Why I Always Bring Up Gizmodo at CES

Frequently when discussing #GamerGate I always mention Gizmodo at CES. You can watch it here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICpM3ItIhI0#t=62 (queued up to my "favorite" part). I do this often and I will never stop. My reasoning is simple.



For 7+ years, Gawker media has been profiting off bullying. It doesn't matter which entity of theirs does it, it is still endorsed (either passively or actively) by Gawker. Going to an industry trade show to "prank" presenters and demos with a TV-B-Gone is so far beyond the realm of prank that I'm filled with disgust people think it would be funny.



What this "prank" did was erase the massive efforts of the individuals on the projects and technology being presented. They spent months or years researching, building, and refining their product for a perfect demonstration. For some it was a job, others a passion, and for even more a combination of those two. To have your tech demoed at a live event is a scary thought, anything can go wrong. So you rehearse, you plan contingencies, and so on. But accounting for a cunt-nugget "reported" that actively sabotages demos is almost never in the plan. Why is that? Because the vast majority of people aren't despicable. They understand that a tech demo can mean promotions, bonuses, layoffs, budget changes, product changes, and so on. It can literally make or break careers.



What we see now, 7+ years later at Gawker is that they still bully nerds and tech enthusiasts. More than that, their writers and editors-in-chief *actively* promote bullying and degrading nerds "into submission"



Dear Gawker,



The only reason why you have a platform to spew your vile speech is because nerds and tech enthusiasts built this digital world. We endorse the right to free speech, even when it is a double-edge sword used against us. However, just as we built this platform, we have no qualms contacting advertisers to notify them how we are being represented and treated. To remove advertising from your site is not silencing, it is not censorship. It is merely companies declaring, "We don't want to be associated with something that toxic and harmful to this culture" Let that sink in. That you are actively harming those that built your platform and those that share the culture. We don't DDoS your site, hack it, or use any other black-hat means to get the word out. We just shine a light on your own behavior, your own words, your own double-standards, and your own clear lack of ethical standards.



I think this is what scares them the most. Shining a light on their toxicity reveals their characters as people, and it's not a kind image. We can argue about how people can change all we want, but there is 7+ years of evidence that Gawker has no intentions of changing. Not then, and not now. So we'll just keep contacting advertisers, keep making image macros of your words you chose to speak. And we'll spread it like wildfire. We will not forget how you treated us then, nor will we forget how you treat us now. This is the fate you chose for yourself. This is not a threat, this is not a declaration of any online "war". This is simply, "we'll show your true colors to those that pay your bills as we leave your sites for more ethical journalists" The fact that so many companies are willing to pull advertising from your media properties should send you a signal, but in case it doesn't, "You add nothing. You are a net-negative on nerd and tech culture. We built this place without you and we will continue to be here well after you have moved on to different people and groups to hate."



So, no matter how many times you declare you are tired of GamerGate, I will continue. I will watch Giz @ CES, empathize with those developers that got royally fucked by your unethical standards, and I will calmly send my emails. Then I will play vidya with my friends. Then back to emails. I have done this for months, and I will continue to do so for many more. I am not alone in this. Many within this community have been severely bullied, harassed, assaulted, or worse while growing up, all that the hands of the more popular/vocal individuals. As a result, we stick up for those without a voice, simply by shining a light on your own behavior.



We will not forget how you behave or treat others. Not while you're at Gawker, not while you're at other companies, not while you're on the internet. Not ever, because you have proven time and time again that you will not reform and treat others with respect. This is not a threat, this is simply a statement of the past 2 months. The more you insult and shout us down, the louder and larger we grow. So please, call us misogynistic man-babies all you want, we can take it. But we will not forget that you said it.



- Your friendly Sock Muppet

Reply · Report Post