Digital violence - a growing problem?
The Covid-19 pandemic has put scientists in the spotlight. According to a survey published in the scientific journal Nature, the majority of the 321 scientists who spoke out in the media during the pandemic reported negative effects, including threats of violence and death, as well as attacks on their credibility.
The communication of science as a whole is increasingly facing non-objective criticism, hate speech, and other attacks against scientists, particularly in research areas with direct social implications. Dealing with digital violence is a growing challenge for the University of Potsdam, which requires strategic action.
1. What is digital violence?
Digital violence includes various forms of attacks through digital channels, such as insults, threats, defamation, hate speech, cyberstalking and doxing (the leaking of private information). This occurs not only on social media, but also via email, text message or telephone. Digital violence does not only arise and remain in the digital space: psychological violence that occurs online can turn into physical violence. It is typically campaign-based, focused and network-like. Digital violence is a means of political mobilisation. For example, In 2019, 73% of hate posts were attributed to the right-wing.
2. Who is affected?
Digital violence primarily affects individuals who make public statements on socially relevant topics, such as politicians, activists, journalists, and academics. This phenomenon has a gender-specific and racist component, with women being particularly frequent targets of digital violence. Women, queer people, and BIPoC in academia also more frequently experience attacks related to their persona rather than their research. This is particularly important in the case of people facing more than one form of discrimination.
Researchers working on issues with social implications, such as climate change, migration, gender relations or the Covid19 pandemic, must be prepared for frequent violations of personal rights in the digital realm.
3. What are the goals of digital violence?
- Questioning research
- Discrediting scientists and casting doubt on their credibilityn
- A loss of reputation; jeopardising collaboration with other researchers
- create a sense of threat and ultimately silence those affected, also known as "silencing"
Hate campaigns are having an impact: according to a survey of mayors, 30% are now less likely to speak out on certain issues, and 19% of local politicians are considering withdrawing from politics due to safety concerns (see FORSA (2021)): Hate and violence against local politicians. Assessments and experiences of mayors in Germany). For academia, which has a responsibility to disseminate its findings to society, these consequences are significant. However, there are several ways to combat digital violence, which we will elaborate on in the following sections.
4. What can be done to prevent digital violence?
Prevention is crucial in addressing digital violence. At both individual and organisational levels, protecting personal data is of utmost importance. It is recommended to only use your work phone and email address for communication and avoid disclosing personal information such as your address or phone number online. If you have any inquiries regarding digital security, please contact ZIM. Additional information can also be found in the IT security and data protection checklist. It is important to set all private social media accounts to private and to secure both personal and professional accounts, with two-factor authentication. There is also an option to block information in the residents' register. This can be done informally or by submitting an application to the responsible citizens' administration office.
Counter-speech on the internet is crucial. Preventive action can also be taken here. Look for solidarity networks that can offer you support. After all, speaking out is often more effective when done together. Define a netiquette for your channels and make it transparent in advance when and why comments and people will be deleted or blocked. This will help you to maintain your credibility and to encourage productive discussions. As a UP member, you can also refer to our social media netiquette at any time. You can find it at: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/de/presse/aktuelles/social-media/netiquette. Be prepared to address derogatory, insulting or threatening comments if they are posted. The argumentation patterns are often repeated. You can refer to collections of arguments such as those from ver.di or bukof, or create your own.
5. What to do in an emergency?
If you are attacked online and no longer feel safe, please contact scienceaid@uni-potsdam.de at the University of Potsdam. Here are some additional options for taking action in an emergency:
- Counter-speech is important! Activate your solidarity network and ask for support. You are not alone! The University of Potsdam is also there to support you. We have listed internal and external advisory services below.
- In-worst-case scenarios and if you feel overwhelmed, consider deactivating your account for a day or two.
- Take legally compliant screenshots of the hate speech as soon as possible. Make sure the screenshot includes the comment, the name of the alleged perpetrator, and the date and time.
- If your private information, such as your home address, is made public, or if you receive threats, it is important to inform the police immediately. Digital hate speech can be reported under criminal law, including criminally relevant posts such as insults, defamation, slander, or incitement to hatred. You can file a report online with the police or file a criminal complaint with the responsible public prosecutor's office. A criminal complaint must be filed within three months of becoming aware of the offence and can only be made by the victim. It is recommended to seek legal advice before filing a complaint or pressing charges.
Experiencing hatred, agitation, and hostility can be a significant psychological burden. Emotional and psychological hostility can be as damaging as physical attacks and should not be underestimated. Therefore, it is advisable to seek personal psychological counselling.
6. How to deal with troll comments?
What are trolls?
Trolls are users who deliberately provoke and aim to hijack the discussions. They may be individual accounts that repeatedly attack or entire 'troll armies' that disrupt on a large scale and follow certain patterns.
How do you recognise trolls?
To identify trolls, look for…
- A profile that lacks personal information or appears anonymous: no posts in the feed, no identifiable personal details, and a missing profile picture that makes it difficult to recognise the person
- Consistant online activity
- Non-descriptive or provocative comments or picture posts
- Group-related misanthropy
Users who have written a critical comment and are open to discussion should be distinguished from this. As part of the valued community, they deserve a de-escalating response.
When is it recommended to respond? - Two strategies
Don‘t feed the troll
Counter Speech
5 steps to deal with trolls
- Look at the user profile and decide if they are a troll or a critic.
- Capture and record comments and images, including subsequent discussions.
- Consult with colleagues, the team or a trusted person to decide whether to ignore/delete the comment or to engage in counter-speech; also to share any emotional burden.
- Take action: delete or rebuttal.
- After surviving the troll encounter: write down your learnings (Consider, what went well? And, what could be improved?), finalise point 2 and, if necessary, record formulation
7. Where can I get further advise?
If you experience digital violence, you can contact us at scienceaid@uni-potsdam.de. We may be able to refer you to appropriate organisations, such as the Scicomm support described in the following section.
A cross-university offer: Scicomm support
Academics who have been affected by attacks can contact the Scicomm Support of the Federal Association for University Communication. Since July 2023, this contact point has been supporting academics and university communicators in the event of attacks and inappropriate comments in academic communication. The aim of this support is to strengthen the academic system and the resilience of researchers against non-objective criticism. The Scicomm Support team advises on both online and offline attacks. 30 counsellors are available anonymously and confidentially by phone from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Scicomm-Support counsellors can also arrange and provide legal and psychological support upon request.
Telephone advice:
0157 923 448 04
7:00 - 22:00, 365 days a year
Herausgeber*innen:
Universität Potsdam, Koordinationsbüro für Chancengleichheit & Referat für Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit