online abuse

18 Stories

Facebook Moves Against Bullying Campaigns, Adds Celebrity Protection

After whistleblower's testimony, company takes certain internal chat groups private

(Newser) - Mentioning that Wednesday was National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Day, Facebook announced a number of steps to protect people from harassment on its site. Antigone Davis, Facebook's global head of safety, posted the new policies, Engadget reports, saying they're intended to better protect users—"particularly those who...

Tennis Stars Describe 'Never Ending' Abuse

Americans Shelby Rogers, Sloane Stephens speak out

(Newser) - It's not just Naomi Osaka who's making clear the various pressures placed on athletes at the US Open : American Shelby Rogers on Monday said she was preparing to receive "nine million death threats" on social media following her fourth-round loss to Britain's Emma Raducanu. Rogers was...

One of China's Top Actresses Scrubbed From Internet

Communist Party announces regulations on celebrity culture

(Newser) - Lists ranking celebrities by popularity are now banned in China, where regulators are cracking down on what they call a chaotic fan club culture. "We must restore a clean and upright literary and artistic environment to the public," declared state broadcaster CCTV, per AFP . Regulations published by state...

Game Developer Was Attacked Mercilessly, Turns Merciful

Brianna Wu, a prime target of GamerGate, speaks out about forgiveness

(Newser) - As a female game developer who spoke out publicly against sexism in the industry a few years back, Brianna Wu received torrents—and we mean torrents—of threats and abuse online. Now the Washington Post reports that Wu is forcing a different kind of conversation, one about forgiving the trolls...

Online Bully's Fine in Netflix Star's Suicide: $80

'When will you die?' he asked Hana Kimura

(Newser) - A Japanese man has been fined $80 over online abuse directed at a reality star who later took her own life. Pro-wrestler Hana Kimura committed suicide last May after suffering social media abuse related to her appearance on Netflix's Terrace House, a reality show following six young people who...

First Came the Murders, Then the Online Trolls

Frank Rzucek, father of Shannan Watts, urges social media sites to combat online abuse

(Newser) - The family of a pregnant Colorado mother who was murdered along with her two young daughters say they've been subject to "a constant stream of ugly, evil insults and attacks" over the last 11 months. "To online social media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter—we have...

Staff Spends Hours Deleting Nasty Posts on Kate, Meghan

Fans are to blame in certain cases

(Newser) - The duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex get a lot of online hate—so much that staff members spend several hours each week deleting comments on social media—though a new campaign hopes to put it all to bed. "We just decided enough is enough," Hello! Royal Editor Emily...

New Batwoman Quits Twitter Over 'Ridiculous' Backlash

Ruby Rose was criticized after she took on gay superhero role for the CW

(Newser) - If you're looking for Ruby Rose, you'll have to try her Bat Phone. The Orange Is the New Black star made headlines last week when it was announced she'd play Batwoman for the CW, the first openly gay superhero in a TV series leading role. But while...

How Government Trolls Silence Dissent: Report
How Secret Online
Armies Crush Dissent
longform
Jul 22, 2018 4:00 PM CDT

How Secret Online Armies Crush Dissent

A new report reveals state-sponsored terror campaigns

(Newser) - Before dying by car bomb last October , Maltese journalist Daphne Galizia was swamped with online threats. She even hesitated to keep reporting on issues like government corruption and the Panama Papers . "The dehumanization by the time she was killed around that period was complete," says her son Paul....

Millie Bobby Brown Vanishes From Twitter After Anti-Gay Memes

'Stranger Things' actress had been object of homophobic meme, hashtag campaign

(Newser) - She's taken on the Demogorgon, but Twitter trolls may have been too much. Variety reports that Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven in the Netflix series Stranger Things, has either deactivated or deleted her @milliebbrown Twitter account, and it may be linked to a proliferation of memes painting the...

After Twitter Yanks Verified Status, She Cites Holocaust

That from Laura Loomer, who along with Richard Spencer and others lost the blue tick

(Newser) - A few Twitter users lost the coveted blue tick on Wednesday after Twitter released new guidelines regarding verified accounts. The move came after the company was attacked for granting verified status to Jason Kessler, who put together the white nationalist rally that rocked Charlottesville in August (and issued this "...

Ed Sheeran: I Don't Know Why People Hate Me

Singer says he's 'quitting' Twitter because of all the 'mean things' said about him online

(Newser) - "I go on it and there's nothing but people saying mean things," says Ed Sheeran. That's the reason the 26-year-old English singer is offering for why he's "quitting" Twitter, the Sun reports, apparently deciding he just couldn't take those mean statements any longer....

Twitter Not Suspending Trump's Account Over CNN Tweet

Many are calling for president to be banned from the social media service

(Newser) - Following President Trump's latest tweet controversy, many are flocking to Twitter to suggest the POTUS be banned from the social media service, Elite Daily reports. Users are suggesting that Trump's tweets, including the recent one showing a WWE wrestling video in which he appears to clobber "CNN,...

Threat to Rape 5-Year-Old Forces Columnist Off Social Media

'That this is part of my work life is unacceptable'

(Newser) - Guardian columnist and feminist writer Jessica Valenti is off social media for awhile—after a death and rape threat was directed toward her 5-year-old daughter. Valenti says the vile threat she woke up to on Wednesday has forced her online exit, at least temporarily, the New York Daily News reports....

Twitter Bans Breitbart Editor Over Leslie Jones Abuse

Site is cracking down on 'targeted abuse'

(Newser) - Twitter has promised to crack down on "targeted abuse and harassment," and it appears to be serious about it: A conservative writer accused of leading a hate campaign against Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones was banned from the site Tuesday, BuzzFeed reports. Milo Yiannopoulos, Breitbart.com's tech editor,...

Woman Who Abused McCanns Online Found Dead

She was confronted by reporter over Twitter messages

(Newser) - A woman accused of taking part in an online hate campaign against the parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann has been found dead days after she was confronted by a reporter. Brenda Leyland, a 63-year-old described by the Daily Mail as a "church-going mother," was found in a...

Twitter to 'Improve Policies' After Zelda Williams Bullied

Family members to get more support, site says

(Newser) - Twitter has promised to take a look at its policies after some sickening abuse over her father's death forced Zelda Williams off the site . After she tweeted a touching tribute to her father, the grieving daughter received messages on Twitter and Instagram blaming her for her father's death,...

Twitter: No More Rape or Bomb Threat Tweets

Updates rules, adds 'report abuse' button, promises more staff to address threats

(Newser) - Twitter is finally cracking down on abuse after a number of incidents in the UK where high-profile women were threatened via tweet. Both a feminist activist and a politician were threatened with rape last month, while several female journalists were tweeted bomb threats, reports USA Today . After an online petition...

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