This paper provides a unique insight into the impact of computer misuse crime, such as hacking, d... more This paper provides a unique insight into the impact of computer misuse crime, such as hacking, denial of service attacks, ransomware and computer viruses/malware on individual and small and medium sized enterprises/organisation (SME/O) victims in the UK. Based upon in depth interviews with 52 (38 individual and 14 SME/O) victims it shows that these victims experience many of the impacts associated with other volume crimes. Building upon research on comparable offences the paper proposes eight categories of impact, which include: little or no impact, financial, disruption, psychological (which was broken down further), feelings of violation, loss of digital possessions, , health and secondary impacts. The research highlights that although for some the impact is very minor, many experience much more extensive impacts, even when there is no financial loss and for some the impact was so severe it was compared to rape.
With its wealth of readily and often publicly available information about Web users’ lives, the W... more With its wealth of readily and often publicly available information about Web users’ lives, the Web has created new opportunities for conducting online research. Although digital data are easily accessible, ethical guidelines are inconsistent about how researchers should use them. Some academics claim that traditional ethical principles are sufficient and applicable to online research. However, the Web poses new challenges that compel researchers to reconsider concerns of consent, privacy and anonymity. Based on doctoral research into the investigation of online medicine purchasing, this article presents a case study involving online forums, and reviews the existing ethical guidance surrounding the Web. The suggestion is that new ethical guidelines, particularly in relation to informed consent and participants’ own perceptions of what is public or private, are needed owing to the unique challenges of online research.
A study of live methods including experimentation, attentiveness, collaboration, multi-media plat... more A study of live methods including experimentation, attentiveness, collaboration, multi-media platforms, public sociology, the game of social life and research, idiotic methods, scavenging, mapping and topologies Global in scope and inter-woven by theoretical and methodological considerations; Chapters emerge from the Methods Lab at Goldsmiths University which is committed to developing inventive ways of 'doing sociology'; Studies the practice of sociological imagination and the aim is to make social research responsive to social life - to bring it alive
Incels (involuntary celibates), a subgroup of the so called ‘manosphere,’ have become an increasi... more Incels (involuntary celibates), a subgroup of the so called ‘manosphere,’ have become an increasing security concern for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners following their association with several violent attacks. Once mostly contained on niche men’s forums, redpilled and blackpilled communities and theories are gaining prominence on mainstream social media platforms. However, whilst previous research considerably enhanced our understanding of the incel phenomenon and their presence on Reddit and secluded incel forums, incel’s presence on mainstream social media platforms is understudied and their presence on TikTok is yet to be addressed. The present paper examines the incel subculture on TikTok, through an analysis of incel accounts, videos and their respective comments, to understand the role mainstream social media platforms play in the ‘normiefication’ and normalisation of incel ideology and discourse. The findings suggest that on TikTok the expression of incel ideolo...
In this study we draw on the concept of respectable deviance to understand the journey into devia... more In this study we draw on the concept of respectable deviance to understand the journey into deviancefrom her rise as an alternative health expert through to her public disgraceof Belle Gibson, a young Australian blogger, app publisher and alternative medicine advocate who falsely claimed to have cured cancer without reverting to science-based medicine. Through the rigorous analysis of a series of media and documentary sources where Ms Gibson provided autobiographical accounts of her life experience, the argument is presented that the promotion of one's self as a health expert and subsequently being outed as a fraudster encourages techniques of neutralization and particular presentations of self to respond and manage negative labelling and the stigma attached.
This book series addresses the urgent need to advance knowledge in the fields of cybercrime and c... more This book series addresses the urgent need to advance knowledge in the fields of cybercrime and cybersecurity. Because the exponential expansion of computer technologies and use of the Internet have greatly increased the access by criminals to people, institutions, and businesses around the globe, the series will be international in scope. It provides a home for cutting-edge long-form research. Further, the series seeks to spur conversation about how traditional criminological theories apply to the online environment. The series welcomes contributions from early career researchers as well as established scholars on a range of topics in the cybercrime and cybersecurity fields.
This chapter considers the new opportunities for purchasing medicine provided by the Web. These o... more This chapter considers the new opportunities for purchasing medicine provided by the Web. These opportunities are incorporated within the challenges to the pharmaceutical market place, governance and regulation, and healthcare expertise fused with the discourses on risk. In the first instance an investigation into the routes to online medicine purchasing is undertaken utilising the empirical research data, before the chapter turns to how regulation is navigated by distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate online medicine purchasing. Qualitative accounts involving challenges to healthcare expertise are also presented.
