Social Media Crisis costs Target Millions
UncategorizedLast April, Target published a blog post highlighting their stance on transgender bathroom policies, and specifically their policy of inclusion. As a result, nearly 700,000 consumers signed a pledge to boycott the store. In the weeks that followed, numerous individuals posted opinions about the policy…
United Airlines in a Social Media Crisis as Twitter blows up over (gasp!!) spandex.
UncategorizedUnited Airlines made headlines over the weekend as a gate agent refused to allow two young girls to board a flight from Denver to Minneapolis because they were “not properly clothed”. The infraction – spandex leggings. The young girls donned other clothing and boarded the plane. The incident…
Hate Speech, Free Speech, or a business decision?
UncategorizedMany large social media channels are coming under fire for not being “tough on hate speech.” Refer to this recent article in The Guardian – Face-off between MPs and social media giants over online hate speech. In the US, while hate crimes are illegal, the constitution gives a great deal of…
Online Moderators Keep it Civil, But What About Where They Work?
UncategorizedOnline Moderators Keep it Civil, But What About Where They Work? Mzinga moderators spend much of their shifts putting an end to flame wars, banning trolls, handling customer complaints, and keeping the peace. As Mzinga’s Director of Moderation Services, I ensure that the team works in an environment…
Facebook Adds AI to Suicide Prevention Arsenal
UncategorizedFacebook Adds AI to Suicide Prevention Arsenal More than ten years ago, I complimented Facebook for encouraging its members to send in a report if they saw a post by a member or friend saying they were serious about harming themselves. If a report was received, Facebook contacted the member with…
Google’s Jigsaw Gets a New Perspective: Learning Curve Still a Hairpin
UncategorizedGoogle’s Jigsaw Gets a New Perspective: Learning Curve Still a Hairpin Late last year, I commented on Google’s Jigsaw software, created to apply machine learning to detect and remove harassment and abusive content in areas where users interact online. At the time, I said that no matter how much…
Twitter Throws the Bozo Flag on Trolls
UncategorizedTwitter Throws the Bozo Flag on Trolls Twitter used to brag that it was “the free speech wing of the free speech party,” but recently the party was crashed by the company’s security team, who launched a protocol aimed to decrease users’ exposure to abusive content. It’s both a step forward…
Texas Anti-Harassment Legislation Threatens Lawful Online Interaction
UncategorizedTexas Anti-Harassment Legislation Threatens Lawful Online Interaction A new bill introduced in the Texas legislature seeks to criminalize cyber-bullying of children in educational settings. The bill, called “David’s Law” (named after a 16-year-old victim of cyber-bullying who killed himself…
Lego Life App Combats Trolls and Bullies
UncategorizedA new app launched by Lego contains many features that minimize the ability of users to be harassed and bullied. Called Lego Life, the app for iOS and Android (available in App Store and Google Play) allows kids under 13 to create profiles, watch videos, participate in challenges, upload photos of…
Microsoft Online Moderators Allege Viewing Explicit Images Gave Them PTSD
UncategorizedTwo Microsoft online moderators have filed suit against the company, saying they were forced to watch child porn and other offensive and disturbing images and videos to the extent that they began to exhibit symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When they asked for help, they say in a McClatchy…
