GUEST POST by Anon

During the initial phases of a controversy, the program known as

GGAutoBlocker was created under the false pretense of being a tool to combat online harassment. (F2) However the true intention of the tool is not to prevent harassment, but rather create a list of targets that they identify as harassers simply by following or associating with a person under the hashtag. (A4, B8) This tool as

stated by the creator, Randi Harper, is not only meant to be a block list, but also meant to ostracize and shame all those within the list. (A5) Therefore is an attempt to remove or prevent these individuals from seeking or entering employment within the tech industry. (E3)

The tool itself is not programmed adequately for its intended use. First the creator or admin of the program has to put twitter accounts on an origin list, which do not have to be connected to harassment of any kind. (A4, B11) Then it gathers the followers of those accounts and compares them. (A2) Next in the process is

looking to see if the followers are following two or more of these accounts. (A2) The program does not check the content of tweets for harassment, just who the person follows before blocking. (B11) Initially, there was no “white list” that would remove innocent people off of the GGAutoBlocker. This was later added after the KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) corporate account was added to the blocklist. (B2) The creator also changed the name of the origin list of account names from Blacklist.txt to Sourcelist.txt. (A7) This is an example of how inadequate this program is.

The tool itself was controversial before its release. The blocklist itself was available on November 4th, 2014. (A1) While she tries to say that the tool will not be used as industry blacklist she does have all the names in a convenient text file called “blacklist.txt” and has discussed about using the list to hinder or punish individuals trying to enter the industry or individuals that are currently within the

industry. (A2, B1) When the tool was first released there were several users on the blocklist that had nothing to do with online harassment at all, yet they were falsely labeled as harassers based on the blocklist. (B2, B3, B5) One example of these falsely accused individuals was @KFC. (B2) The head of IGDA Puerto Rico, Roberto Rosario was also added to the blocklist since he followed an account that was on the origin list. (B3, B5) Mr. Rosario requested that his name be removed from the blocklist and was refused by Ms. Harper. (D7)

One result of this poorly created tool was that IGDA names over ten thousand people as the worst offenders of online harassment without any possible proof. (C1, C2, E4). Several sites also discussed the poor execution of the GGAutoBlocker. (C3) There have been a few articles discussing the issue of privacy with the GGAutoBlocker and Ms. Harper. (C4) There have been releases on this subject of

personal information deliberately being release by Ms. Harper. (C4) Other companies have started using the GGAutoBlocker other than the IGDA. (C8)

The creator of the blocklist has actively harassed individuals who are not on the list or involved in any current online harassment. (D1, D2, D3, D4, E6) Ms. Harper is currently performing operations under three separate accounts, @randi_ebooks, @freebsdgirl, and @ggautoblocker. (F4, F5, F6) Any individual who has brought up valid concerns regarding the GGAutoBlocker has been met with

harsh comments and shaming tactics by Ms. Harper and her associates. (D3, D7) Some individuals have been blocked by Ms. Harper’s GGAutoBlocker and have made several requests to have their accounts put on the whitelist and she has given no logical reason as to why they have been refused. (B6, B9) The mass blocking by the GGAutoBlocker also made it difficult for some individuals to contact clients that needed their assistance. (B12) During recent events it seems that Ms. Harper has received special treatment from staff at twitter. (C11) The GGAutoBlocker was created as she stated to block harassment, yet Ms. Harper has harassed people and

is not on the list she has created.

Just after the creation of the GGAutoBlocker, Ms. Harper herself has discussed with others to use this as an industry blacklist. (B1, E7) She has also created separate lists in order to dox (release of personal or non public information) users. (E1) There are several individuals who have stated their opinions on how the GGAutoBlocker has been pushed out as a means of censorship. (C4, C5, C6, C7) Those who disagree with her tactics are also discriminated against. (E6) Ms. Harper and associates are currently targeting an indie game developer, via the developer’s Kickstarter in an attempt to hinder their finances. (E8) Very recently she reconfirmed the role of the GGAutoBlocker is a blacklist. (E9)

There is a common theme through out the gathering and research of the material above, that the GGAutoBlocker is a tool for harassment. The individuals on the origin list have been harassed, threatened, and had their personal information released. The actions against these individuals as well as many others

on this list would have been reduced or never existed, if this list was not created. If the list was never discussed as being used as a blacklist people on it would not have to worry about their current, future, or even potential jobs being on the line or being turned down by employers. Currently Ms. Harper has plans on utilizing her programs for many future controversies down the line. (F7) We are just now starting to see the negative effect of the GGAutoblocker. (C12)

How Randi Harper will exploit this down the line, is anyone’s guess.