The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women, 2021
Just killed a woman, feeling good. (TommyInnit) TommyInnit is a popular YouTuber who plays Minecr... more Just killed a woman, feeling good. (TommyInnit) TommyInnit is a popular YouTuber who plays Minecraft. In May 2021, Tom-myInnit, who is 17, had 8.7 million subscribers, a number which continues to grow exponentially. Minecraft's average user demographic is 15-to 21-year-olds, 1 although the game is suitable from age three years. The natural progression from playing Minecraft as a young child is to engage with YouTubers and learn about modifications for the game and to be part of the gaming community where derogatory language about women and minority groups is used in abundance. Tom-myInnit's catchphrase, however, is just one example of normalised male violence towards women in popular discourse, which is not confined to the online realm and is far more widespread than incels. Utilising analyses of research data underpinned by the sociology of deviance, subcultural, gender and feminist theory, this chapter explores the lure of the manosphere and the appeal of rejecting progressive social values. Incels have been increasingly described as extremists, which has far-reaching connotations in how they are responded to, and so it is important to critically analyse the accuracy of this application. The chapter considers how rudimentary incel beliefs are enactments of male supremacy, which some but not all individuals in incel communities can and indeed do internalise and become fanatical about. Pathologising groups such as incels as 'deviant others', distinct from 'ordinary men', is problematic as it suggests that explicit sexism is confined to these small groups rather than being symbolic of wider societal perspectives and behaviours. Although the hatred of women espoused by incels is acute, their attitudes are actually symptomatic of structural misogyny, further emboldened by the precarious and increasingly rightwing Western political climate, a manifestation of what bell hooks (2013) refers to as 'the imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy'.
The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women, 2021
It is a very scary time for young men in America, where you can be guilty of something you may no... more It is a very scary time for young men in America, where you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of … Women are doing great. (Donald Trump, 2 October 2018, on the #MeToo movement) The virtual war against women is not confined to or predominantly fostered within incel spaces, and it is also not occurring entirely online, though much of the support and dissemination of the misogynistic and anti-feminist messages are generated and propagated by men with extensive public platforms and followings, which then extend offline. Much of what is being espoused, however, long predates the internet and patriarchal ideologies about the inferiority of women are being regurgitated and recycled online, into the minds and mouths of people offline, in a continuous misogynistic loop. This chapter shows how even though there are 'acceptable' forms of misogyny-the day-today micro-sexisms easily dismissed as 'lad culture' or banter, and seemingly extreme forms-such as incels, gender inequality is preserved via normalised practices of everyday misogyny. All modes are components of the same war on women, comprising of vitriol directed towards any challenge to the patriarchal status quo and demonstrating opposition towards progression. This chapter also explores the impact of leaders, known misogynists, yet able to maintain powerful and public platforms, for example, the political success of men like the former President of the United States (POTUS) Donald Trump contributes to perceptions of women, enabling further objection towards gender equality. Then, there are those associated with the alt-right and the manosphere, including the so-called intellectual dark web. Jordan Peterson, Milo Yiannopoulos, Roosh V, Paul Elam, and others espouse the same right-wing rhetoric as that propagated by incels, Men's Rights Activists (MRAs) and the alt-right, yet are able to maintain a veneer of respectability and credence emboldening these movements, and there is evidence that their influence is leaking into public life and the mainstream.
and how we reflexively see ourselves, or as Mead put it: 'one does respond to that which he addre... more and how we reflexively see ourselves, or as Mead put it: 'one does respond to that which he addresses to another and where that response of his own becomes a part of his conduct, where he not only hears himself but responds to himself ' (Mead 1934: 139). Goffman used these ideas to examine mundane and everyday social interactions such as walking on the street and getting in a lift. He was especially interested in understanding behaviour that occurred in public places and 'regulation', that is how people handle or manage themselves in face-to-face interactions with others. Goffman developed the idea of dramaturgy-using the metaphor of drama to understand these interactions. He suggested that presence of others-the audienceallows individuals to adjust and perfect their behaviour, a technique he termed 'impression management' (Goffman,
This article seeks to establish the connection—via shared discourse—between Incels and mainstream... more This article seeks to establish the connection—via shared discourse—between Incels and mainstream pornography. With an interdisciplinary approach which involves a Corpus Linguistics analysis of Reddit forum data, research into digital behaviors, and a feminist critique, this article focuses on the commonalities between the language of pornography and that of Incels. In doing so, it demonstrates how both pornography and Incels are different manifestations of the same misogyny. The findings of this study highlight the normalization of violence against women (VAW), which continues to be endemic in society, enabled and exacerbated by contemporary technologies.
