WIRED: The Impact of Online Harassment Against Women (ft. Jessica Vitak)
Featuring Associate Professor Jessica Vitak’s research on women in Azerbaijan who opt out of social media.
WIRED featured College of Information Studies (INFO) Associate Professor Jessica Vitak in the “The Internet Is at Risk of Driving Women Away.” She spoke about her work that found that women in Azerbaijan tended to opt out of social media as they face an impossible double standard: unable to control their image on social media, but potentially punished severely for it.
The article discusses the prevalence and impact of online harassment against women on the internet. It highlights the disproportionate amount of harassment that women, especially women of color, face compared to men. The author also examines the psychological effects of online harassment on the victims, including anxiety, depression, and trauma. The article suggests that more needs to be done to address the issue and calls for a collective effort by social media platforms, policymakers, and individuals to combat harassment and foster a safer online environment for women.
Read the full article here. Written by Gina Neff and published on December 19, 2022 by WIRED.