Online violence

"Online violence" here refers to a variety of intentional harmful acts perpetrated by one or more people against an individual or group using digital media, such as the web, social networks, messaging, email or video conferencing ^[1].

_{[1] See in particular:
Lindsay Megan et al (2016): "Experiences of Online Harassment among Emerging Adults: Emotional Reactions and the Mediating Role of Fear", Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31/19, pp. 3174-3195.
Charton Laurence and Chantal Bayard (2021): "La violence contre les femmes et les technologies numériques: entre oppression et agentivité", Recherches féministes, 34(1), p. 315.}

Forms

Online violence can take the following forms, which are not mutually exclusive:

• Hate speech

Hate speech refers to words or other forms of expression that devalue, offend or threaten individuals or groups, or incite violence, hatred or discrimination against an individual or group, on the basis of certain personal characteristics. These characteristics include, for example, gender, gender identity, emotional and sexual orientation, religion, nationality, origin, social status, age, physical appearance or disability.

• Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying involves repeatedly making comments - written or illustrated - using communication technologies, with the aim of hurting, threatening, humiliating, ridiculing or excluding someone.

Examples

• Insults
• Threats
• Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic comments or jokes, etc.
• Identity theft
• Spreading false information or rumours
• Dissemination of malicious, falsified and/or intimate photos or videos
• Doxing: disclosure of personal data
• Sextortion: blackmailing someone using intimate photos or videos
• Outing: disclosure of a person's emotional and sexual orientation and/or gender identity without their consent and in violation of their right to privacy
• Zoombombing: unwanted and disruptive intrusion into a videoconference, typically involving the insertion of material of an obscene or sexist nature, or material that is offensive to a person or group of people

In the academic world

The growing importance of digital technology and the constant development of communication technologies expose scientists who express themselves publicly to online violence, which may, for example, be linked to:

• Publicising their research results and/or their commitment to their field of specialisation; such attacks jeopardise respect for academic freedom.
• Their private commitment to a controversial subject, such as equality, diversity and inclusion, or environmental issues; attacks of this type affect respect for freedom of expression (which must, however, be exercised within a certain framework, see document below, pp. 49-51). 

More information

The weight of words

The physical distance and anonymity that characterise some online exchanges can make us forget the impact that words have on others. Words are not "just words": they can have a positive or negative impact on the representations, experiences and confidence of others. Exercising freedom of expression must therefore go hand in hand with our individual responsibility in choosing what we say, relay or "like" in our online activities.

Consequences of online violence

For those targeted

• Damage to reputation (digital, private and/or professional)
• Stress, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts
• Digital withdrawal
• Social isolation

For those who commit violence

• In the most serious cases, the behaviour, in this case that occurs online, may fall within the scope of offences punishable under the Swiss Penal Code, for example:
  
  - defamation (art. 173)
  - wilful defamation (art. 174)
  - insult (art. 177)
  - identity theft (art. 179^decies)
  - threatening behaviour (art. 180)
  - coercion (art. 181)
  - unauthorised passing on of private sexual content (art. 197a)
  - discrimination and incitement to hatred (art. 261^bis).
  
  These acts generally also constitute a violation of personality, against which the victims can defend themselves under articles 28 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code.
   

  If you like or share comments that are discriminatory, incite hatred, insulting, defamatory or threatening, you are also guilty of an offence and liable to penalties.
   

• Any member of the UNIL community who feels that their personal integrity has been violated may report the situation or file a formal complaint with the Rectorate. If the facts are confirmed following an analysis, the persons implicated are liable to administrative sanctions (if the person is a UNIL employee) or disciplinary sanctions (if the person is a student).

For UNIL

Inappropriate behaviour on social networks or mobile applications by or against members of the UNIL community is likely to damage community cohesion and the institution's image. Online violence also compromises the quality of scientific and democratic debate.

How to prevent

Principles of behaviour for the UNIL community on social networks

UNIL's values and university practice are based on the exchange of ideas and debate. The University of Lausanne Charter, which UNIL members undertake to respect, "guarantees its members respect for fundamental human rights. It gives them complete freedom of conscience and belief, while respecting the rules of community life."

In addition, UNIL carries out its missions in accordance with fundamental scientific and ethical principles, which imply the objective presentation of different currents of thought, as well as the use of rigorous critical methods in the discussion of scientific, social, political, philosophical or religious opinions (LUL art. 3).

These principles apply to all staff and students in the UNIL community, in their exchanges with other members and with the institution, whether in the real world or online.

Doing no harm and protecting yourself online: a few basic principles

• Before publishing or sending what you have to say - or even "liking" or sharing what others have to say - make sure that it is respectful of the person or persons to whom it is addressed, whom it represents and/or whom it concerns.
• Do not publish or transmit information from or about other people without their consent, or photos or videos in which other people appear.
• Avoid sharing personal information, data or images that could be used against you. If necessary, have sensitive information about you deleted on Google.
• For access to your online accounts, change your passwords regularly and use different passwords for each account that are long enough and mix letters, numbers and special characters (e.g. a sentence). Activate two-factor authentication and always use a secure connection.
• To check whether your data has been leaked, you can use the Have I Been Pwned website. If your password has been leaked, take the time to change it.
• To check whether unknown links or attachments present security threats, you can use tools such as VirusTotal (take care to copy/paste only the links or drag and drop only the files; do not click on the links or open the attachments!).
• Accessnow offers free digital assistance, tailored to your needs, particularly in the event of targeted attacks.
• When scheduling and running Zoom meetings or on other videoconferencing platforms, take every precaution to prevent zoombombing.
  UNIL Teaching and Learning Support Centre documentation "Preventing zoombombing"

More information

How to (re)act

What should you do if you are the target of online violence?

• Talk to the people around you and/or contact the professionals available (see below, "Who to contact").
• To protect yourself and if you wish, delegate the management of violent content to one or more people close to you, for example by giving them access to your social networks during the sensitive period (don't forget to change your passwords afterwards): less directly affected than you, those around you can support you by following the advice below.
• Keep proof: take screenshots, if possible with the date and url/social network visible. In the event of insults or hate speech, these screenshots may be useful for filing a complaint if the content is removed by the platform or the user.
• Report the comments to the platform concerned.
• Block those responsible.
• In the event of a (potential) targeted attack or if the content is highly visible, don't hesitate to warn your friends, colleagues and networks so that they can be active in online discussions by reporting, responding to hateful comments and participating constructively (see advice on how to react, below).

How can you (re)act as a witness and/or ally of a targeted person?

• Report the comments to the platform that hosts them (see the advice given by the Stop Hate Speech project, in French or in German). In the event of racist comments, these can be reported to the platform of the Federal Commission against Racism.
• Take part in discussions constructively and respond to hate speech using counterspeech, as suggested by the Stop Hate Speech project (in French or in German). Bear in mind that responding with aggression and violence is counter-productive. Sometimes it may be appropriate not to respond at all, for example in certain cases of personal insults.
• For moderators: in certain cases, you can also delete or hide the comments concerned.

Are you experiencing online violence? If you need...

• Support, intervention or a response at any time in the event of psychological distress or an emergency: contact the authorities available in the event of an emergency
  
  In an emergency
  
  Campus de Dorigny
  From a mobile phone: 021 692 20 00
  From a landline: 115
  
  Bugnon/Epalinges campus or off campus
  Police: 117
  Ambulance: 144
  Fire brigade: 118
  Heart2Heart: 0800 143 000
  
  Perform a médico-légal report
  Receiving support for criminal offences