Learn to Code
Learn to Code was a right-wing online harassment campaign that primarily targeted journalists. It was conducted on Twitter against recently laid-off journalists from media organizations such as HuffPost and BuzzFeed. Beginning in January 2019, Learn to Code originated from 4chan's /pol/ messageboard, where journalists were targeted with malelovant tweets. The harassment campaign included death threats and targeted harrasment.
Origins
The origins of the phrase have been attributed to a man teaching web development to coal miners.[1][2] In January 2019, over 1,000 jobs in journalism were eliminated by news organizations, which included Buzzfeed, HuffPost and Yahoo.[3] On 1 February 2019, messages were made by journalists and users on platforms such as Twitter discussing the layoffs.[4] Messages encouraging unemployed journalists to "learn to code" quickly began circulating around the platform. When Talia Lavin, a former freelance writer for HuffPost started seeing the messages, she discovered posts from 4chan encouraging harassment against journalists with "learn to code",[1] with it being attributed to the /pol/ messageboard.[5] The phrase has been described as dog whistle,[1] or having a double meaning to justify harassment.[2]
Organization
Posts encouraging the harassment campaign originated from platforms such as 4chan and Gab. Talia Lavia found 4chan threads about users bragging about taunting journalists with sock puppet accounts.[6] She described how users on the /pol/ messageboard, which is popular with the far-right, were discussing a plan to spam social media accounts of journalists with the phrase. She described that the tactics were remiscent of the Gamergate harassment campaign.[7] Twitter took action against the campaign, as it violated their terms of service.[8]
Harassment and spread
Targets of the harassment were subject to hate speech, antisemitism and death threats.[6][9] Some targets were met with messages with the "Day of the Rope", a far-right meme about executing journalists.[6] Other right-wing commentators and websites mentioned the campaign, such as Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, and The Gateway Pundit.[10][9][7]
Devin Nunes, a republican politican, mentioned the phrase on Fox News's The Ingraham Angle.[11][5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "The weaponization of 'learn to code'". Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ a b Molloy, Parker. "How a myth about journalists telling miners to "learn to code" helped people justify harassment". Media Matters for America. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ Knibbs, Kate (2019-01-26). "BuzzFeed Layoffs Are a Bad Sign for Online News". The Ringer. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ McHugh, Molly (2019-01-29). ""Learn to Code": The Meme Attacking Media". The Ringer. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ a b Stephen, Bijan (2019-02-08). "Rep. Devin Nunes repeated a 4chan meme on national television". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ a b c "4chan trolls inundate laid off HuffPost and BuzzFeed reporters with death threats". NBC News. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ a b Lavin, Tal (2019-02-01). "The Fetid, Right-Wing Origins of "Learn to Code"". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ Soave, Robby (2019-03-11). "Yes, You Can Get Kicked Off Twitter for Saying 'Learn To Code'—Even If It's Not Harassment". Reason.com. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ a b Beery, Zoë. "The troll brigade berates laid off journalists". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ Right, Eyes on the (2019-01-31). "'Learn To Code': The Alt-Right's Latest Anti-Journalist Meme Is Based On A Lie". Angry White Men. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
- ^ Knoop, Joseph (2019-02-09). "Republican Devin Nunes used a 4chan meme to mock journalists". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 2023-03-23.