‘Both surprising … and not surprising’ – Gina Neff discusses online abuse against women on BBC Woman’s Hour

Yesterday, Professor Gina Neff joined Tortoise Media’s Alexi Mostrous on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour to discuss revelations that hundreds of online bots appear to have trolled Amber Heard during her legal dispute with Johnny Depp.

On Monday 26 February, Tortoise Media published the results of a new investigation: Depp v Heard: who trolled Amber?

The investigation suggested that Amber Heard was trolled by an army of bots, some of them apparently operating from Saudi Arabia.

Going beyond the specifics of one legal case, this sort of online abuse has real world implications for justice, women’s work and livelihoods, and our ability to live our lives.

Research suggests 61% of women have experienced some kind of online harassment. Gina Neff argued that platforms have a responsibility to put tools in people’s hands to help combat this kind of abuse when it happens.

Listen back here. The piece is the first of the show, and Gina Neff’s contribution begins at 9.55