#GamerGate: When Information Cascades are Dangerous
http://www.n3rdabl3.co.uk/2014/10/tide-turning-gaming-says-anita-sarkeesian-way-going-gamergate/
The above article from tech site n3rdabl3 outlines and criticizes the internet gaming phenomenon known as “#GamerGate”. The entire history of the hashtag movement is described in the post, but a brief outline is thus: A disgruntled ex-boyfriend of game designer Zoe Quinn (falsely) accused her in a blog post of having personal relations with members of the video game press in order to promote her games. Even though these accusations were unfounded, an entire internet community rallied against her and the idea of women using their sexuality to gain nepotistic support of their purportedly subpar games. The voices and narratives of #GamerGate were very anti-feminist and what was supposedly initially a crusade for integrity in gaming journalism quickly turned ugly, as anonymous internet users began to send death threats via Twitter, email, etc. to a number of women prominent in gaming, including Quinn and feminist video game critic Anita Sarkeesian.
What we can learn from #GamerGate has a lot to do with how women are treated in the video gaming community, true, but I’d like to examine it more from a Networks perspective. The article I linked to states: “Misinformation spread, narratives formed, there was an ‘information cascade’ and Quinn received rape and death threats and was the victim of numerous hacking attempts.” In this case, information cascades can be both very potent and very dangerous. Members of online communities often have access for the most part to those groups of which they are part (thanks to in-linking within clusters), and do not like to seek out sources that may come from opposing viewpoints. Therefore, when #GamerGate was first beginning, and people were seeking out information, they followed the same narratives as the people in their communities (an information-based cascade) and trusted that those people knew what was right. Moreover, there was also a direct-benefit cascade that occurred in this phenomenon. As is exhibited by the fact that a huge number people issued death and rape threats, there are clearly many fanatical, passionate members of the #GamerGate movement and the communities from which it spawned. Therefore, it would have been a direct benefit to a member of this community to join the cause to maintain reputation and acceptance. With all of these network forces and information cascade mechanisms, #GamerGate grew into a giant, mono-narrative movement, without anyone stepping back and questioning their methods or validity. The cascade was simply too large and influential to allow it.
Information cascades can be good, of course, but it is cases such as #GamerGate that should make us examine critically what role they play in our lives and in our culture. Being a member of a cause is one thing, but when that cause takes to actively threatening the health and safety of people who haven’t done anything wrong, then it is imperative that one takes a step back and take personal responsibility.