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#metoo movement

Started by Tarana Burke in 2006 to empower women through empathy. The # campaign was started on social media by Alyssa Milano to show how widespread the problem with sexual harassment & assault is.

Strategies --> social media campaigns, sharing their experiences, celebrity advocacy, speaking out on social media, public demonstrations/protests, partnerships with organizations, advocacy groups

Criticisms --> false accusations, undefined end goal of the movement, resistance from individuals against the movement, media coverage (more focus on more sensational cases rather than systemic issues), lack of funding/resources.

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#MeToo Movement

Q: Who started the campaign, and why?

A:

Initiated by Tarana Burke, an African American civil rights activist, in 2006

Original Purpose: To support young Black women and girls who had survived sexual violence, particularly in underprivileged communities.

Global Spread: The movement gained worldwide attention in 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano encouraged survivors to share their stories on social media following the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Q: What strategies were used?

A:

Social Media Campaign: Encouraged survivors to share stories using #MeToo, breaking the silence around sexual violence.

Public Shaming & Accountability: High-profile abusers (Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Matt Lauer, etc.) were exposed and faced professional consequences.

Legal & Policy Changes:

Pushed for stronger workplace harassment laws (e.g., Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act in the U.S.).

Increased corporate HR policies on harassment.

Grassroots Activism: Local groups organized protests, survivor support networks, and advocacy for legal reforms.

Q: What challenges or criticisms did the campaign face?

A:

Lack of Due Process: Some critics dismissed it as a "witch hunt," arguing it lacked due process for accused men.

Racial & Class Disparities: Initially centered on white, affluent women, ignoring marginalized survivors (Burke and others pushed for broader inclusivity).

Legal & Institutional Resistance: Many accused individuals used legal threats, NDAs, and settlements to silence victims.

Burnout & Trauma: Survivors sharing stories faced retraumatization and online harassment.

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#MeToo Movement - Public Accusations vs Due Process

Trial by Social Media

Many accusations unfolded on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, where allegations spread rapidly without thorough fact-checking.

Example: Aziz Ansari (2018) – A woman accused him of coercive behavior in a Babe.net article. While the story went viral, critics argued it blurred the line between bad dates and criminal misconduct, leading to backlash against #MeToo.

Impact: Ansari’s career temporarily suffered, but no legal action was taken, raising questions about proportional consequences.

Ethical Dilemmas

1. Should accusations alone justify professional consequences?

Pro: Many victims never get legal justice; public pressure forces accountability.

Con: Careers can be destroyed without proof (e.g., Al Franken resigned from the Senate over groping allegations, later calling it a "rush to judgment").

2. Does social media bypass fair legal standards?

Anonymous accusations (e.g., "Shitty Media Men" list) allowed survivors to warn others but also risked defamation.

3. How should society handle redemption?

Some argue for restorative justice (e.g., Kevin Spacey’s attempted comeback), while others demand permanent exclusion.

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Campaign: #METOO

Started by: Tarana Burke

Strategies:

1. Celebrity & Influencer Engagement --> participation of high-profile actresses such as Ashley Judd, Tarana Burke, Gwyneth Paltrow which attracted more youths and media attention

2. Public Shaming & Accountability --> Named perpetrators (e.g., Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Kevin Spacey) faced legal and professional consequences.

3. Media & Cultural Shifts

Documentaries ("Surviving R. Kelly," "On the Record") exposed systemic abuse.

Films and TV shows ("The Morning Show," "Promising Young Woman") addressed themes of abuse.

Criticism:

Backlash & Erosion of Support, Retraumatisation of the victims

Online Harassment: Survivors often face trolling, doxxing, and victim-blaming.

In some countries, #MeToo faced legal/political pushback

After the 2017-2019 peak, media attention declined.

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Origins

Initiation: The movement began after a series of high-profile sexual assault cases and was notably spurred by allegations against figures like Harvey Weinstein.

Purpose: It aimed to give a voice to survivors who felt unable to report their assaults due to various societal pressures and fears.

Strategies

Social Media Campaign: Survivors shared personal stories on platforms like Twitter using the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, explaining their reasons for not reporting the incidents.

