I don’t know why we’re

Maria Ressa CEO and Co-Founder, Rappler 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Google’s Jigsaw team has created Harassment Manager, an open-source tool that helps people document and manage toxic language targeted at them on social media. The project started with Twitter, a partner on the launch.

But this issue goes

This isn’t an individual’s burden to bear. It’s an occupational hazard, and we need to start thinking of it that way.

Kathleen Searles Associate Professor of Political Communication Louisiana State University

Newsrooms are not the only employers tackling this issue. When individuals are attacked online in a way that intersects with their work responsibilities, more companies are taking action.

More companies and business leaders are starting to take stands on social issues, but there can be blowback. Being able to offer this tool or share it would be a huge benefit to agencies like mine and those we counsel.

Kristen Lisanti Chief Culture Officer BCW Global

Google teams like Jigsaw and Women Techmakers are developing new tools to tackle online violence against women. Try out TRFilter, a Thomson Reuters Foundation tool based on Harassment Manager’s open-source code, and learn more about what we do.

Credits

Design & Production: Grow (Agency) Editor: Marianna Nash Production Lead: Jenny Maughan Story by Patricia Georgiou 1. Harvard Business Review, U.S., What to Do When Your Employee Is Harassed Online , July 31, 2020. 2. The Economist, Global, Measuring the Prevalence of Online Violence Against Women , research developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit and supported by Google’s Jigsaw team, March 1, 2021. 3. Ibid. 4. Amnesty International, Global, #ToxicTwitter: Violence and Abuse Against Women Online , 2018. 5. International Women’s Media Foundation/Trollbusters, Global, Attacks and Harassment: The Impact on Female Journalists and Their Reporting , 2018. 6. International Center for Journalists, Global, Maria Ressa: Fighting an Onslaught of Online Violence , March 2021.

Toxicity online:

Why it’s not just a problem for individuals

Globally, underrepresented populations — especially those made up of people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ community members — are the most likely to experience violence online.¹

A full 85% of women have witnessed online violence, and 38% have experienced it personally.²

Types of online harassment

Cyberharassment

Hate speech

Impersonation

Astroturfing

Video- and image-based abuse

Hacking and stalking

Doxxing

Disinformation

Violent threats

Though many platforms have clear policies prohibiting abusive behavior, some users still manage to find ways to harass, attack, and intimidate others.

The easiest part is dealing with the impact of online violence and disinformation on me. I just see the impact on the world, and I don’t know why we’re

not panicking.

⁶

Google’s Jigsaw team has created Harassment Manager, an open-source tool that helps people document and manage toxic language targeted at them on social media. The project started with Twitter, a partner on the launch.

But this issue goes

beyond just helping

individual journalists

and content creators.

This isn’t an individual’s burden to bear. It’s an occupational hazard, and we need to start thinking of it that way.

Newsrooms are not the only employers tackling this issue. When individuals are attacked online in a way that intersects with their work responsibilities, more companies are taking action.

More companies and business leaders are starting to take stands on social issues, but there can be blowback. Being able to offer this tool or share it would be a huge benefit to agencies like mine and those we counsel.

Google teams like Jigsaw and Women Techmakers are developing new tools to tackle online violence against women. Try out TRFilter, a Thomson Reuters Foundation tool based on Harassment Manager’s open-source code, and learn more about what we do.

Credits

Explore Related Content

Director of Partnerships and Business Development, Jigsaw, Google

Sources

Toxicity online:

Why it’s not just a problem for individuals

Globally, underrepresented populations — especially those made up of people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ community members — are the most likely to experience violence online.1

A full 85% of women have witnessed online violence, and 38% have experienced it personally.2

Types of online harassment

Cyberharassment

Hate speech

Impersonation

Astroturfing

Video- and image-based abuse

Hacking and stalking

Doxxing

Disinformation

Violent threats

Though many platforms have clear policies prohibiting abusive behavior, some users still manage to find ways to harass, attack, and intimidate others.

The easiest part is dealing with the impact of online violence and disinformation on me. I just see the impact on the world, and I don’t know why we’re

not panicking.

6

Google’s Jigsaw team has created Harassment Manager, an open-source tool that helps people document and manage toxic language targeted at them on social media. The project started with Twitter, a partner on the launch.

But this issue goes

beyond just helping

individual journalists

and content creators.

This isn’t an individual’s burden to bear. It’s an occupational hazard, and we need to start thinking of it that way.

Newsrooms are not the only employers tackling this issue. When individuals are attacked online in a way that intersects with their work responsibilities, more companies are taking action.

More companies and business leaders are starting to take stands on social issues, but there can be blowback. Being able to offer this tool or share it would be a huge benefit to agencies like mine and those we counsel.

Google teams like Jigsaw and Women Techmakers are developing new tools to tackle online violence against women. Try out TRFilter, a Thomson Reuters Foundation tool based on Harassment Manager’s open-source code, and learn more about what we do.

Credits

Explore Related Content

Director of Partnerships and Business Development, Jigsaw, Google

Sources

Globally, underrepresented populations — especially those made up of people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ community members — are the most likely to experience violence online.¹

A full 85% of women have witnessed online violence, and 38% have experienced it personally.²

⁶