Crash Override Network was a support group for victims of large scale online abuse, including revenge porn and doxing.[1][2][3][4][5]
 | |
| Founded | January 2015 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Zoë Quinn, Alex Lifschitz |
| Dissolved | 2018 |
| Website | www |
History
Crash Override was founded by game developers Zoë Quinn and Alex Lifschitz,[6] and was staffed exclusively by victims of online abuse whose identities were kept anonymous outside the group.[7] Quinn and Lifschitz were subjected to online abuse during the Gamergate harassment campaign, with both receiving death threats and being doxxed.[8][9][10]
Crash Override formed a partnership with Feminist Frequency in March 2016, which served as its financial sponsor.[11]
From December 2016, Crash Override's hotline was closed.[12] Some time in 2018, Crash Override closed fully, and "passed the torch to other organisations".[13]
Mission
The founders of Crash Override consider it 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][14] They provide post-crisis counseling services,[4] help seeking shelter,[14] 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[14] and works with law enforcement, the media, and social media.[14] 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][15] 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.[16]
References
- ^ Alexander, Leigh (13 April 2016). "Online abuse: how women are fighting back". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Mlot, Stephanie (22 January 2015). "GamerGate Targets Launch Online Abuse Support Network". PC Magazine. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ a b Sanghani, Radhika (30 January 2015). "Zoe Quinn: '#Gamergate has ruined my life. But I won't quit'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ a b c Cosimano, Mike (27 January 2015). "Zoe Quinn founds anti-harassment network Crash Override". Destructoid. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Cohen, Claire (21 January 2015). "#Gamergate: Victim of video games trolling launches anti-harassment network". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ a b Hudson, Laura (20 January 2015). "Gamergate Target Zoe Quinn Launches Anti-Harassment Support Network". Wired. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ a b Morphy, Erika (22 January 2015). "Organized Community of Support". Technewsworld. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Mendoza, Jessica (20 January 2015). "Online harassment targets strike back against abusers. Will it work?". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ "Crash Override: a guide for handling a doxing". CBC.ca. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ a b Martens, Todd (4 February 2015). "Crash Override offers relief from harassment in the gaming world". LA Times. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- ^ Sarkeesian, Anita (3 March 2016). "Feminist Frequency and Crash Override Partnership". Feminist Frequency. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ "Crash Override Network // Who We Are And What We Do". www.crashoverridenetwork.com. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ "Feminist Frequency Annual Report 2018" (PDF). p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
In 2018, the Crash Override team passed the torch to other groups devoted to supporting survivors of online abuse.
- ^ a b c d Guerrero, Agustin (21 January 2015). "Gamergate targets launch Crash Override Network to support online abuse victims". National Monitor. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Hern, Alex (13 January 2015). "Gamergate hits new low with attempts to send SWAT teams to critics". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ Machkovech, Sam (20 May 2015). "GamerGate critic posts death threat voicemail after inaction by prosecutor". ArsTechnica. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
