Search for “How to spy on my spouse” on the internet (or replace “spouse” with “lover”, “girlfriend”, or “boyfriend”) and it reveals a disturbing reality. There are scores of results for persons who suspect their partners of infidelity, or are frustrated and heart-broken over an unexpected or messy break-up, or facing separation, divorce, or a child custody battle. The results demonstrate what…
Note: Searching for, removing or disabling the means of stalking may alert the stalker. This may potentially cause the abuse to escalate, pose a risk to the target’s physical safety, and close their avenues to seek help or exit the relationship. If you are someone experiencing stalking or supporting someone who is, please assess the situation first. It is advisable to seek specialised support,…
This is the third article in this series. The previous articles explained stalkerware and how it may lead to image-based abuse, some popular techniques of stalking that involve commonly used apps, features, online services and devices, and potential countermeasures to them. Note: Searching for, removing or disabling the means of stalking may alert the stalker. This may potentially cause the abuse…
“This violence is intersectional and may be accompanied by other forms of violence. A person can be physically followed, stalked, or spied on for subsequent threats. It all comes together. A holistic vision is needed to approach this work and undertake a risk assessment that tries to detect digital signals or others,” Marla from InterSeclab remarked in the Feminist Learning Circle: "Stalkerware…
Discrimination, abuse, exploitation, stalking, harassment, or cyberbullying reproduce gender-based violence and affect the offline lives of victims/survivors, evidencing the impact of virtual and technological spaces on everyday life. Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) is a continuation of offline violence, and it is increasingly widespread and malicious in patriarchal societies.A study…
As various technologies and Big Tech become a part of our lives, what we often trade in for connection, support and advice is privacy and the constant monitoring of our behaviours. Digital information includes search histories, the advertisements we click on, texts, emails, location tracking, and so much more.Such sensitive information, in the wrong hands, can be used to criminalise bodies and…
Every year, the world celebrates International Human Rights Day on 10 December. This annual celebration commemorates resilience and the day when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into effect. It paved the way for international human rights instruments, and was an important document in the modern journey to uphold human rights globally.The introduction in the United Nations’ website…
“Through its propaganda, Israel is aiming to break Palestinian souls, to break us as human beings.” These were the words of one of the speakers at the webinar, “Palestinian Feminist Voices: Atrocities Propaganda and Gendered Disinformation”, that Noor, Take Back The Tech! (TBTT) and GenderIT hosted on March 14. These discussions illustrated the weaponisation of atrocities propaganda and gendered…
Take Back the Tech! is proud to present this overview paper regarding non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) by Rohini Lakshané. It unpacks definitions, the impact on survivors/victims, how morality and victim-blaming is often interwoven in responses, the difficulty of action, types of legislation (and limits) to address it, and, importantly, resources for take-down and coping with NCII.As noted…
Online gender-based violence, including gendered disinformation, uses gender as the main axis for their attacks against a target (or targets). But it’s not the only identity they use. Attackers often also use various other marginalised identities their target(s) may have in their attacks to demean and invalidate women and queer persons.One of these identities is disability. Although disability-…