User:Rhoark/sandbox/Gamergate controversy
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The Gamergate controversy is a collection of cultural debates about online harassment, video game journalism, and inclusion of women in video gaming. There is strong disagreement between participants in these debates as to what the controversy is fundamentally about.
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The controversy was sparked in August 2014 by a false accusation against game developer Zoe Quinn, though the issues date back at least to the 2012 controversy over Tropes vs. Women in Video Games by Anita Sarkeesian. It gained widespread press coverage in 2014 due to the harassment of these women, among other individuals. Threats of violence also disrupted physical gatherings including a planned speech by Sarkeesian, the South by Southwest festival, and a panel discussion hosted by the Southeast regional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The controversy has motivated efforts in government, social media providers, and independent non-profits to generate new solutions to online harassment.
The term "Gamergate" also references the #GamerGate hashtag and loosely associated online movement. Supporters of the movement alleged that members of the press were using their platforms to advance friends' careers. Wider participation in the movement was driven in reaction against media condemnations of gamer culture. The movement's critics meanwhile regarded its claims of being a watchdog for journalism ethics as a pretense for further harassment.