Author Archive


Putting the onus on women is a PR stunt–the platforms are the problem

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July 1, 2021

Re: Online gender-based violence–the platforms are the problem

Dear Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Sundar Pichai, Susan Wojcicki, Jack Dorsey, and Vanessa Pappas,

Today’s announcement by Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Google in response to the Generation Equality Forum’s efforts to surface the harms that women experience on your platforms is little more than a feel-good publicity stunt. It’s obviously meant to distract from the very epidemic of online gender-based violence that the forum is attempting to highlight. The truth is that your platforms are the problem; these false solutions are simply victim-blaming and telling women to “cover up” online to prevent their own harassment.

The recommendations from the Web Foundation’s tech policy demonstrate an understanding of the depth, scale and urgency of the problem. Unfortunately, the proposed solutions fail to address the full scope of the problem and fall short of what is truly needed to address gender based violence on your platforms — as well as offline violence that is planned on or inspired by content on your platforms. They shift the burden of preventing online violence and misogynist attacks to the very people most likely to suffer from them. This is merely a cosmetic change that pushes hate and disinformation into the shadows–while ignoring the root causes of this violence: your platforms and the way that they encourage the spread of hate and disinformation and facilitate harassment.

Existing reporting systems consistently fail to deter bad actors. Hate speech and harassment restrictions are often unenforced and rely on a “notice and take down” model that fails to address the systemic nature of online abuse and puts the onus on the victim to stop the harassment they’re experiencing. Furthermore, a model that relies on taking down individual pieces of content rather than moving to deplatform will be ineffective, given the speed at which content spreads on your platforms. Many of our organizations have direct experience with flagging problematic and violent content directly to your staff, without ever getting action to address it.

By failing to address the root algorithmic causes of these attacks, your platforms are demonstrating that their commitments to combatting online violence against women is performative at best. That is extremely dangerous when online misogyny is proven to fuel gender-based violence, mass shootings, and hate crimes–including attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Paris, France; at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.; and in Atlanta, Ga., and Charlottesville, Va.

The power to determine what content people see, whose voices are amplified or excluded, and what will and will not remain on your platforms gives you the ability to influence the worldview of billions of users. If your platforms aren’t safe places for women, BIPOC, LGBTQ folks, people with disabilities, religious minorities, and other marginalized groups to share their voices without risking harassment and violence, then it is clear that your platforms are the problem. We need solutions that center the most impacted and most attacked: women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ people.

Black, Indigenous, women of color, and transgender women especially face an onslaught of racist and misogynist attacks, while you profit off of these harms. Pew Research Center found that three-quarters of Black and Latinx people and two-thirds of women say that online harassment is a major problem.

Your platforms–Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Google–directly benefit from gendered disinformation and the engagement associated with coordinated racist and misogynist attacks. Hate, conspiracies, and disinformation keep people on your platforms and put billions into your pockets, as you profit off of the same hate and lies used by extremist groups like the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters to recruit and radicalize.

And this isn’t a coincidence–it is intentionally built into the business model of your product. The algorithms and policies on all of the major platforms have been created, in large part, by privileged men who recreate their own biases in the algorithms.

Social media companies have a responsibility to stop the spread of hate and violence on your platforms and protect users without placing the onus on the victims. But today’s announcement does little to address the ways in which your platforms spread hate and disinformation and encourage harassment.

If your platforms were serious about combating online violence and hate toward women, you would update and actually enforce your hate speech rules and prioritize the safety of women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ people.

Signed,
UltraViolet
#ShePersisted
#VOTEPROCHOICE
A/B Partners
Abortion Access Front
Center for Countering Digital Hate
Color Of Change
Courage California
Decode Democracy
Equality Labs
Faithful America
Free Press
Friends of the Earth
GLAAD
Global Project Against Hate and Extremism
Higher Heights For America
Indivisible
Institute for Research on Male Supremacism
Jewish Women International (JWI)
Kairos
Lake Oconee Community Church
Make the Road Nevada
Media Matters for America
MediaJustice
NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina
National Equality Action Team (NEAT)
ParentsTogether
ProgressNow New Mexico
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
Stop Online Violence Against Women Inc
SumOfUs
Supermajority
Tech Transparency Project
The League
The Sparrow Project
Women’s March

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UltraViolet Condemns Debate Topic “Race and Violence in our Cities”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wed. September 23, 2020
CONTACT: Anya Silverman-Stoloff | anya@unebndablemedia.com

UltraViolet Condemns Debate Topic “Race and Violence in our Cities”

Says This Framework Perpetuates Racist Narrative in the Midst of Police Violence, Needs to be Changed Immediately

Yesterday, Fox News’ Chris Wallace, moderator for the first presidential debate on Tuesday September 29th, publicized the list of debate topics, which included “race and violence in our cities.”

