Letter From Academia: The Dark Side of an Online Pile-On
A simple photo sparked a billion more reasons to think twice before posting online. Recently, the academic world discovered the pitfalls of the internet when a young researcher faced a deluge of hate after celebrating a major academic milestone. Her offense? Posting a selfie alongside her newly completed PhD dissertation.
Dr. Ally Louks, a recent graduate from Cambridge, shared news of successfully defending her thesis, “Olfactory Ethics: The politics of smell in modern and contemporary prose ” on November 27th, a moment normally met with support and encouragement. However, online spaces proved to be a treacherous battleground.
What followed were not congratulatory messages, but rather vile, misogynistic comments and disgusting attacks disguised as critiques. US-based users took issue with Dr. Louks’ research, labelling it as impenetrable “woke” jargon and cynically arguing it exemplified the need to defund the humanities.
Dr. Louks then became the target of bullying, receiving obscene and vulgar messages, threats, and even rape threats.
The reaction underlines a growing trend – the increasing toxicity online, leaving academics struggling to engage in meaningful dialogue on platforms once considered vital for scholarly exchange.
Many rushed to Dr. Louks’ defense, condemning the hateful online bahaviour, labelling it as “misogynist hate” and bemoaning the desire to silence female expertise. Dr. Louks herself wasn’t shaken; she remained calm and humorous, highlighting the absurdity of the attacks.
https://x.com/DrAllyLouks/status/1863748113174835564-.
One commentator remarked, observing the wide-reaching impact of the event stating, “Very rare to see someone react to being swarmed by bizarrely angry, resentful people with the grace, good humour, and general chill attitude that Ally Louks has shown through this entire crazy episode.”
The ordeal sparked conversation beyond the immediate attack, raising alarm about grwoing alienation felt by academics on X abadoning digital spaces that once enjoyed a sense of community.
Vile and abusive comments, ironically fueled byrs the severity of Dr. Louks’ dissertation’s title and accompanying quote alongside the tweet. Others bemoaned it, highlighting how the tide had turned from academic discourse to personal attacks.
For some, Dr. Louks’ story became a catalyst for authoritarianism, now apparently being celebrated when researchers choose to share their hard work publicly online – choosing to leave the platform altogether citing the increasingly hostile environment.
Dr. Louks herself isn’t dismayed.
She calls out the platform’s failure to effectively address such hateful behavior.
“No one should ever have to deal with this,” she said, concisely summarizing her position.
“X platform is no longer structured to protect its users from these online harms. Targeting hate speech, slurs, and threats should be automatically flagged and removed. This simply isn’t happening.”
Such blatant antagonism, she argues, hearkens a call for many academics to seek community elsewhere, leaving X behind. The events raise insufficient moderating response from the platform itself, once characterized by intellectual discourse.
Despite this widespread online aggression a silver lining emerged. In attracting millions of viewers globally, Dr. Louks’
– What are the specific challenges that female academics face regarding online harassment in comparison to their male counterparts?
## The Dark Side of Digital Celebration: An Interview with Dr. Sarah Jones
**(Host):** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re diving into a disheartening story making waves in the academic world. Dr. Ally Louks, a recently graduated PhD student from Cambridge, faced a torrent of online hate after celebrating her academic achievement: completing her dissertation. Joining us to discuss this disturbing trend and its implications for academia is Dr. Sarah Jones, a professor of digital humanities and online ethics at the University of [insert university]. Dr. Jones, welcome to the show.
**(Dr. Jones):** Thank you for having me.
**(Host):** Let’s start with the basics. What exactly happened to Dr. Louks?
**(Dr. Jones):** Dr. Louks, like many academics, shared her excitement about completing her PhD on social media. Sadly, instead of congratulations, she was met with a barrage of hateful and misogynistic comments, attacking her research and even threatening her personally. This isn’t an isolated incident.
**(Host):** That’s truly shocking. What factors do you think contribute to this kind of online hostility towards academics, particularly women?
**(Dr. Jones):** There are several factors at play. The anonymity of the internet often emboldens individuals to express views they wouldn’t dare share in person. Coupled with the increasing polarization of online spaces, complex academic topics can become easy targets for simplistic attacks
**(Host):** Dr. Louks’ research focused on “Olfactory Ethics,” which some online commentators labeled as obscure and “woke” jargon.
In your experience, how often do academics face backlash for the subject matter of their research?
**(Dr. Jones):** Sadly, this is becoming more common. Humanities research, in particular, often deals with complex social and cultural issues, which can be misconstrued or politicized. Online spaces can easily become breeding grounds for disinformation and attacks on intellectual inquiry.
**(Host):** What can be done to address this growing problem, especially in light of the importance of open communication and collaboration in academia?
**(Dr. Jones):** This is a complex challenge requiring a multi-pronged approach. Universities need to provide better support and training for academics on navigating online spaces safely and constructively. Social media platforms also bear a responsibility to curb online harassment and create more inclusive environments. Ultimately, we need to foster a culture of respect for diverse perspectives and intellectual freedom, both online and offline.
**(Host):** Dr. Jones, thank you for shedding light on this important issue. I hope your insights will encourage a more thoughtful and respectful online dialog.
**(Dr. Jones):** Thank you for having me.
