Awww yes, another chapter in the ‘learn to code’ OPPRESSION journos are suffering at the hands of the evil far-right.
We can’t even make this up.
I wrote for @newrepublic about “Learn to Code,” how to spot a brigade attack, GamerGate and the calculated use of plausible deniability by far-right trolls: https://t.co/w5EFIhLjRm
— Talia Lavin (@chick_in_kiev) February 1, 2019
From New Republic:
Then the responses started rolling in—some sympathy from fellow journalists and readers, then an irritating gush of near-identical responses: “Learn to code.” “Maybe learn to code?” “BETTER LEARN TO CODE THEN.” “Learn to code you useless bitch.” Alongside these tweets were others: “Stop writing fake news and crap.” “MAGA.” “Your opinions suck and no one wants to read them.” “Lmao journalists are evil wicked cretins. I wish you were all jail [sic] and afraid.”
I looked at the mentions of my editors, who had been laid off after years at HuffPost, and of other journalists who had lost their jobs. There they were, the swarm of commentators, with their same little carbuncular message: “Learn to code.”
*sigh*
While it’s difficult to trace the origins of brigading—like most of internet history, its beginnings are ephemeral—the term, and its tactics, came to new prominence during the loosely organized and militantly misogynist harassment campaign known now as GamerGate, which unfolded over the course of 2014 and 2015.
Awww, so people telling laid-off journos to ‘learn to code’ is GamerGate’s fault.
Not that Obama told a bunch of laid-off miners they could learn to code … no no, it’s GamerGate.
K.
"Learn to code" was tweeted at me by a sketchy account. I reported it as abusive behavior as part of targeted harassment. Twitter suspended the account within 20 minutes.
Journalists if they tweet "learn to code" at you don't stay silent, take a moment to report it. https://t.co/RXgqqV2ptw
— Ben Popken (@bpopken) February 1, 2019
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Wait … a sketchy account told him to LEARN TO CODE?!?
THE HORROR.
Well, thank GOODNESS Twitter suspended that mean ol’ account because that’s a serious hate crime and stuff.
Twitter will review it and if they determine it violates their rules against abusive behavior they will take action.
— Ben Popken (@bpopken) February 1, 2019
If this editor rolled her eyes any further back into her head she might permanently damage them.
Gain the knowledge of computer programming good sir
— Shrike (@Shrike444) February 5, 2019
Clever.
Not the hero we deserved, but the hero we needed.
— James Kelly (@jwkelly15) February 5, 2019
It's good advice, you should take it. I learned to code.
— Feral American (@FeralAmerican) February 5, 2019
It actually is really good advice, but we digress.
Thank you for your service.
— Jordan Perkins (@jordanlperkins) February 5, 2019
— Sam Valley (@SamValley) February 5, 2019
You deserve a cape and some theme music, hero. So brave.
— Daniel (@Sinclair_D_F) February 5, 2019
— Tom Parrelly (@Papa_P_54) February 5, 2019
Gold star for the Python reference.
Hello. Verified account here.
*sips water
*takes deep breath
*taps microphone
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*Pictures self at Live Aid
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Learn to code https://t.co/ZCdz1LAe9S— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) February 5, 2019
Nothing stops people from telling you not to code like bragging about how you’re reporting people for telling you to learn to code.
I used to report almost daily antisemitic threats w little action from Twitter, but some people lightly mocking thin-skinned blue-checks leads to immediate suspensions.
The selective enforcement will eventually kill this platform. https://t.co/G5C4eMGrMm
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) February 5, 2019
BUT DUDE, people are being mean to JOURNOS ON TWITTER!
Side note: This editor has literally been threatened with all sorts of horrible things and Twitter very rarely intervenes. Just sayin’.
Brave firefighters https://t.co/CUUlnMuj1I
— Ordy's Amish School of Coding (@OrdyPackard) February 5, 2019
So very brave.
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