Social media guidelines
These guidelines are informed by an event we held in September 2019 in Edinburgh, with Talat Yaqoob, Laura Waddell, Penny Anderson and Jennifer Jones on the panel
1. You are not alone
It’s the reality that abuse, be that misogynist, racist, Islamophobic or homophobic, is prevalent online. Given this is where we are currently: how do we support people who we can see are at the centre of a Twitter-storm? We discussed the benefits of getting in touch privately rather than feeding the fire. Contact the Women in Journalism Scotland twitter account, where we can engage as an organisation. We also talked about the importance of sharing our experiences, strategies and optimism In Real Life. Which is where Women in Journalism Scotland comes in...come along to your next local meet-up, which we’re now organising on a roughly two-monthly basis.
2. Social media organisations should take corporate responsibility for online abuse
We want a faster response from social media organisations when women ask for help, meaningful consequences for troll, better corporate social responsibility in general. We want more political lobbying of these companies, pressing them to enact their guidelines properly, and financial penalties if they don’t. We also need politicians and decision-makers to become more tech-knowledgeable. Often these platforms hide behind people’s ignorance (witness Mark Zuckerberg at Congress). We all need to be more tech-literate, and to understand that solutions require international collaboration. It’s tiresome that organisations still push responsibility back onto users in terms of blocking and muting.
3. Self-care matters
Having said that, don’t be shy of using the ‘block’ and ‘mute’ functions. Give yourself permission to take a break from your accounts, even when things are fine. A number of panelists spoke about how beneficial it was to switch off and go for a walk, talk to real people and do some kind of activity in order to remember that the online echo chamber / shooting range is not real life. If you’re in the midst of a storm, try making your account private, or deactivating it for a while. Drop WIJ Scotland a line if you need some urgent moral support. If you’re aware that certain media appearances or articles tend to attract abuse, mute conversations you are tagged in before they start. If you do want to reply and defend yourself, argue about the principle not the person. Consider drafting a tweet and waiting for an hour before sending it.
4. Take responsibility
Let’s remember that not all abuse is anonymous, and we all have the power to instigate a pile-on: it’s not just the software but the human beings behind it. We need better media literacy, but some people may not even understand that they are instigating abuse. News organisations also have a duty of care to people who write for them, and need to take this seriously. For example, it’s okay to say to your editor, ‘I’d like to see the headline you’re putting on my piece’ if you have concerns about needlessly provoking controversy.
5. How do you differentiate between genuine abuse and robust disagreement?
Freedom of expression to disagree with you can feel like a pile-on. Is a good dividing line whether the criticism is fact-based or personal? Take a lead from the language that is being used. We also discussed the context in which we view abuse: the threat to freedom of speech and expression, and the reality of violence against women (though does that really mean people will take it more seriously?) We need to take an intersectional approach.
6. Celebrate the good
In terms of creating international connections, holding the powerful to account and providing a free platform for individuals and organisations to make their voice heard and, social media is unrivalled. Let’s not overlook the positive aspects of the software. But it’s a good tip for new users to consider it as a networking rather than a broadcasting tool.