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Troll Avenue

August 5, 2013 by CiviliNation

In Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People Can Triumph over Haters, Trolls, Bullies and Other Jerks, trolls are described as “attention-seekers whose sole goal is to wreak havoc online for the purpose of fun and pleasure. Moreover, they thrive on the perceived weakness, naiveté, and emotional reactions of their victims.”

But trolls aren’t a homogenous group comprised simply of stereotypically angry young men, they also consist of “young women, and men easily old enough to be fathers and grandfathers.” While there are many different types of trolls, one interesting observation about trolls is that they seem to be increasingly gravitating to Twitter. Maybe it’s due to the ease with which they can create trouble (no need to get particularly lengthy with insults or attacks, 140 character is all that’s needed!) and the popularity and high-profile nature of the platform.

Trolls are making international headlines again because they’ve publicly gone after Caroline Criado-Perez for successfully lobbying the Bank of England to put novelist Jane Austen’s image on the new £10 note, as well as British Member of Parliament Stella Creasy for supporting her.

Here are some examples of what we’re talking about:

Source: https://twitter.com/CCriadoPerez/status/363718199029682176/photo/1)

Source: https://twitter.com/CCriadoPerez/status/363721857247096832/photo/1

Some of the attackers’ real identities have now been revealed, according to MailOnline. One of the accused was reportedly unrepentant for his actions and, when asked whether he felt his behavior was “normal and made him proud,” responded “Yes, yes I do. And yes it does make me proud.”

Sadly, this example is but one of many that occur on Twitter on a regular basis. Based on recent events, a petition therefore called for the creation of a Twitter button that would make the reporting of threats and abuse easier. (It should be noted that not all experts believe such a button is an effective solution; Dr. Janet Sternberg, author of the book Misbehavior in Cyber Places, for example, has misgivings.) In response to this widespread concern about the frightening and unconscionable attacks occurring on the platform, Tony Wang, general manager of Twitter UK, stated that a list of changes would be occurring on Twitter, changes that would apply worldwide. These include an update to the Twitter Rules and in-Tweet button to report abuse (already available on the iOS Twitter app and on the mobile web, and scheduled to be available on Twitter.com in September).

Dr. Claire Hardaker, a professor of Linguistics and English Literature who studies aggression, deception, and manipulation in computer-mediated communication, says that we need to examine the root causes of such misbehavior in order to effectively deal with it. She argues that “it seems both morally and logically better to face the problem head-on. This could take the form of training and education for those amenable to change, or convictions and prison terms for those who are not.”

Education is an important part of bringing about necessary behavioral and legal changes. That’s why at CiviliNation, we take very seriously our role in helping bring about positive social change. We hope you’ll continue to support us in our efforts. And we hope you’ll consider making a contribution to the creation of the Academy for Online Conflict Management. UPDATE: The Indigogo campaign is over, but the fundraising is far from over. You can give by clicking on the big button below.

Donate Now

 

(Image: Troll Ave” by Andrés Monroy-Hernández http://www.flickr.com/photos/amonroy/2379870487)

 

 

Filed Under: Cybercivility Tagged With: Anger Management, Civility, Conflict Resolution, Cyberbullying, Cybercivility, Defamation, Reputation

Civility in America: A Nationwide Survey (2013)

July 31, 2013 by CiviliNation

Ready for this? Seventy percent of Americans believe that incivility has reached a crisis level. So reports the just- released, fourth annual Civility in America: A Nationwide Survey conducted by public relations firm Weber Shandwick and public affairs firm Powell Tate, in partnership with KRC Research.

Highlights of the study include the following:

  • Americans encounter incivility an average of 17.1 times a week, about evenly distributed between online and offline environments
  • A total of 26% of Americans have quit a job because they felt it was an uncivil work environment
  • A full 24% of Americans report they’ve personally experienced cyberbullying
    (the report notes that this is a threefold increase since 2011)
  • The majority of Americans, 70%, think the Internet encourages uncivil behavior
  • Apparently 87% of Americans said they’d be willing to take a national “civility pledge” on a national holiday such as July 4th

You can read the entire study here.

At CiviliNation, we take very seriously our role in helping bring about positive social change, such as helping people effectively participate in the online experience. We hope you’ll continue to support us in our efforts. And we hope you’ll consider making a contribution to the creation of the Academy for Online Conflict Management.  UPDATE: The Indigogo campaign is over, but the fundraising is far from over. You can give by clicking on the big button below.

