Take Back The Tech!
Encyclopedia
Take Back The Tech is a global campaign that connects the issue of violence against women
and information and communications technology (ICT). It aims to raise awareness on the way violence against women
is occurring on ICT platforms such as the Internet
and mobile phone
s, and to call for people to use ICT in activism
to end violence against women
.
It was initiated by the Association for Progressive Communications
, Women's Networking Support Programme, in 2006. Since then, the campaign has been taken up and organised by individuals, collective
s and non-governmental organizations in at least 24 countries.
is taking new forms through the use of ICT. This includes:
Research indicates that the majority of technology-enabled forms of violence against women
victims are women.
The campaign also recognises that the gender digital divide contributes to unequal power relations that creates enabling contexts for violence against women to occur. To address this disparity, campaigners are encouraged to:
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
and information and communications technology (ICT). It aims to raise awareness on the way violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
is occurring on ICT platforms such as the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s, and to call for people to use ICT in activism
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
to end violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
.
It was initiated by the Association for Progressive Communications
Association for Progressive Communications
The Association for Progressive Communications is an international network of organizations that was founded in 1990 to provide communication infrastructure, including Internet-based applications, to groups and individuals who work for peace, human rights, protection of the environment, and...
, Women's Networking Support Programme, in 2006. Since then, the campaign has been taken up and organised by individuals, collective
Collective
A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
s and non-governmental organizations in at least 24 countries.
Issue
The campaign highlights the way that violence against womenViolence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
is taking new forms through the use of ICT. This includes:
- Online harassmentHarassmentHarassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
. For example, when a harasser sends repeated, unwanted, threatening and/or sexualised messages through the use of emailEmailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
or SMSSMSSMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
. This can also include posting personal information about the victim and/or digitally alteredPhoto manipulationPhoto manipulation is the application of image editing techniques to photographs in order to create an illusion or deception , through analog or digital means.- Types of digital photo manipulation :...
images of the victim on public forums and websites, often accompanied by messages that solicit sexual or violent responses. - CyberstalkingCyberstalkingCyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. It may include false accusations, monitoring, making threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sex, or...
. For example, the use of social networking platforms such as FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
to track a person's activity and movements, the use of spywareSpywareSpyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
to monitor a person's computerComputerA computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
and InternetInternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
use, and the use of global satellite positioning devicesGPS navigation deviceA GPS navigation device is any device that receives Global Positioning System signals for the purpose of determining the device's current location on Earth...
to track a person's physical movement and location, usually by a domestic violenceDomestic violenceDomestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
abuser. - Online violation of privacy and blackmailBlackmailIn common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
. For example, actual or threatened posting of private photographs and video clips that are usually sexualised in nature on Internet sites with the aim to humiliate another person, or to make the person comply with the demands of the poster.
Research indicates that the majority of technology-enabled forms of violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
victims are women.
The campaign also recognises that the gender digital divide contributes to unequal power relations that creates enabling contexts for violence against women to occur. To address this disparity, campaigners are encouraged to:
- Recall and give recognition to the historical contribution that women have made into the development of ICT, such as the contribution of Ada LovelaceAda LovelaceAugusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace , born Augusta Ada Byron, was an English writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the analytical engine...
and Grace HopperGrace HopperRear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper was an American computer scientist and United States Navy officer. A pioneer in the field, she was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer, and developed the first compiler for a computer programming language...
. - Build the capacity of women and girls in the use of new ICT.
- Foster an attitude of experimentation and play with new ICT to overcome technophobiaTechnophobiaTechnophobia is the fear or dislike of advanced technology or complex devices, especially computers. tech·no·pho·bi·a n. Fear of or aversion to technology, especially computers and high technology. -Related forms: tech'no·phobe' n., tech'no·pho'bic adj."— "tech·no·pho·bi·a - Show Spelled...
. - Engage in activism and advocacy to improve Internet policy development that takes the gendered dimension of ICT into account.
Asia-Pacific
- Foundation for Media Alternatives, Philippines
- University of Philippines Mindanao Gender Committee
- Bytes for All and P@SHA, Pakistan
- Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia
- Filmmakers Anonymous, Malaysia
- Prajnya, India
- Open Institute of Cambodia, Cambodia
- 16 Impacts of Sexual Assault, Australia
South & East Africa
- Si Jeunesse Savait, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Azur Developpment, The Congo
- Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET), Uganda
- PADEAP, Uganda
- Ray of Hope, Uganda
- Women'sNet, South Africa
- Girls'Net, South Africa
Middle East
South America
- Nodo Tau asociación civil, Argentina
- Retome a Tecnologia, Brazil
- ColnodoColnodoColnodo is the Colombian Association of Non Governmental Organizations for Communication through E-mail – www.colnodo.apc.org. Is a non profit organization legally established in Colombia since 1994...
, Colombia - Asociación Latinoamericana de Educación Radiofónica (ALER), Ecuador
- La Neta, Mexico
- Ddeser Puebla, Mexico
- Proyecto ODM3 México - Modemmujer y LaNeta, Mexico
- América Latina Genera, El Salvador
- Secretaría de la Mujer de la Intendencia Municipal de Montevideo (IMM), Uruguay
- Instituto del Tercer Mundo (ITeM)ITeMITeM stands for the Instituto del Tercer Mundo which is based in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.-Focus on information:...
, Uruguay
North America
- Tech Sans Violence, Canada
- Silence Speaks, USA
- Communication is your right, USA
Europe
- Take Back Riereta, Spain
- Akcija Zdruzenska, Macedonia
- Oneworld Platform for Southeast Europe Foundation (OWPSEE), Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Take Back The Tech! UK, United Kingdom