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I have to ask though... what is the actual problem with all of this "harassment"? Yes, many people pseudonymously post a lot of hateful garbage on Twitter, but

I have to ask though... what is the actual problem with all of this "harassment"? Yes, many people pseudonymously post a lot of hateful garbage on Twitter, but it's just words on the Internet—if you put yourself out there as a public figure, assholes are gonna be assholes. A few months ago, a VICE editor wrote a piece originally titled "Let's Blow Up Mount Rushmore" (the title was later changed)[0]. Being a South Dakotan, this was pretty offensive to me, and my reply got the most likes and retweets, putting it in the prominent "first reply" spot[1]. I got a lot of very nasty comments from various extremely angry people, including one who implied I was a Nazi or something by saying "I wonder if "rezich" [my surname] is supposed to be similar to "Reich" or it's just some amazing irony"[2] I just shrugged it all off as the vitriolic Internet being the vitriolic Internet. I engaged with a few of the replies, but I let many of them just be, because really, what is the use in getting worked up over rude and angry Internet comments, that take nearly zero effort to post? I understand that Twitter improving its harassment reduction systems will lead to better experiences for its users and overall make it a more attractive platform for people in general, but there's this idea that it is the "moral duty" of Twitter to prevent assholes on the Internet from being assholes on the Internet, and I just can't for the life of me understand it. Words only have as much power as you let them have, and for some reason (which I won't speculate on here), it seems like everyone these days seem to want to give "hate speech" as much power as possible. [0] https://twitter.com/VICE/status/898266524183662593 https://twitter.com/VICE/status/898266524183662593 [1] https://twitter.com/rezich/status/898268626511306752 https://twitter.com/rezich/status/898268626511306752 [2] https://twitter.com/DejaVerdin/status/898817028663816192 https://twitter.com/DejaVerdin/status/898817028663816192

pjc50 9y ago
You're lucky that you don't have to take any of the death threats seriously, and that you don't fear being fired because of what people are writing about you on the internet. Women generally have this worse. Sometimes the harassment escalates to things that are actually illegal, like bomb threats. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/31/bomb-threats-twitter-journalists https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/31/bomb-thre...
sp332 9y ago
You realize the internet is real right? There are actual people getting work done and building relationships on Twitter. If someone posts information about you, others could show up at your house or lie to your boss about you. If your feed is full of gross descriptions of rape it's hard to get work done. If a mob of hundreds of people start wishing you harm, you might realize it's not just "words". And large groups are forming now to sway elections.
burkaman 9y ago
If you hosted a party and someone got super drunk and started shouting racial slurs at everyone, would you tell them to leave? Or would you laugh it off and tell everyone else to chill because it's just words? > I understand that Twitter improving its harassment reduction systems will lead to better experiences for its users and overall make it a more attractive platform for people in general You seem to have answered your own question here.
- remarkEon 9y ago
  That’s not the same thing. It’s much easier to just disengage on the Internet than in person. Presumably if this person is at your house you’d know them, which would add an element of emotional drama that isn’t there when some random person on frog twitter is posting Pepe memes. Just, like, look away.
  - burkaman 9y ago
    In this analogy, Twitter is the host, users are guests. If a racist asshole shows up at the party, everyone else can easily disengage, by just leaving. Should the host just leave the door open and sit in the back making sure the lights stay on, prioritizing absolute free speech over who is having a good time? Or should they kick out toxic guests, so the people they like will stay?
    - pls2halp 9y ago
      But if someone shows up wearing a black coat and jackboots because they think they look cool(or posting pepe memes because they think the images are funny), can you brand them as racist and kick them out?
      - burkaman 9y ago
        You sure can, especially if they're making the party uncomfortable and unpleasant for the rest of your guests. Their crime is not so much dressing like a Nazi, but intentionally antagonizing other people for no reason. If it wasn't intentional, they should note the reactions, take other people into consideration, and either leave or correct their behavior. Why don't other people have to consider the Nazi-dresser's feelings? Well, they do. They'll consider them for 10 seconds, realize there is no legitimate reason to be dressed like that, and rightfully suspect bad intentions. If you want to be accepted into a community, earn it. Other people have no obligation to tolerate your presence and listen to your speech. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to be heard.
MBCook 9y ago
Have you read about what happened to the original targets of gamer gate? Not only did tens of people just constantly synonym rape and death threats but people actually doxed them and went after them at their physical addresses. Those addresses got posted on Twitter, along with phone numbers and other things. Internet hate mobs, no matter what site they use, can cause real psychological and physical damage. They can make it extremely difficult for someone to get a job or cause all their personal information to be stolen. There’ve been so many examples over the years of things that of come off of Reddit or Twitter or other 4chan i’m surprised someone would say that this stuff isn’t something people need to worry about. I mean… Pizza gate exists.
- nailer 9y ago
  Also gamers had their families threatened, were doxxed, and had dangerous goods posted to their houses.