Awareness Raising: The movement sought to illuminate the stigma and barriers that prevent survivors from coming forward, fostering a broader conversation about sexual violence.

Challenges

Stigma: Survivors faced societal stigma, including victim-blaming and disbelief, making it difficult to speak out.

Legal and Institutional Barriers: Many reported a lack of trust in law enforcement and judicial processes, fearing retribution or inadequate support.

Mental Health: The emotional toll of recounting traumatic experiences posed challenges for many individuals participating in the movement.

Criticism

Focus on Victimhood: Some critics argued that the movement emphasized victim narratives at the expense of a broader conversation about accountability and prevention.

Divisive Nature: The movement sometimes sparked polarized discussions, with detractors questioning the legitimacy of certain claims or the motivations behind sharing stories.

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#Me Too Movement – Anonymity & Accountability

Some survivors share stories anonymously, which protects them but also raises concerns about false or exaggerated claims.

Example: "Shitty Media Men" list (2017) was criticized for unverified allegations.

Ethical Question: Should anonymous accusations be allowed if they can’t be fact-checked?

Risk of False or Exaggerated Claims: Without public identities, accusations are harder to verify.

Example: "Mattress Girl" (Emma Sulkowicz) case at Columbia University sparked debates over evidence vs. activism.

Denies the Accused a Chance to Respond: Anonymous allegations can destroy reputations without due process.

Example: UK’s "Labour Party Sexual Harassment Scandal" (2019) saw anonymous accusations leading to suspensions without formal investigations.

Potential for Weaponization: In rare cases, anonymity could enable malicious accusations for personal vendettas.

Restorative Justice Alternatives

Private Mediation: Some cases could be resolved through confidential arbitration rather than public shaming.

Rehabilitation vs. Punishment: Should offenders who admit fault (e.g., Aziz Ansari) get a chance to reform?

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Instagram:

Posts & Carousels --> Share infographics, petitions, and calls to action. --> @so.informed (social justice explainers)

Reels --> Short, viral videos (e.g., survivor stories, educational clips). --> @unlearning.oppression (anti-racism content)

Hashtags --> Organizing movements and tracking trends. --> #MeToo (61M+ posts), #ClimateStrike

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Change.org - Equal Pay for Women at the BBC

A petition called "Equal Pay for Women at the BBC" created in 2018, in hopes for equal pay for women working in the BBC.

Created due to obvious gender pay gap, but BBC denied gender bias in the workplace

Following the petition, the issue became more known

Petition raised awareness of this issue,

Gathered over 17k signatures for the petition

Carrie Gracie, a woman working as an editor for BBC, wrote and published a book called "Equal" --> tells her story of winning a legal case against BBC after discovering unequal pay compared to her male colleagues

This petition was mentioned as she sends her thanks after winning the legal case

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#Whyididntreport

1. Privacy and Consent

Sharing Stories: Many survivors shared deeply personal experiences, raising concerns about consent and the potential for re-traumatization.

Public Exposure: Some individuals worried about the implications of publicly sharing their stories, including potential backlash or harassment.

2. Victim Blaming

Stigmatization: The movement highlighted how survivors can be blamed for not reporting, which can perpetuate further harm and discourage others from coming forward.

Misinterpretation: Critics sometimes misused the movement to question the credibility of survivors, undermining the intended message.

3. Representation and Inclusivity

Diverse Experiences: The movement primarily amplified certain narratives, potentially sidelining marginalized voices and experiences that differ from mainstream accounts.

Tokenism: There were concerns about whether the movement was genuinely inclusive or if it merely showcased a limited perspective on sexual violence.

4. Impact on Legal Processes

Influencing Perceptions: The movement could unintentionally influence public opinion about ongoing cases, raising ethical questions about fairness in the judicial process.

Reporting Pressure: Survivors might feel pressured to share their stories for validation, which could complicate their healing process.

5. Social Media Dynamics

Misinformation: The rapid spread of information on social media can lead to misunderstandings, misrepresentations, or the amplification of false narratives.

Harassment: Survivors who share their stories often face online harassment, raising ethical concerns about the safety and mental health of participants.

