Defending Against Coordinated Internet Harassment (SAAPP)

Tactics to help you send fuccbois to the circular file.

Dear Reader,

Today I'm coining a new term to describe coordinated Internet harassment of the type which often affects public figures, journalists, and activists:

Strategic Attacks Against Public Participation (SAAPP).

The goal of SAAPP attacks are to sap the victim's will to continue participating in public life. These attacks attempt to degrade the victim's reputation in the eyes of the world, to isolate and disconnect them from their allies, friends and colleagues, and to cause them to doubt themselves and withdraw from their work.

Online trolling and coordinated criminal harassment campaigns have become increasingly prevalent, significantly impacting various news stories and public figures. High-profile cases, such as the targeted attacks on celebrities like Leslie Jones and Taylor Swift, and the widespread harassment of female gamers during the Gamergate controversy, began to underscore the pressing need for effective defense strategies years ago, yet these types of crimes continue to…