pjc50 9y ago

You're lucky that you don't have to take any of the death threats seriously, and that you don't fear being fired because of what people are writing about you on the internet. Women generally have this worse. Sometimes the harassment escalates to things that are actually illegal, like bomb threats. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/31/bomb-threats-twitter-journalists https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/31/bomb-thre...

sp332 9y ago

You realize the internet is real right? There are actual people getting work done and building relationships on Twitter. If someone posts information about you, others could show up at your house or lie to your boss about you. If your feed is full of gross descriptions of rape it's hard to get work done. If a mob of hundreds of people start wishing you harm, you might realize it's not just "words". And large groups are forming now to sway elections.

burkaman 9y ago

If you hosted a party and someone got super drunk and started shouting racial slurs at everyone, would you tell them to leave? Or would you laugh it off and tell everyone else to chill because it's just words? > I understand that Twitter improving its harassment reduction systems will lead to better experiences for its users and overall make it a more attractive platform for people in general You seem to have answered your own question here.

remarkEon 9y ago
That’s not the same thing. It’s much easier to just disengage on the Internet than in person. Presumably if this person is at your house you’d know them, which would add an element of emotional drama that isn’t there when some random person on frog twitter is posting Pepe memes. Just, like, look away.
- burkaman 9y ago
  In this analogy, Twitter is the host, users are guests. If a racist asshole shows up at the party, everyone else can easily disengage, by just leaving. Should the host just leave the door open and sit in the back making sure the lights stay on, prioritizing absolute free speech over who is having a good time? Or should they kick out toxic guests, so the people they like will stay?
  - pls2halp 9y ago
    But if someone shows up wearing a black coat and jackboots because they think they look cool(or posting pepe memes because they think the images are funny), can you brand them as racist and kick them out?
    - burkaman 9y ago
      You sure can, especially if they're making the party uncomfortable and unpleasant for the rest of your guests. Their crime is not so much dressing like a Nazi, but intentionally antagonizing other people for no reason. If it wasn't intentional, they should note the reactions, take other people into consideration, and either leave or correct their behavior. Why don't other people have to consider the Nazi-dresser's feelings? Well, they do. They'll consider them for 10 seconds, realize there is no legitimate reason to be dressed like that, and rightfully suspect bad intentions. If you want to be accepted into a community, earn it. Other people have no obligation to tolerate your presence and listen to your speech. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to be heard.

MBCook 9y ago

Have you read about what happened to the original targets of gamer gate? Not only did tens of people just constantly synonym rape and death threats but people actually doxed them and went after them at their physical addresses. Those addresses got posted on Twitter, along with phone numbers and other things. Internet hate mobs, no matter what site they use, can cause real psychological and physical damage. They can make it extremely difficult for someone to get a job or cause all their personal information to be stolen. There’ve been so many examples over the years of things that of come off of Reddit or Twitter or other 4chan i’m surprised someone would say that this stuff isn’t something people need to worry about. I mean… Pizza gate exists.

nailer 9y ago
Also gamers had their families threatened, were doxxed, and had dangerous goods posted to their houses.