In reaction, Bridget Todd, Communications Director for UltraViolet, a leading national women’s advocacy group, explained:

“You know the pervasiveness of white supremacy runs deep if in 2020, at a time when the majority of Americans support the demands of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Commission on Presidential Debates can’t even put out a list of topics without advancing anti-Black messaging and dog whistles that play right into Trump’s racist narrative.

“This false framework, not surprising from a Fox News host, perpetuates racist right-wing disinformation, equates Blackness with violence, and ignores the realities of police violence and white supremacist terrorism.

“This is unacceptable. We cannot let anti-Blackness be the framework for our national debates.

The Commission on Presidential Debates should never have approved this frame and must apologize and take immediate action to change it.

“This highlights how im
portant it is to have the voices of women, Black people and people of color involved in our national conservations. In response to demands by gender equity and justice organizations including UltraViolet, TV networks and the DNC agreed to have at least one woman of color moderate each Democratic primary debate. The Commission on Presidential Debates needs to make that same commitment.

Last month, UltraViolet, in conjunction with ACRONYM, Color Of Change PAC, Disinfo Defense League, EMILY’s List WOMEN VOTE!, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Votes, SumOfUs, Women’s March, Strategic Victory Fund, GQR Digital, and #ShePersisted., launched “Reporting in an Era of Disinformation: Fairness Guide for Covering Women and People of Color in Politics,” a new guide for reporting on the 2020 general election.

The guide makes specific recommendations designed to help journalists and platforms identify and avoid unintentional sexist and racist bias or disinformation when interviewing, writing, or moderating content about race and gender in politics.

SEE THE GUIDE HERE: https://weareultraviolet.org/fairness-guide-2020/

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UltraViolet, BLM Louisville Respond to Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Decision

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com

UltraViolet, BLM Louisville Respond to Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Decision

LOUISVILLE, KY — Moments ago, a grand jury decided to charge officer Brett Hankison for the “reckelss endangerment” in the murder of 26 year old Breonna Taylor. Taylor, who worked as an emergency room technician, was shot to death in her own home on a no-knock warrant by the plain-clothed police officers.

The grand jury declined to file charges against the other two officers – Jonathan Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove – who killed Taylor and who remain active, paid members of their Louisville Metropolitan Police Department.

Chanelle Helm, lead organizer of BLM Louisville, reacted:

At this moment, since the beginning of the pandemic, but also since the beginning of global uprisings in the movement for Black lives, we shouldn’t be too surprised at what’s happening.

What is frustrating is that white supremacy, this government and its elected officials continue to deny us healing and any taste of what real justice looks like. Justice in this country is nonexistent. To those in power, “justice” is hungry kids, it’s police terror in our neighborhoods over our lives. It’s allowing Mitch McConnell to stay in office by buying votes. It’s Trump stealing elections and blaming the media for it. It’s other pussy grabbers and white Karens calling the police on Black boys and girls.

This country hasn’t changed. This country hasn’t come to the realization that fascism was its only goal. We move every day for capitalism and not for humanity. Instead of bringing in paths for healing, we keep bringing in more law enforcement, more military and more representations of the systems we desperately need to dismantle.

Shaunna Thomas, Executive Director at UltraViolet, added:

Today, after six months of fierce outrage, peaceful protests, and more killings by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department – a grand jury in Kentucky has shown us the pervasiveness of white supremacy and the need to continue to demand justice for Breonna Taylor.
The indictment of Brett Hankison on charges of reckless endangerment is an insult to the idea of justice. Hankison, along with his colleagues Mattingly and Cosgrove are murderers, who killed Breonna Taylor in her own home. There will be no justice until all of the officers who killed Breonna are held accountable for her murder.
“For the past six months, we have stood behind Black Lives Matter Louisville and the Louisville community in demanding that Mayor Greg Fischer and AG Daniel Cameron fire, arrest, charge and revoke the pensions of the three police officers responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death. In the face of Taylor’s murder – they have done nothing but perpetuate police violence and white supremacy.

UltraViolet and our members will continue to support BLM Louisville activists, and demand that all three police officers responsible for Taylor’s death be fired, arrested and charged; that the Louisville police department be defunded; and that Mayor Fischer resign immediately.
This fight is far from over.
Since Breonna Taylor’s death on March 13th, UltraViolet has collaborated with Black Lives Matter activists in Louisville, Kentucky to:

Take out a full page ad in the Louisville Courier Journal for what would have been her 27th birthday on Friday, June 5th.
Fly a plane over downtown Louisville with a banner reading “BREONNA WAS ESSENTIAL. DEFUND LMPD.”
Air a TV ad in late July on CBS, NBC, FOX and ABS affiliates in Louisville urging the Attorney General and Mayor Fischer to fire, arrest and charge the officers responsible for Breonna’s death.
Ask major employers in Louisville, including Humana, Ford and UPS to take a stand to demand justice for Breonna in a joint letter.
Air the TV ad again during local media coverage of the Kentucky Derby.

