"Together, we have the power to protect the most vulnerable among us." There never was a truer, more urgent call to the world's social media users. It's from Nadia Goodman, TED's social media editor, in a blog post about the digital aftermath of posting the video of Monica Lewinsky's TED talk in the TED site. [This is a followup to my post on Sunday about the talk, which has gotten nearly 2 … [Read more...] about How brave commenters are growing the power of Lewinsky’s talk
hate speech
Thank you, Ashley Judd: Of fixing online hate & harm
Thanks to #AshleyJudd (you may've noticed that her Twitter handle became a hashtag this week), online harassment, bullying, hate and misogyny got the kind of exposure that could actually bring positive change to this global network of ours. It could do that because Judd is not only an intelligent, articulate, high-profile warrior against hate, she's a warrior for healing. As a human race, we will … [Read more...] about Thank you, Ashley Judd: Of fixing online hate & harm
From public shaming to public compassion
The public discussion about "online reputation" has gotten darker, as "public shaming" appears in more and more headlines. We may think it's tough to be a celebrity, having everything one does – good, bad or anything in between – go viral. But it's even tougher not to be, if you post something negative online. Because when you're not a celebrity, it seems only bad stuff goes viral, not just every … [Read more...] about From public shaming to public compassion
Sydney: A hashtag for a city (and world) in need of healing
"The city is now in mourning," wrote author, researcher and Sydney resident Nina Funnell to a group of colleagues in the wake of the horrific siege in a financial district chocolate shop. Australians (all of us, really) are trying to make sense of the attack, The Australian reported, invoking 9/11 and attacks since then in Madrid, London and Boston. "But out of all this horror, there have been … [Read more...] about Sydney: A hashtag for a city (and world) in need of healing
Doxxing: Key Internet safety risk & what to do about it
You may've heard the term "doxxing." It's where online harassment can spill over into the offline kind, increasing risk of harm to whoever's being targeted, regardless of age, race, gender, etc. The form it usually takes is public exposure of the target's personal information – street address, phone number and other records – and, as we've seen in the news lately, it's "often accompanied by … [Read more...] about Doxxing: Key Internet safety risk & what to do about it