This paper provides a unique insight into the impact of computer misuse crime, such as hacking, d... more This paper provides a unique insight into the impact of computer misuse crime, such as hacking, denial of service attacks, ransomware and computer viruses/malware on individual and small and medium sized enterprises/organisation (SME/O) victims in the UK. Based upon in depth interviews with 52 (38 individual and 14 SME/O) victims it shows that these victims experience many of the impacts associated with other volume crimes. Building upon research on comparable offences the paper proposes eight categories of impact, which include: little or no impact, financial, disruption, psychological (which was broken down further), feelings of violation, loss of digital possessions, , health and secondary impacts. The research highlights that although for some the impact is very minor, many experience much more extensive impacts, even when there is no financial loss and for some the impact was so severe it was compared to rape.
With its wealth of readily and often publicly available information about Web users’ lives, the W... more With its wealth of readily and often publicly available information about Web users’ lives, the Web has created new opportunities for conducting online research. Although digital data are easily accessible, ethical guidelines are inconsistent about how researchers should use them. Some academics claim that traditional ethical principles are sufficient and applicable to online research. However, the Web poses new challenges that compel researchers to reconsider concerns of consent, privacy and anonymity. Based on doctoral research into the investigation of online medicine purchasing, this article presents a case study involving online forums, and reviews the existing ethical guidance surrounding the Web. The suggestion is that new ethical guidelines, particularly in relation to informed consent and participants’ own perceptions of what is public or private, are needed owing to the unique challenges of online research.
A study of live methods including experimentation, attentiveness, collaboration, multi-media plat... more A study of live methods including experimentation, attentiveness, collaboration, multi-media platforms, public sociology, the game of social life and research, idiotic methods, scavenging, mapping and topologies Global in scope and inter-woven by theoretical and methodological considerations; Chapters emerge from the Methods Lab at Goldsmiths University which is committed to developing inventive ways of 'doing sociology'; Studies the practice of sociological imagination and the aim is to make social research responsive to social life - to bring it alive
Incels (involuntary celibates), a subgroup of the so called ‘manosphere,’ have become an increasi... more Incels (involuntary celibates), a subgroup of the so called ‘manosphere,’ have become an increasing security concern for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners following their association with several violent attacks. Once mostly contained on niche men’s forums, redpilled and blackpilled communities and theories are gaining prominence on mainstream social media platforms. However, whilst previous research considerably enhanced our understanding of the incel phenomenon and their presence on Reddit and secluded incel forums, incel’s presence on mainstream social media platforms is understudied and their presence on TikTok is yet to be addressed. The present paper examines the incel subculture on TikTok, through an analysis of incel accounts, videos and their respective comments, to understand the role mainstream social media platforms play in the ‘normiefication’ and normalisation of incel ideology and discourse. The findings suggest that on TikTok the expression of incel ideolo...
In this study we draw on the concept of respectable deviance to understand the journey into devia... more In this study we draw on the concept of respectable deviance to understand the journey into deviancefrom her rise as an alternative health expert through to her public disgraceof Belle Gibson, a young Australian blogger, app publisher and alternative medicine advocate who falsely claimed to have cured cancer without reverting to science-based medicine. Through the rigorous analysis of a series of media and documentary sources where Ms Gibson provided autobiographical accounts of her life experience, the argument is presented that the promotion of one's self as a health expert and subsequently being outed as a fraudster encourages techniques of neutralization and particular presentations of self to respond and manage negative labelling and the stigma attached.
This book series addresses the urgent need to advance knowledge in the fields of cybercrime and c... more This book series addresses the urgent need to advance knowledge in the fields of cybercrime and cybersecurity. Because the exponential expansion of computer technologies and use of the Internet have greatly increased the access by criminals to people, institutions, and businesses around the globe, the series will be international in scope. It provides a home for cutting-edge long-form research. Further, the series seeks to spur conversation about how traditional criminological theories apply to the online environment. The series welcomes contributions from early career researchers as well as established scholars on a range of topics in the cybercrime and cybersecurity fields.
This chapter considers the new opportunities for purchasing medicine provided by the Web. These o... more This chapter considers the new opportunities for purchasing medicine provided by the Web. These opportunities are incorporated within the challenges to the pharmaceutical market place, governance and regulation, and healthcare expertise fused with the discourses on risk. In the first instance an investigation into the routes to online medicine purchasing is undertaken utilising the empirical research data, before the chapter turns to how regulation is navigated by distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate online medicine purchasing. Qualitative accounts involving challenges to healthcare expertise are also presented.
