“Internet Famous”: Visibility As Violence On Social Media: How the f*ck does your “meritocracy” explain this?

Shanley Kane discusses the perils of becoming visible on the internet for marginalized people in tech. 

Excerpt

We consider visibility to be desirable.

It is highly lucrative, much sought after. And yes, it is a huge asset in the careers and companies of many cishet white men. Visibility gets them jobs, raises, venture capital, customers, community support… chances at more visibility in a bountiful cycle of pageviews and cash, money and power. With visibility is supposed to come admiration, respect, access, affluence – and for most of such men, it delivers.

Yet for the rest of us, with visibility comes harassment, stalking, threats, loss of career opportunity and mobility, constant public humiliation, emotional and sometimes physical violence.

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