Netgain Challenge

Today, it is estimated that 200 million more men than women are online. This gap reflects historic imbalances in education, resources, technology definition/creation/implementation and more. In addition, the gap both reflects and exacerbates off-line violence against women, further widening the divide online. Online harassment is gendered and women are more likely to experience sustained, sexual harassment and gendered abuse (revenge porn, cybermobs, rape extortion, etc.) that affects their ability or desire to engage, work and freely express themselves in equal measure. This violence, online and off, is not traditionally thought of as a major suppressant of women's free speech or their ability to pursue education or economic opportunities, which it clearly is. The challenge is - how do we address this gap so that girls and women around the world can participate in this new commons and so that it does not grow exponentially over time.