We are living in a time that it’s not only online abuse, it’s actual hate that is destroying the cyber-culture.
Ashley Judd brilliantly described how women have been treated online, especially how she has been digitally tortured, in her TED Talk, “How Online Abuse of Women Has Spiral Out of Control.”
A word of caution, the talk contains some graphic language, however let’s face it, your kids are hearing and reading it online probably everyday.
“Online misogyny is a global gender rights tragedy,and it is imperative that it ends,” Ashley opens after describing some of the malicious names she is called online on a regular basis.
As a passionate sports fan, she shares a time when she came under the attack of a ‘cyber-mob‘ for tweeting about her rival’s sport team playing dirty.
“This vitriolic, global outpouring of the most heinous hate speech: death threats, rape threats…..” explains Ashley.
As a celebrity and public figure, Ashley Judd knows she has the ability and the platform to make a difference and hopefully change this culture of cruelty.
“So, I have all these resources that I’m keenly aware so many people in the world do not.”
I applaud Ashley Judd for recognizing that one of the key roles for curbing this online hate starts with education.
“Number one: we have to start with digital media literacy, and clearly it must have a gendered lens. Kids, schools, caregivers, parents: it’s essential.”
Watch the full TED Talk here and please share it forward.
Ashley Judd also started The WMC Speech Project with her colleagues. They are dedicated to raising awareness about online awareness.