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Women’s Advocacy Group Calls on Companies to Block SCOTUS Confirmation

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 22, 2020
CONTACT: jlw.williams@protonmail.com

Women’s Advocacy Group Calls on Companies to Block SCOTUS Confirmation.

“Our democracy is at stake with an impending power grab for a seat on the Supreme Court. In the name of social responsibility, corporations put out statements of support for women, the BIPOC community, LGBTQ rights, racial injustice and more. It is time to do more than make a statement or advertise good works.

“We are calling on companies to oppose a new Supreme Court confirmation until after the presidential inauguration and to immediately stop giving to the very politicians who are pushing to make this happen. Companies like AT&T, Coca-Cola, Disney, Nike, P&G and Uber have declared that they support women, people of color and the LBGTQ+ community, but their political contributions say otherwise.

“Last week, we launched the #ReproReceipts campaign to highlight the disconnect between corporate social responsibility efforts and the reality of the same companies’ political giving. Throughout 2020, these companies have jostled to demonstrate their commitment to social justice. They cannot stay silent now.

“The stakes for our country have never been higher. Companies who laud Justice Ginsburg’s legacy or espouse their support for equality and justice must tell the president and Senate–as well as their consumers and shareholders–that they are against a rushed Supreme Court confirmation and make it clear that they will no longer donate to extremist politicians who have put our democracy at risk.”

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UltraViolet: Republicans Will Appoint Justice Who Will Roll Back Years of Racial and Gender Justice, Undermine Democratic Processes

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 22, 2020
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com

UltraViolet: Republicans Will Appoint Justice Who Will Roll Back Years of Racial and Gender Justice, Undermine Democratic Processes

Says GOP is Tokenizing Ginsburg’s Legacy Appointing a Woman Who will Undermine Everything She Worked for and Stood For

In reaction to Donald Trump’s presumptive Supreme Court nominee, Shaunna Thomas, executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national women’s advocacy group, explained:

“Trump’s attempt to gaslight the American public by appointing a woman to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an insult to women everywhere and an attack on our democracy.

“Any attempt to rush a confirmation process through in the middle of an election, while millions continue to suffer because of the Senate’s refusal to pass the Heroes Act, is a total abdication of the Senate’s responsibility to the American people.

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy isn’t that she was a woman on the Supreme Court. Her legacy is that she successfully advanced the fight for gender justice and equality by winning fundamental legal battles and fighting for issues from reproductive health to women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights.

“Every Senator should be honoring that legacy not only in terms of who they confirm to join the court, but when.

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To appoint a woman who stands against everything Justice Ginsburg stood for is to trample on her legacy and we won’t stand for it. Thousands showed up at the Supreme Court over the weekend to mourn RBG’s death, thousands more have called their Senators asking them to fight any attempt to confirm Trump’s nominee ahead of the inauguration in January and millions of dollars were donated online to the effort to stop Republicans from continuing to corruptpack the courts.

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Louisville Declares Preemptive State of Emergency Ahead of Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Verdict

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 22, 2020
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com

Louisville Declares Preemptive State of Emergency Ahead of Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Verdict

UltraViolet Says Louisville is Trying to Sow Discord and Incite Violence against People Showing Up for Justice for Breonna Taylor

LOUISVILLE — Late last night, it was reported that Louisville, Kentucky declared a pre-emptive state of emergency in preparation for the grand jury decision on whether to charge LMPD officers Brett Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly, and Myles Cosgrove with the murder of Breonna Taylor.

In reaction to the announcement, Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet issued the following statement:

“If there is violence in Louisville during this state of emergency, it will be because the LMPD and the city have armed themselves against their very own citizens who are rightfully outraged at the murder of Breonna Taylor.

“Increasing the presence of the very police department that killed several of its citizens and terrorized protesters for the past six months belie Mayor Fischer and the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department’s claim that these measures are to protect citizens.

“Instead of putting time and resources into silencing protest, they should be focused on charging, indicting, and convicting the three officers – and defunding the LMPD.”

Since Breonna Taylor’s death on March 13th, UltraViolet has collaborated with Black Lives Matter activists in Louisville, Kentucky to:

Run a series of 30 second television spots during the 2020 Kentucky Derby demanding justice for Breonna Taylor.
Take out a full page ad in the Louisville Courier Journal for what would have been her 27th birthday on Friday, June 5th.
Fly a plane over downtown Louisville with a banner reading “BREONNA WAS ESSENTIAL. DEFUND LMPD.”
Air a TV ad in late July on CBS, NBC, FOX and ABS affiliates in Louisville urging the Attorney General and Mayor Fischer to fire, arrest and charge the officers responsible for Breonna’s death.
Ask major employers in Louisville, including Humana, Ford and UPS to take a stand to demand justice for Breonna in a joint letter.

