Women and the Internet

            There have always been issues with gender differences, but Amanda Hess’ article “Why Women Aren’t Welcome on the Internet,” reveals technology’s impact on the problem. Although the growth of technology continues to improve and expand many aspects of our society, cyberbullying cannot seem to be avoided. As new and more advanced types of technology arise, and as people become more confident in their ability to remain anonymous, cyberbullying becomes more common. Hess directs her article to everyone, not only internet users, but also those who are not as familiar with technology, in order to make them aware of the problems it may cause. She describes a personal anecdote to help both women and men have a better understanding of the abuse that female internet users often deal with.

            In the article, Hess explains, in detail, her experiences with her cyberstalker, as well as the stories of many other women who have had similar experiences. As for her particular harasser, he sent her numerous tweets about how he wanted to harm her through an anonymous account, even going as far as to leave her threatening voicemails. Hess also describes her frustration with the police and other law enforcement, and the way that they failed to understand the seriousness of her situation without having proof that the threats were legitimate. Not only does Hess prove her point through personal stories, but she includes many facts showing that the worth of women is overlooked on the internet. For example, in a period of 12 years, 3,787 people reported online harassing incidents, and 72.5% of those people were female. She also includes the fact that the majority of law enforcement are male figures, whether it be the state police or the FBI.

            Overall, Hess does a great job of proving that women seemed to be overlooked or not taken seriously when it comes to the internet. She uses anecdotes and facts to show that many people, men for the most part, do not know the seriousness of cyberbullying and gender division on the internet. People should feel safer when it comes to social media and internet usage, and I think that if law enforcement read this article, they would consider doing more to make that happen.