Building on the momentum of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, Twitter debuted a seemingly empowering #HereWeAre advertisement during the 2018 Oscars. However, the powerful ad has received some backlash, as Twitter users are alleging that the company ignores harassment against women on the site.
While most Twitter users agree with the empowering message behind Twitter’s #HereWeAre ad, The Washington Post explains that the internet is using the ad to speak out against some of Twitter’s questionable practices. Although the advertisement features an inspiring poem about female empowerment and promotes necessary inclusivity and visibility about women’s rights, many Twitter users claim that Twitter largely ignores reports about misogyny, racism, as well as harassment against people with disabilities.
A Twitter user and feminist author, Jessica Valenti, tweeted out, “#HereWeAre, still watching as Twitter does little to nothing about the rampant misogyny & racism that infects this space.”
#HereWeAre, still watching as Twitter does little to nothing about the rampant misogyny & racism that infects this space https://t.co/hJmywf3H2H
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) March 5, 2018
However, Valenti isn’t alone in her accusations that Twitter ignores reports of harassment against women.
Another Twitter user details her own experience attempting to report harassment, only to have her own account suspended. The user writes, “lol ‘stand with women’? like when I was getting DMd pics of me photoshopped to look like Hitler was sexually assaulting me, and you found none of those accounts in violation of TOS–and then suspended *me* for clapping back? #HereWeAre ? #WeHaveBeenHere, where tf have YOU been??!”
lol “stand with women”? like when I was getting DMd pics of me photoshopped to look like Hitler was sexually assaulting me, and you found none of those accounts in violation of TOS–and then suspended *me* for clapping back? #HereWeAre ? #WeHaveBeenHere, where tf have YOU been??! https://t.co/JuEIHwqwbl
— Coffee Spoonie (@coffeespoonie) March 5, 2018
Nevertheless, many users still appreciate Twitter’s attempt to join the feminist movement. “This #HereWeAre Twitter commercial just gave me chills. That was stunning. Now. Twitter, we shall await your continued work to make this platform safer for women who look like those in that commercial,” one user tweets.
This #HereWeAre Twitter commercial just gave me chills. That was stunning.
Now. Twitter, we shall await your continued work to make this platform safer for women who look like those in that commercial.
— Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) March 5, 2018
The Hollywood Reporter expands that the #HereWeAre ad is an edited version of the #SheInspiresMe short film, which debuted at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity last year. Though the adapted advertisement was designed to empower women and aid the #MeToo movement, it’s clear that many Twitter users view the ad as hypocritical. While users can appreciate the positive impact that the advertisement has, they can still be critical of it.
Nevertheless, #HereWeAre is giving Twitter users crucial exposure for the disgusting harassment that women face online. Likewise, it has given many users the platform to share their petitions that could help amend these prevalent issues.
Hopefully, Twitter will acknowledge the wave of Tweets using #HereWeAre to document the harassment and rape threats they’ve received on the platform and rectify its policies.