The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women, 2021
Just killed a woman, feeling good. (TommyInnit) TommyInnit is a popular YouTuber who plays Minecr... more Just killed a woman, feeling good. (TommyInnit) TommyInnit is a popular YouTuber who plays Minecraft. In May 2021, Tom-myInnit, who is 17, had 8.7 million subscribers, a number which continues to grow exponentially. Minecraft's average user demographic is 15-to 21-year-olds, 1 although the game is suitable from age three years. The natural progression from playing Minecraft as a young child is to engage with YouTubers and learn about modifications for the game and to be part of the gaming community where derogatory language about women and minority groups is used in abundance. Tom-myInnit's catchphrase, however, is just one example of normalised male violence towards women in popular discourse, which is not confined to the online realm and is far more widespread than incels. Utilising analyses of research data underpinned by the sociology of deviance, subcultural, gender and feminist theory, this chapter explores the lure of the manosphere and the appeal of rejecting progressive social values. Incels have been increasingly described as extremists, which has far-reaching connotations in how they are responded to, and so it is important to critically analyse the accuracy of this application. The chapter considers how rudimentary incel beliefs are enactments of male supremacy, which some but not all individuals in incel communities can and indeed do internalise and become fanatical about. Pathologising groups such as incels as 'deviant others', distinct from 'ordinary men', is problematic as it suggests that explicit sexism is confined to these small groups rather than being symbolic of wider societal perspectives and behaviours. Although the hatred of women espoused by incels is acute, their attitudes are actually symptomatic of structural misogyny, further emboldened by the precarious and increasingly rightwing Western political climate, a manifestation of what bell hooks (2013) refers to as 'the imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy'.
The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women, 2021
It is a very scary time for young men in America, where you can be guilty of something you may no... more It is a very scary time for young men in America, where you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of … Women are doing great. (Donald Trump, 2 October 2018, on the #MeToo movement) The virtual war against women is not confined to or predominantly fostered within incel spaces, and it is also not occurring entirely online, though much of the support and dissemination of the misogynistic and anti-feminist messages are generated and propagated by men with extensive public platforms and followings, which then extend offline. Much of what is being espoused, however, long predates the internet and patriarchal ideologies about the inferiority of women are being regurgitated and recycled online, into the minds and mouths of people offline, in a continuous misogynistic loop. This chapter shows how even though there are 'acceptable' forms of misogyny-the day-today micro-sexisms easily dismissed as 'lad culture' or banter, and seemingly extreme forms-such as incels, gender inequality is preserved via normalised practices of everyday misogyny. All modes are components of the same war on women, comprising of vitriol directed towards any challenge to the patriarchal status quo and demonstrating opposition towards progression. This chapter also explores the impact of leaders, known misogynists, yet able to maintain powerful and public platforms, for example, the political success of men like the former President of the United States (POTUS) Donald Trump contributes to perceptions of women, enabling further objection towards gender equality. Then, there are those associated with the alt-right and the manosphere, including the so-called intellectual dark web. Jordan Peterson, Milo Yiannopoulos, Roosh V, Paul Elam, and others espouse the same right-wing rhetoric as that propagated by incels, Men's Rights Activists (MRAs) and the alt-right, yet are able to maintain a veneer of respectability and credence emboldening these movements, and there is evidence that their influence is leaking into public life and the mainstream.
and how we reflexively see ourselves, or as Mead put it: 'one does respond to that which he addre... more and how we reflexively see ourselves, or as Mead put it: 'one does respond to that which he addresses to another and where that response of his own becomes a part of his conduct, where he not only hears himself but responds to himself ' (Mead 1934: 139). Goffman used these ideas to examine mundane and everyday social interactions such as walking on the street and getting in a lift. He was especially interested in understanding behaviour that occurred in public places and 'regulation', that is how people handle or manage themselves in face-to-face interactions with others. Goffman developed the idea of dramaturgy-using the metaphor of drama to understand these interactions. He suggested that presence of others-the audienceallows individuals to adjust and perfect their behaviour, a technique he termed 'impression management' (Goffman,
This article seeks to establish the connection—via shared discourse—between Incels and mainstream... more This article seeks to establish the connection—via shared discourse—between Incels and mainstream pornography. With an interdisciplinary approach which involves a Corpus Linguistics analysis of Reddit forum data, research into digital behaviors, and a feminist critique, this article focuses on the commonalities between the language of pornography and that of Incels. In doing so, it demonstrates how both pornography and Incels are different manifestations of the same misogyny. The findings of this study highlight the normalization of violence against women (VAW), which continues to be endemic in society, enabled and exacerbated by contemporary technologies.
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Papers by Lisa Sugiura