#rp26 speaker Ingrid Brodnig: Countering misogyny

Women experience violence – and increasingly in the digital realm. Digital violence particularly affects those who are visible in public. "What would have caused heated offline debate ten years ago is now considered business as usual," states Ingrid Brodnig. How can we deal with the brutalization and normalization of hatred against women on the internet? For the author and journalist, it is essential to first recognise and expose the mechanisms of digital violence in order to ultimately respond in a more targeted manner and develop counterstrategies.

In her recently published book “Feindbild Frau” (Woman as Enemy), Ingrid Brodnig has collected numerous cases that clearly illustrate the logic behind digital violence against female politicians. In addition to analyzing the problem, at #rp26 she provides advice on both a societal and individual level: What can help in mobilising a countermovement? Where is it still worthwhile to respond or contextualize something – and where, on the other hand, do we need effective protection from the constitutional state? How might that look like? In her session, Ingrid Brodnig highlights what is currently going wrong – and encourages us to stand up against digital violence.

Ingrid Brodnig is a journalist and author. In her award-winning work, she deals with the social impact of digitalization and the culture of debate on the internet. She also gives workshops and tips on how to respond to phenomena such as hate speech and disinformation. She has written a total of seven books on these topics, including “Hass im Netz. Was wir gegen Hetze, Mobbing und Lügen tun können” (Hate on the Internet: What we can do against hate speech, bullying, and lies) and “Einspruch! Fake News und Verschwörungsmythen kontern” (Objection! Countering fake news and conspiracy myths). She also writes a regular column for the Austrian daily newspaper “Der Standard.”