With the rise of social media, there has been an explosion of gender-based violence online. ‘Digital rights are human rights’: How women are fighting cybersexism Women
It was during the COVID-19 lockdowns that Shanley Clemo McLaren began to notice an increase in online sexism and harassment of women who were using social media and messaging apps more actively amid the lockdown measures.
“I didn’t even know cybersexism existed before,” said the 25-year-old activist from France.
“During the pandemic, our lives moved online, and with the increased use of social media, there was an explosion of gender-based violence online. It was a mass phenomenon, with accounts posting intimate content of girls and young women without their consent to publicly humiliate them in the digital space, with no moderation from the platforms.”
Despite reporting these posts and comments to administrators, the amount of content continued to grow. Accounts organized by city or region emerged that posted victims’ personal information, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and school names. The content went viral.
In response, Clemo McLaren and other young activists launched the #StopFisha campaign, a platform to combat sexual and gender-based violence in the digital environment. Since then, #StopFisha has led to the closure of thousands of accounts and the introduction of laws to combat online violence, including sexual blackmail and the use of deepfakes. The campaign has also influenced policy development at the European and international level.
Support for Victims
The volunteer-run organization monitors suspicious accounts, provides legal and psychological assistance to victims, and runs information campaigns.
“Digital rights are human rights,” Clemo McLaren emphasized. “Violating women’s rights online is a violation of our fundamental rights,” added the activist, who also coordinated the creation of a guide to combat cybersexism.
“Girls were isolated and under a lot of stress, so the hashtag became a counter-movement, like a big wave that became wider than the fisha accounts themselves.”
Online Violence on the Rise
Experts note that the rise of gender-based violence online is a serious problem worldwide. According to a 2020 study by Plan International, conducted in 31 countries, 58 percent of girls and young women aged 15-25 have experienced online harassment. Violence can take many forms, such as harassment, threats of rape, bullying, defamation, and exploitation. Such actions can lead to actual rapes and murders.
“Online violence against women and girls is a form of gender-based violence that violates the right to protection from violence enshrined in international law,” said Alicia Pons, a UN Human Rights official.
Women and girls who are victims of such violence suffer serious long-term psychological and social consequences, including suicide.
International and regional human rights mechanisms oblige states to protect the rights of women and girls. This requires more effort as technology is advancing faster than legislation.
Artificial Intelligence and Deepfakes
Clemo McLaren stressed that the emergence of new technologies has exacerbated the problem of cybersexism, which is an extension of “traditional” sexism.
“Today, 96 percent of deepfakes on the internet are pornographic, and 99 percent of them depict women and girls,” she said.
As an adviser on gender and digital policy at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, she works to address the problem globally level.
“Cybersexism is a global problem, and we need global solutions,” she stressed.
Of particular concern right now are the influencers and movements that, according to the activist, question the rights of women and girls and are gaining huge popularity among young men and boys.
Clemo McLaren, laureate of the 2024 Young Activist Summit Award, emphasizes that the fight continues: “This is a huge battle, and only by working together can we win.”