Social Media Bullying - On LinkedIn?
Mandi Bishop
Gartner CIO Analyst | Healthcare Strategist | Equity Advocate | Data and AI Enthusiast | Keynote Speaker | Author
Let me preface this post by warning you that I "don't have any advice worth hearing" because I am a "misogynistic hater". Read further at your own risk.
This is a story best told through pictures, captured exactly as it unfolded, without any edits or exclusions. LinkedIn is a public social network; anyone can view the posts that are submitted here, unless they occur in a private group or message. I’ve never met many of my followers or connections, and that’s OK; I appreciate connection and engaging discussions.
This entire exchange occurred out in the open, not in a group or message.
This is what it is to be a woman expressing an opinion online that strikes a nerve.
Or, in this case, sharing an opinion someone else expressed — via Dilbert.
It started with me sharing a Dilbert cartoon that resonated with me. I remember my 1600 baud modem. Suddenly, I became a “misogynistic hater”. Did I miss something: was there a woman in the cartoon?
Dilbert’s digital natives vs. paper generation, to me, allegory for rapid change affecting law, process, education. But MY view is not THE view.
Worthy of firing. And I’m offended by sexist views, but have been called a “misogynistic hater”.
I could not make this up. And it only continued to escalate. I am, quite literally, cursed. Read the entire thread on Medium here.
Be professional in your interactions. The internet never forgets.
*Edit 6/26/16: Link to the LinkedIn thread this references. The screen captures were as of the evening of 6/27. By the morning of 6/28, the incendiary comments had been removed. What's tragically fascinating is that new attackers continue to surface, without engagement or provocation of any kind. I will not delete the thread, nor will I respond or intervene. Let it be a study in professional communications and bias.
Empowering Inclusive Workplaces & Meaningful Connections | Globally Recognized LinkedIn Trainer | DEI & Belonging Strategist | Career & Leadership Coach | 35K+ Followers | Psychological Safety & Anti-Bullying on LinkedIn
5 年Thank you so much. I only came across this now but it is directly in line with the campaign I am starting in January Mandi Bishop
University Lecturer and Expert on "Social Media Risk"
8 年Honestly, cyberbullying reflects badly on everyone. I have been cyberbullyed with fake websites, Reddit articles, blogs, e-mails and other items for 3 years now just because I told one person my qualifications (the idea that a lecturer was "top of the class" is offensive to many people in New Zealand). In my case I sat back and didn't publicly comment for years. I tried quietly to persuade people to stop attacking me privately "off-line" and watched as the public cyberbullying truly backfired on the people who supported it. The university has had to fire lots of people because their student intake has plummeted since they started supporting years of cyberbullying against me for my being too qualified to work there (no proof of causality of course). See here for more information: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/interfering-free-speech-using-linkedin-frenemies-dr-simon including how LinkedIn has suggested I cope with the (years of) "stalking"... I hope you don't have this to look forward to. I'm not saying who has bullied who here. I understand there are points on both sides. But it's amazing how things blow-up on the web and damage everyone... even when there was probably no intent to harm on either side. We have all been cursed by Social Media :)... but then using Social Media to complain about Social Media is rather ironic isn't it.
Michael, I empathize with your situation: you said some (really) stupid stuff in a public forum that not so long ago would have been quickly forgotten. But in this day and age where these types of things can go viral, one always runs the risk of being the next "Internet Villain," and this time you get the honor. It will suck for a while, and I'm sure you will get all sorts of nasty email, but it won't last. You just have to suck it up and wait out your 15 minutes of infamy. This too shall pass, and all that. FWIW, while I may not agree with your point of view (not to mention how you handled the whole thing), I do understand where you were coming from. Mandi posted a cartoon that you felt attacked a class of people who feel they are discriminated against in IT, while at the same time advocating for another class of people who feel the same way. Likewise, your narrative is that this just goes to show what older people and/or males have to face, whereas her narrative is that it just goes to show what women have to face. I find both narratives somewhat forced, but I'm sure I have some dubious narratives of my own. All this being said, your hyperbolic claims that any of this exposes Dell to legal liability and/or reduced shareholder value is ridiculous. You're obviously hoping to convince her employer to take some kind of action against her, but you're tilting at windmills. Trust me on this one: quit while you're behind. Oh, one more quibble: "misogynistic" means "hateful of women". I believe the word you were looking for was "misandrist" (which is both a noun and an adjective, BTW).
Business first BI, Data Visualization, and Data Lake Architect embracing fast data and data science collaboration
8 年Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.
Business first BI, Data Visualization, and Data Lake Architect embracing fast data and data science collaboration
8 年Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.