Jessica Valenti will be taking a break from social media, due to ongoing threats and harassment. Those assholes who think it’s perfectly acceptable to do such things decided to target Ms. Valenti’s 5 year old child, because of course, they are such erudite, articulate adults who have such a good, solid, fact based ability to present their arguments, but this way is just so much better. I hope every single one of you sick assholes takes a very good look in the mirror, then takes a very good look at your own family. Try to figure out how to regain your humanity, because it is missing.
This morning I woke up to a rape and death threat directed at my 5 year old daughter. That this is part of my work life is unacceptable.
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) July 27, 2016
As for Twitter and other social media, I guess perhaps Ms. Valenti isn’t quite famous enough to warrant action. Link.
I’m amazed Twitter is still a thing.
The upshot is that it’s going to be like myspace: as soon as something better and easier/cooler comes along. *poof*
I don’t know who this person is, but every time I see one of these, I’m glad I never got twitter (and never plan to). If it’s part of her job, that really sucks.
I would think the FBI would be interested in those threats, at least?
I read some of the replies. I’m rrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy sick of the “it’s just harsh words, you fragile feminist!” bullshit.
Think the FBI would care or do anything at all? I highly doubt it, unless she gets enough publicity.
CC:
It’s ‘part of her job’ because Ms. Valenti is a feminist. An outspoken, unapologetic feminist. A feminist who is an author, and writes books about feminism. She also writes columns for various well known outlets. It only takes being a woman on the ‘net to garner harassment and threats, but Ms. Valenti comes in for a great deal of abuse for being an activist.
Every time I think the MRAs and internet harassers can’t sink any lower, they find a way to surprise me. Rape and death threats aimed at a five year old child? Do these idiots ever stop to ask themselves what they are doing, and whether they really want to be such an atrocious excuse for a human being? How do they even sleep at night?
Hmm, the Tweet doesn’t say where the threat was made. It could be Twitter, it could also be email or other social networks/platforms. Not excusing Twitter, they suck at dealing with that kind of thing, but I find the “I’m glad I don’t have Twitter/why’s Twitter still a thing” replies to fall short of the actual problem.
The problem is people making rape and death threats at 5 year olds because they disagree with their mother.
Even if Twitter reacted perfectly* to every complaint, that wouldn’t stop some people. It wouldn’t stop them from writing mails and doxing people.
In short: the problem is PEOPLE. Violent misogynists.
*The only way to stop such tweets from reaching their targets would probably be to manually approve every tweet. Not very reasonable.
Giliell, I agree with all that, but social media platforms have to step up, and not only provide better solutions, they simply have to start banning people who do such things.
Caine
Oh, totally in agreement. They need to have very clear terms, fair terms and fuckin’ stick to them
Crimson Clupeidae@2, Ms Valenti “is a columnist and staff writer for Guardian US. She is the author of four books on feminism, politics and culture, and founder of Feministing.com“, according to her short bio at the Grauniad.
(I thought I recognised the name, thanks for inspiring me to check…)
Tabby @ 3:
Yeah, I read some of those too. Lots of “you’re just choosing to be offended.” Fucking assholes. I’ve had that aimed at me, by someone who was supposedly on my side of things, and it sucks.