Donate Now

 

Filed Under: Cybercivility Tagged With: Conflict Resolution, Cyberbullying, Cybercivility

What Kind of Bystander Are You Going to Be?

May 14, 2013 by CiviliNation

In a guest post on Geoff Livingston’s blog, CiviliNation founder Andrea Weckerle asks the important question What Kind of Bystander Are You Going to Be?

She writes, “the one group whose importance and influence we tend to overlook is that of bystanders. It’s this group that has enormous power over the direction that online disputes can take. Bystanders can serve as the voice of reason… or be the catalysts for mob-like behavior.”

Read the full post here.

 

 

Filed Under: Cybercivility Tagged With: Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Cyberbullying, Cybercivility, Reputation

The Good Men Project

February 16, 2013 by CiviliNation

 

 

Read The Good Men Project commentary Online Anger: Where It Comes From and How to Control It by CiviliNation founder Andrea Weckerle.

 

 

Filed Under: In the News Tagged With: Cybercivility

The Internet is the New Battleground of the “Mommy Wars” says Elizabeth Flora Ross (Guest Post)

January 15, 2013 by CiviliNation

CiviliNation occasionally publishes guest posts from individuals who want to add their voice to the discussion about online discourse and cybercivility. While the publishing of these posts should not be considered an endorsement by the organization, we welcome people’s contributions to this important topic.

Elizabeth Flora Ross blogs about her struggles and successes as a writer and mother at The Writer Revived. In 2011 she launched The Mom Pledge, an online campaign to eradicate cyber bullying among moms. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

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More than seven decades after it all began, the so-called “Mommy Wars” are going stronger than ever. Blogging and social media have added a new dimension to the conflict, and competition among moms has spread far beyond the traditional work-or-stay-at-home debate. Today, every parenting decision a mother makes is open to attack, and there are no winners.

There are certain topics, like breastfeeding, that predictably bring controversy. How the issue is approached is important. When writer Nichole wrote a post on Babble about her thoughts on breastfeeding, she hoped to generate a thoughtful discussion about the pros and cons. Things did not go as she planned. She received a strongly negative response and was accused of being a bully.

Blogger Jill at Baby Rabies knows all to well the wrath that can be incurred from sharing a seemingly normal and innocuous parenting decision via the Internet. Shortly after Jill’s post on letting her 13-month-old cry it out went live and was shared on her blog’s Facebook page, a firestorm erupted. She received more than 200 comments on the post itself and women flocked to her FB page to condemn her.

Sometimes, simply sharing a moment from the day-to-day life of a parent can attract unwanted and negative attention. Humor writer Leslie was taken aback when a satirical post she wrote about a trip to the grocery store attracted a small but extremely hostile group to her blog. Not everyone was laughing, and they let her know it.

Over 34 million moms are online, and that number is expected to rise at least 12% each year (eMarketer). They are one of the largest internet user segments in America and spend twice as much time online as the general population  – 66 hours a month on average (Nielson). While online, moms most frequently visit parenting/family sites. Eighty percent of moms use social media regularly, with three out of four moms visiting Facebook in a month (Nielson).

The Internet is the new battleground of the “Mommy Wars.” The modern mom is likely to connect more often with other moms online than in person. And everywhere moms go online, there is conflict. Any mom who has spent time online has likely participated in or witnessed it.

The stay-at-home versus work issue that launched the “Mommy Wars” years ago continues to be the key source of debate between moms. However, many other parenting issues have generated conflict. Results from an online poll I conducted late last year revealed these top issues:

It wasn’t long after I began to blog and spend time on social media sites I noticed the conflict. I was rarely a target, but I saw the way women were interacting online and didn’t like it. In 2011, I launched the Take The Pledge campaign, an online movement to eradicate cyber bullying among moms and encourage civil discourse on parenting topics. The Mom Pledge is a set of principles moms commit to following in all their online activities.

My work online has evolved into a book, which I am currently working to get published. Cacophony: How The Mommy Wars Have Reached New Heights Online and Today’s Mom Simply Cannot Win seeks to unify mothers and build a community based on respect, understanding and acceptance. It will provide women with the tools they need to communicate more effectively online. To help moms put aside their differences and engage in real dialogue. So that we can stop screaming, start listening and move forward together.

Filed Under: Cybercivility Tagged With: Cyberbullying, Cybercivility

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