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Timesup: action step of MeToo ~ focused on legal and policy changes to combat sexual harassment and gender inequality in the workplace

>> January 2018, started by a group of women in the entertainment industry, including actresses like Reese Witherspoon and Shonda Rhimes coz Harvey Weinstein (a powerful hollywood director) is found guilty of rape and sexual harrassment, and then female celebrities step out and expose him. After that many people start to expose celebrities.

>> Timesup collaborated with National Women's Law Center, raise money to the fund to provide legal and media support for the victims

>> lack of diversity, most representatives are rich and in celebrity status

>> hollywood celebrities just say out the message but then don't have actions

>> entrenched celebrity cultures, focus more on hollywood than the issue itself

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Podcasts: To share personal experiences

Instagram: To raise awareness

Movies: To display examples

Tik-tok/Youtube: To teach younger generations

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Flossi Chen, Audrey Zhou, Elizabeth Fung

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Flossi Chen, Audrey Zhou, Elizabeth Fung

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#HeForShe movement

Origin: Hashtag movement for UN Women and Emma Watson as a key representative with the goal of encouraging men and boys to fight for gender equality as allies. This is because gender equality affects the entire population and is not limited to women.

Strategies:

1. Celebrity Endorsement: utilizing Emma Watson as a high-profile spokesperson to increase engagement

2. Social Media Campaign: encouraging online users to participate in this movement as the internet can reach widespread audiences

3. Global Solidarity Events: Rallies, panel discussions and workshops to engage more audiences

4. Corporate & Political Engagement: Partnerships with governments and NGOs and businesses for systematic implementation of policies to ensure gender equality

Criticism:

1. Backlash against Emma Watson's celebrity persona

2. Tokenism and performative of using men in their campaign instead of actualizing systematic change

3. Limited reach in regions without equal internet access

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amber heard wrote an article, saying that shes a victim of domestic violence during the entirety of the relationship, depp has been abusing her verbally and physically

-> johnny depp sued her

>> lot of confusion and debate about who is actually the liar

>> potential misinformation online, cannot fact check

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Flossi Chen, Audrey Zhou, Elizabeth Fung

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Flossi Chen, Audrey Zhou, Elizabeth Fung

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Supercharging Social Media Campaigns

1.#HeForShe Campaign Builder: A dashboard for supporters to create/share custom graphics, videos, and memes. Include pre-approved templates and real-time analytics to track engagement.

2.Impact Tracker Map: Visualize global participation via an interactive map, highlighting regions with high activity and underserved areas needing support.

3.TikTok/Instagram Challenge Generator: Develop viral challenges (e.g., "Share Your Ally Story") with gamified rewards (badges, shoutouts).

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The sister of Cynthia Butterworth, who escaped from her abusive husband, need to cancel her phone contract in order to hide from him. She was charged an unaffordable $500 to do that. By a massive Change.org petition, Cynthia convinced Verizon, which changed its policies for her sister and other victims, allowing a waive of fee for domestic violence victims such that they could cancel their contracts easily.

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o Present a short case study about a gender-related digital movement that faced

#MeToo is a digital activism which surged in popularity in 2017, has empowered survivors of sexual harassment and assault to share their stories online. While this activism has led to substantial changes such as in workplace policies, it also presents ethical challenges related to online harassment. Anonymous accusations, often lacking evidence, can result in public shaming of individuals without proper verification. One notable case involves actor and comedian Aziz Ansari, who faced allegations of sexual assault after a woman accused him of pressuring her to engage in sexual activities despite her initial refusals. This incident sparked significant debate about consent and the complexities of sexual interactions.

Furthermore, the platforms that facilitate support can also be misused for cyberbullying, where individuals face harassment based on unsubstantiated claims.

Results of Ansari's case:

Widespread media coverage

No legal charges

Career impact: project delays, cancellations...

Possible strategies:

1. Encourage transparency - platforms allow clear distinctions between verified allegations and anonymous unsupported claims

2. Establish support systems for both survivors and the accused, ensuring both parties have access to resources and are treated fairly.

Ways to fact-check gender narratives

Analyse context surrounding the narratives

Check for documented evidence

Check for conformational biases (approach narratives with an open mind and objective pov)