Women and Social Media | 46

We’re back! In this episode, we discuss women in Social Media, including some famous women from social media and internet history, a recent social media whistleblower, and facts and research about what happens to women online (it’s not all bad, but it’s mostly bad). 

Women are more active on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, though they are less likely to be listened to and more likely to be harassed. Allegra shares some history about Radia Perlman, whose inventions helped make the internet possible, and Joan Ball, who was the first person to make computer-based dating successful. Misty discusses Facebook whistleblower Sophie Zhang, and what Facebook has been up to (it’s almost entirely bad). 

We’re inspired by all three women. Plus, we talk about what we’ve been up to since March. 

Want extra reading? Here’s where we did our research:

• A brief history of Facebook | Technology- The Guardian
• Facebook Is Failing in Global Disinformation Fight, Says Former Worker - NYT
• Whistleblower Says Facebook Ignored Global Political Manipulation - Buzzfeed
• How Social Media Has Reshaped Feminism - Council on Foreign Relations
• Twitter still failing women over online violence and abuse - Amnesty International
• Women equal men in computing skill, but are less confident - The Conversation
• Toward a cyberfeminist future: A new study centers African women as protagonists online - Global Voices
• 15 of the most important women in tech who changed the world - Mashable
• Radia Perlman: Don't Call Me the Mother of the Internet - The Atlantic
• The Mother of All Swipes - About Joan Ball - Logic Magazine
• Rewind - Before Tinder, there was Dateline | 1843 magazine - The Economist
• Women have about half the followers of men on Twitter and otherwise diminished influence - IHE

Profess-Hers is presented by Misty, a History professor, and Allegra, an English professor, both of whom are here for having a serious, fun conversation about looking at literature, history, current events, pop culture, and media through a feminist lens.

Find the Profess-Hers Podcast on Twitter and Instagram @Professhers.

Profess-Hers is written and created by Allegra Davis Hanna and Misty Wilson-Mehrtens. We produce the show ourselves, with help from Austin Haynes.