‘He threw me to the lions’: Parasitic behaviour and surveillance in online hate against feminists in Spain

Abstract

This article explores the dynamics of large-scale online attacks against feminists, with a focus on the roles of surveillance and parasitic behaviour in these practices. Drawing on a broader study of online hate targeting feminists in Spain, the article focuses on cases where attacks originated from profiles with substantial social media followings. The analysis builds on ethnographic fieldwork, including 26 case studies of online violence against feminists and 10 in-depth interviews with targeted women. The article highlights the organized and persistent nature of online harassment, orchestrated through online forums or by influential anti-feminist social media profiles. These profiles attack targets to create viral content and attract followers, while monetizing the harassment. By generating continuous content, they perpetuate the abuse while avoiding direct incitement, allowing them to evade responsibility for the harm they cause. The lack of platform intervention exacerbates the issue, contributing to a sense of constant surveillance for targets.