Appendix

A == Git Hub / Program

A1 https://archive.today/eQYnb

A2 https://archive.today/VBjOz

A3 https://archive.today/mIA1W

A4 https://archive.today/RJKn0

A5 https://archive.today/vYkW4

A6 https://archive.today/cOYQ0

A7 https://archive.today/lJZCd

B == List / Whitelist

B1 http://archive.today/OfAN6

B2 http://imgur.com/jVxjd26

B3 http://archive.today/o36SN

B4 http://archive.today/kO7QP#selection-721.11-729.9

B5 http://archive.today/rIejk

B6 https://archive.today/m844o

B7 http://archive.today/U2fgs

B8 http://archive.today/Oiwx2

B9 https://archive.today/23erV

B10 https://archive.today/AyXiL

B11 http://archive.today/kO7QP

B12 https://archive.today/dThXK

B13 https://archive.today/7T77K

C == External Articles

C1

http://web.archive.org/web/20141120013027/http://www.igda.org/?page=harassmentresources#what-to-do

C2 http://archive.today/Q4ZaO#selection-623.144-623.169

C3 http://guardianlv.com/2014/11/ggautoblocker-an-ideological-weapon-poorly-conceived/

C4 http://archive.today/uCEaG

C5 https://archive.today/b7n6q

C6

http://www.reddit.com/r/KotakuInAction/comments/2n603f/thoughts_on_the_recent_igdaggautoblocker_incident/

C7 http://trevorpresiloski.com/2014/11/25/on-blacklists-censorship-twitter/

C8 https://spacemidget.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/raspberry-pi-use-scattershot-blocklist-and-put-hands-over-their-ears/

C9 https://theralphretort.com/big-randi-harper-booted-from-twitter-cause-still-unknown-202015/

C10 http://archive.today/K4biA

C11 https://archive.today/vTm7w

C12 https://archive.today/Sgulz

D == Harper Harassing

D1 https://archive.today/X7z5q

D2 https://archive.today/3kS8T

D3 http://archive.today/Z6ObU

D4 https://archive.today/eh5Sc

D5 https://theralphretort.com/wp-content/uploads/B3hW0gDIQAAeFmh.png

D6 https://theralphretort.com/wp-content/uploads/B3hNJwjCcAAzcd9.png

D7 http://archive.today/0DRRM

D8 http://archive.today/vhLs7

D9 https://archive.today/VBLfS

D10 https://archive.today/yo3nA

D11 https://archive.today/iP9IM

D12 https://archive.today/tpRjb#selection-39973.0-39973.106

D13 https://archive.today/JwjVI

D14 https://archive.today/iYOji

D15 http://archive.today/taocy

D16 https://archive.today/qZWDx

E == Blacklist / Blackball

E1 https://theralphretort.com/wp-content/uploads/Selection_380.png

E2 https://archive.today/5xVCQ

E3 http://archive.today/OfAN6

E4 http://archive.today/lRQla

E5 https://archive.today/d2RNO

E6 https://archive.today/t3935

E7 https://archive.today/pbAY7

E8 https://archive.today/ZvSQz

E9 https://archive.today/iYwe5

F == Other

F1 https://archive.today/W29BD

F2 https://archive.today/lS08s

F3 https://archive.today/43DlH

F4 https://archive.today/3Zz9A

F5 https://archive.today/wsawF

F6 https://archive.today/KCdOo

F7 https://archive.today/eL6Jd

REPLY from the site that hosts the GGAutoBlocker: