Intel and Lady Gaga team up to 'Hack Harassment'

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Hack Harassment is exactly what it sounds like -- a tech-driven initiative to curb online harassment and find solutions to issues with hate speech and threats on the web. The program, which Intel teased during its CES conference this week, is spearheaded by Intel, Vox Media, Re/code and Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation. Hack Harassment's first move will be a series of hackathons, held both online and in-person, with the goal of advancing anti-harassment technology.

The companies conducted a "representative survey of technology professionals living in the United States" and found 84 percent of respondents believed that victims of online harassment faced real-life risk and emotional impact. More than 60 percent believed the tech industry wasn't doing enough to combat online harassment, according to the survey.

Intel in particular has a keen interest in fighting online harassment and promoting diversity in the tech industry. It launched a $300 million response to Gamergate in 2014, and this week announced that since then, 43 percent of its new hires have been women and underrepresented minorities. The retention rate of these employees is on par with non-diverse hires, too. The company's first diversity and inclusion report should drop on February 3rd.

The companies behind Hack Harassment invite interested individuals and businesses to sign up and share ideas on its official site.

Source: Business Wire, Hack Harassment



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