The Volokh Conspiracy

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"Strangers on the Internet" Podcast Episode 44: Fighting Image-Based Sexual Abuse and Online Harassment

Prof. Mary Anne Franks lays out the legal changes needed to protect people on the Internet

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The forty-forth episode (Apple Podcasts link here) of "Strangers on the Internet" with co-host and psychologist Michelle Lange features Prof. Mary Anne Franks from the George Washington University Law School.

We sit down with our esteemed guest to take stock of the state of Internet safety (or lack thereof) today. Mary Anne explains why "revenge porn" is generally a misnomer, why women are particularly at risk in a variety of online settings, and what has made it so difficult to pass federal legislation to protect individuals from having naked images of themselves distributed nonconsensually.

The law professor and Krav Maga instructor also discusses what readers will find in her forthcoming second book "Fearless Speech," why only criminalization is likely to incentivize potential online abusers to stay put, and what encourages her to continue advocating for women's rights in the face of death threats. Join us for a conversation about both individual safety measures and the broader structural changes needed to prevent further victimization!

Mary Anne Franks
(Mary Anne Franks)