Thread
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Some lessons I’ve learned about handling Twitter abuse and bullying, from the mob and from academics and blue checks (legacy, that is)
A thread
Some lessons I’ve learned about handling Twitter abuse and bullying, from the mob and from academics and blue checks (legacy, that is)
A thread
As we say out west, this is not my first rodeo
If you work on issues people are passionate about - climate, energy, justice, gender, politics, COVID - you’ll quickly learn that people will use Twitter to diminish your voice or just make speech costly
Some things I’ve learned
If you work on issues people are passionate about - climate, energy, justice, gender, politics, COVID - you’ll quickly learn that people will use Twitter to diminish your voice or just make speech costly
Some things I’ve learned
First, the mob
Instant mute for insults, smears, profanity, etc.
No second chances
Simple to deal with
Never presents a problem
Over time my feed has gotten much better
Turns out that most of this stuff comes from a small minority of people
Instant mute for insults, smears, profanity, etc.
No second chances
Simple to deal with
Never presents a problem
Over time my feed has gotten much better
Turns out that most of this stuff comes from a small minority of people
Second, academics and blue checks
Sometimes people will feel threatened by my work, or it challenges their views, or they decide they don’t like me, or they are jealous of my impact … whatever
They then use Twitter to try to harm me professionally or to elevate themselves
Sometimes people will feel threatened by my work, or it challenges their views, or they decide they don’t like me, or they are jealous of my impact … whatever
They then use Twitter to try to harm me professionally or to elevate themselves
My general response in such situations is just to ignore them
Repeat offenders earn a mute but I admit to being more generous with this group than the mob
Mean tweets?
Snore
Tone policing?
Snore
Lying about my research or politics?
Snore
None of that bothers me
Repeat offenders earn a mute but I admit to being more generous with this group than the mob
Mean tweets?
Snore
Tone policing?
Snore
Lying about my research or politics?
Snore
None of that bothers me
Some folks don’t get the message and in rare cases will come after my colleagues (even more rare, my family) or those who I happen to study
In such cases I will respond loudly
Try to bully me all you like, fine, I hope it makes you feel better
But go after my people?
Nope
In such cases I will respond loudly
Try to bully me all you like, fine, I hope it makes you feel better
But go after my people?
Nope
I used to try to be polite with such people
Just made them more aggressive
So I learned that a combination of ignoring and confronting works best to manage online abuse and bullying
It’s not perfect
But welcome to Twitter
My management of bullies works much better now
Just made them more aggressive
So I learned that a combination of ignoring and confronting works best to manage online abuse and bullying
It’s not perfect
But welcome to Twitter
My management of bullies works much better now
On balance Twitter has proven net valuable to my work (which is why I’m here still)
But there are still downsides and situations and people that need to be ignored/confronted
That’s my calculus today
Thanks for listening to my TED Talk
😉👍🙏
But there are still downsides and situations and people that need to be ignored/confronted
That’s my calculus today
Thanks for listening to my TED Talk
😉👍🙏
