Crash Override Network

Crash Override Network
Founded January 2015 (2015-January)
Founders Zoë Quinn, Alex Lifschitz
Website www.crashoverridenetwork.com

Crash Override Network is a pro bono[1] support group for victims of large scale online abuse, including revenge porn and doxing.[2][3][4][5]

History

It was founded by game developers Zoë Quinn and Alex Lifschitz, and staffed exclusively by victims of online abuse whose identities are kept anonymous outside the group.[6][7] Quinn and Lifschitz were subjected to online abuse during the Gamergate controversy, having both received death threats and doxing attacks.[8][9][10]

Crash Override formed a partnership with Feminist Frequency in March 2016, which serves as its fiscal sponsor.[11]

In December 2016 the hotline was "temporarily suspended".[12]

Mission

The founders of the organisation want it to be considered a conversation starter, a repository for addressing problems that others in and out of the gaming community "have long hoped would simply go away."[10] The organisation's services are divided into three categories: ongoing assistance for victims, crisis centre support, and community outreach.[2][13] They provide post-crisis counselling services,[4] help seeking shelter,[13] and access to experts in information security, white hat hacking, law enforcement, public relations and threat monitoring.[2][7] The network tailors a unique plan of action for each victim[13] and works with law enforcement, the media, and social media.[13] They promise to help victims regardless of previous affiliations and ideology, including Gamergate supporters.[4]

The group has been credited with defusing a swatting attack by advising the target to preemptively contact the police.[6][14] Quinn said the launch of Crash Override Network led to a renewed and heightened campaign of abuse, and the website underwent daily hack attempts.[3] In May 2015 the organisation became an official Twitter trusted safety resource.[15]

Criticism

In September 2016, David Pakman discussed a series of leaked Skype chat logs and Trello page documents that appeared to show future members of Crash Override Network assembling dossiers on various individuals related to the Gamergate controversy, including himself; Pakman characterized the activity as "opposition research".[16]

References

  1. ↑ Alexander, Leigh (13 April 2016). "Online abuse: how women are fighting back". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Mlot, Stephanie (22 January 2015). "GamerGate Targets Launch Online Abuse Support Network". PC Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  3. 1 2 Sanghani, Radhika (30 January 2015). "Zoe Quinn: '#Gamergate has ruined my life. But I won't quit'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Cosimano, Mike (27 January 2015). "Zoe Quinn founds anti-harassment network Crash Override". Destructoid. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Cohen, Claire (21 January 2015). "#Gamergate: Victim of video games trolling launches anti-harrassment [sic] network". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  6. 1 2 Hudson, Laura (20 January 2015). "Gamergate Target Zoe Quinn Launches Anti-Harassment Support Network". Wired. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  7. 1 2 Morphy, Erika (22 January 2015). "Organized Community of Support". Technewsworld. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Mendoza, Jessica (20 January 2015). "Online harassment targets strike back against abusers. Will it work?". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Crash Override: a guide for handling a doxing". CBC.ca. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  10. 1 2 Martens, Todd (4 February 2015). "Crash Override offers relief from harassment in the gaming world". LA Times. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  11. ↑ Sarkeesian, Anita (3 March 2016). "Feminist Frequency and Crash Override Partnership". Feminist Frequency. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  12. ↑ http://www.crashoverridenetwork.com/about.html
  13. 1 2 3 4 Guerrero, Agustin (21 January 2015). "Gamergate targets launch Crash Override Network to support online abuse victims". National Monitor. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  14. ↑ Hern, Alex (13 January 2015). "Gamergate hits new low with attempts to send Swat teams to critics". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  15. ↑ Machkovech, Sam (20 May 2015). "GamerGate critic posts death threat voicemail after inaction by prosecutor". ArsTechnica. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  16. ↑ Pakman, David (14 September 2016). "After our GamerGate coverage, opposition research on David is leaked as part of the Crash Override Network leaks". The David Pakman Show. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
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