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Block from the Thursdays in Black \u201cWaterfall of Solidarity and Resistance\u201d tapestry. Photo: Marcelo Schneider\/WCC<\/p><\/div>\n
This path means addressing what the World Wide Web Foundation has called a \u201cparallel pandemic\u201d\u2014cyberviolence, the Rev. Nicole Ashwood, WCC program executive for a Just Community of Women and Men, stressed in her introduction. She said this \u201cspace in the current wave of unfortunately trending violence against women and girls\u201d can cause psychological harm, destroy careers, and make people withdraw from the public space. <\/p>\n
Gender cyberviolence is rampant and destructive, webinar facilitator Dr Sarah Macharia confirmed. The global coordinator of WACC\u2019s Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) noted that women journalists, politicians, and activists are its most frequent target, with religion, ethnicity, and disability as further important indicators of the likelihood of receiving online hate.<\/p>\n
Macharia highlighted that a digital sphere hostile to women and girls and gender minorities \u201ctramples on the right to participation in all media\u201d and to freedom of expression enshrined in policy frameworks like the Beijing Platform for Action and the UN Declaration of Human Rights.<\/p>\n
Spotlight on microaggressions<\/h3>\n
Social media monitoring offers WACC and WCC networks a \u201ctool to root out gender cyberviolence,\u201d Macharia told the monitors-in-training. Adapted from GMMP methodology in use for over 25 years, social media monitoring can be used to get a fuller picture of misogyny on online platforms, improve current machine-based methods used to flag violent content, and advocate for policy change.<\/p>\n
While artificial intelligence can shift through huge amounts of data, it is trained to look for specific keywords, according to Macharia. She pointed out, however, that gender cyberviolence is not only about blatant sexist abuse such as rape threats; \u201cmicroaggressions\u201d in the form of \u201clittle, belittling, incessant content\u201d also is harmful.<\/p>\n
Though it takes longer, manual social media monitoring identifies such microaggressions that remain under the radar of AI-assisted monitoring, Macharia said. The evidence gathered by social media monitors can then be used to improve machine learning so that AI can be taught to recognize misogynistic content that evades its current algorithms. <\/p>\n
First steps on a collective journey<\/h3>\n
WACC Deputy General Secretary Sara Speicher said the webinar was a first step to gather momentum as committed WACC and Thursdays in Black<\/a> networks working collectively against gender-based violence and for gender justice.<\/p>\n She outlined an envisioned framework for churches and groups to get training in social media monitoring, do research collectively, and find tools to raise awareness in their communities and make recommendations for change to policy makers and social media companies.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to do this in an ecumenical gender and media observatory. That\u2019s our vision. We really want to make a difference together.\u201d<\/p>\n Ashwood echoed the invitation to join the gender justice movement. \u201cLet us be mindful that overcoming sexual- and gender-based violence is a 24-hours-a-day event, every single day of the week. May we all find God\u2019s strength and grace to protect, to prevent, and to accompany.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014The webinar \u201cRooting out gender cyberviolence\u201d was a contribution to the Global 16 Days<\/a> of action against gender-based violence from 25 November to 10 December.<\/p>\n Want to learn more about becoming a social media monitor and joining the movement for gender justice in the media?<\/p>\n Email us<\/a> and visit the WACC Gender and Media webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/whomakesthenews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/SocialMediaMonitor-300x251.png\")
Get Involved<\/h3>\n