Training modules/Dealing with online harassment/slides/forms-it-can-take

From Meta, a Wikimedia project coordination wiki

Off-wiki harassment: Forms it can take[edit]

There are a number of different forms off-wiki harassment might take, including but not limited to:

  • Doxing – publishing personally identifying information about another user.
  • Impersonating users – pretending to be somebody else, and carrying out behavior that would embarrass or harm the target.
  • Brigading – advertising at an off-wiki venue for other users to come to Wikipedia and attack or revert other users.
  • "Revenge porn" (real or forged) – this may involve publishing actual photos of someone in sexual situations, or the forging of such images.
  • Phone calls or emails directed at a specific user – a harasser may use these communication venues to intimidate, issue threats, or carry out sexual harassment. Even in a situation where a harasser themselves doesn’t do these things, publicizing someone’s phone number increases the chances they will receive things like “prank” phone calls.
  • Phone calls or emails directed at a specific user's family or job – often used to make negative accusations about someone, or to intimidate them by showing they can access loved ones. This type of intimidation can be particularly frightening.