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UltraViolet on the Death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 18, 2020
CONTACT: Brett Abrams | brett@unbendablemedia.com

UltraViolet on the Death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Women’s Group Honors Justice Ginsberg’s Extraordinary Legacy and Demands the Senate Respect Ginsberg’s Final Wishes

Statement from Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national women’s group:

“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an icon, a pioneer, a hero and a legend. We as a nation owe her a debt that can’t fully be repaid. LGBTQ Rights, reproductive rights, gender equity, racial justice– she was a giant in advancing our freedoms and she helped transform our society for the better.

“Her spirit must inspire us in these hard days ahead as we honor her incredible life and protect her legacy.

“RBG did her part, fighting for our rights until the very end. Now, it’s on us to continue the work to protect our rights, lives, health, and freedoms. We honor RBG by digging into the good trouble and fight she devoted her life to and ensuring that her last wishes are honored.

“We demand that the Senate not move to replace her until a new president is sworn in.

“We must uphold the work she committed herself to until the end by protecting it and expanding it. And we must commit our all to the critical work of the next 45 days to ensure that a new administration is in the White House come January to fulfill her dying wish.”

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UltraViolet: “As Trump Slides in Polls, He is Increasingly Leaning on Racist and Sexist Attacks”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 18, 2020
CONTACT: Brett Abrams | brett@unbendablemedia.com

UltraViolet: “As Trump Slides in Polls, He is Increasingly Leaning on Racist and Sexist Attacks”

After Trump Targets Pelosi and Harris, Women’s Group Warns Media Not to Fall for Trump’s Dogwhistles, Says Default to These Attacks Shows He’s Scared

WISCONSIN — Last night, at a campaign event in Wisconsin, Donald Trump, whose numbers in Wisconsin continue to lag behind what he would need for a victory in the State, defaulted to a series of racist and sexist attacks against Democratic women – specifically, Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris.

UltraViolet, a leading national women’s organization, warns that Trump’s default to racist and sexist attacks against women is a desperate attempt to revive his flagging campaign, and warn the media to call out those attacks for what they are – misogyny and racism.

Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet Action, a leading national women’s group explained:

“Donald Trump is beyond desperate. That’s why he’s trying to revive his losing campaign by appealing to the worst, most deplorable but sadly common emotions of the Rebublican base – racism and misogyny. His attacks on Speaker Pelosi and Senator Harris show he has no record to run on, no vision for a second term and no ability to give voters a reason to vote for him. All he has is racism and sexism. “

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Women’s Group Says CNBC Should Fire Jim Cramer Over Sexist, Offensive Comments to Speaker Pelosi

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, September 15, 2020
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com

Women’s Group Says CNBC Should Fire Jim Cramer Over Sexist, Offensive Comments to Speaker Pelosi

Says Comments Towards America’s Highest Ranking Women Show Cramer’s Dangerous Bias

In an interview this morning with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, host Jim Cramer, laughed at Pelosi and called her “Crazy Nancy,” while asking about additional coronavirus relief spending.

Watch the video:

In reaction, Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national women’s advocacy group, said:

“Jim Cramer’s blatantly sexist and wholly inappropriate attacks on Speaker Pelosi,
are deeply troubling and raise serious concerns about Cramer’s objectivity when covering women in positions of power. Make no mistake, Cramer used his position on CNBC to laugh in the face of the highest ranking woman in the United States, while she was explaining the need for additional coronavirus relief for America’s families.

“This is the kind of patronizing and condescending bile from Cramer that has serious consequences for the country and for women who choose to run for political office. It is unacceptable and has no place on our airwaves. We expect this vitriol from fringe right-wing media personalities, not from CNBC.

“CNBC, and its parent company Comcast, still have a misogyny problem. It’s time that CNBC takes steps to remove toxic misogyny from its airways, and that starts by firing Jim Cramer.”

Last month, UltraViolet, in conjunction with ACRONYM, Color Of Change PAC, Disinfo Defense League, EMILY’s List WOMEN VOTE!, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Votes, SumOfUs, Women’s March, Strategic Victory Fund, GQR Digital, and #ShePersisted., launched “Reporting in an Era of Disinformation: Fairness Guide for Covering Women and People of Color in Politics,” a new guide for reporting on the 2020 general election.

The guide details how media representation plays a critical role in how candidates of color and women are perceived by voters, and makes specific recommendations designed to help journalists and platforms identify and avoid unintentional sexist and racist bias or disinformation when interviewing, writing, or moderating content about women and people of color running for or holding political office.

SEE THE GUIDE HERE: https://weareultraviolet.org/fairness-guide-2020/

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