How Women of Color Running for Congress Face Disproportionate Attacks on Social Media

Recent research highlights the concerning reality that women of color running for Congress in 2024 are disproportionately targeted with online harassment. A comprehensive report from the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed over 800,000 tweets from May to August 2024 regarding Congressional candidates. The findings indicate that these candidates, especially Black women, encounter a notable amount of offensive and hate speech on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

Key Findings of the Report

The data collected for this analysis unearthed several alarming trends:

• Offensive Language: Over 20% of tweets directed toward Black and Asian women candidates included offensive content, which includes derogatory or demeaning language.
• Hate Speech Disparity: Black women candidates were uniquely targeted, with around 4% of tweets mentioning them containing hate speech—a much higher rate compared to the less than 1% average for all candidates.

This detailed evaluation of public discourse surrounding these candidates sheds light on the systemic barriers that could impede their candidacy, thus affecting political representation.

Social Media’s Role and X’s Response

Representatives from X have acknowledged the issue, noting that during the first half of 2024, they suspended over 1 million accounts and removed more than 2 million posts for violating their policies against harassment and abuse. However, critics argue that while policies exist, their implementation and effectiveness in protecting marginalized candidates need improvement.

Recommendations for Improvement

To foster a safer online environment for candidates, particularly women of color, the report recommends:

• Establishing clear policies prohibiting race- and gender-based attacks.
• Enhancing transparency regarding how social media platforms address such offenses.
• Developing better reporting tools, ensuring accountability, and conducting regular assessments focused on race and gender equity.
• Implementing privacy-preserving measures for researchers to analyze social media data without compromising user anonymity.

The CDT emphasizes that the current landscape, where women of color candidates face heightened levels of scrutiny and attack, poses a significant barrier to ensuring an inclusive democratic process.

Conclusion

As political tensions rise leading up to the 2024 elections, it is crucial for social media platforms to recognize and actively combat the hostile environment that persists for women of color in politics. Supporting candidates through effective policy implementation and robust protection measures could lead to a truly representative democracy where all voices have an opportunity to be heard without fear of online abuse.

By addressing these issues head-on, the aim is to create an environment conducive to fair electoral competition, enabling a diverse range of candidates to thrive and represent the interests of all constituents.