Learn to Code

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Learn to Code was a right-wing online campaign that primarily targeted journalists. It was conducted on Twitter against recently laid-off journalists from media organizations such as HuffPost and BuzzFeed. Beginning in January 2019, Learn to Code originated from 4chan's /pol/ messageboard, where journalists were targeted with malevolent tweets. The harassment campaign included death threats and targeted harassment.

Origin and spread[edit]

The origins of the phrase have been attributed to a man teaching web development to coal miners.[1][2] It became associated with journalists because multiple major publishers wrote articles celebrating his work.[3][4][5][6] In January 2019, over 1,000 jobs in journalism were eliminated by news organizations, which included BuzzFeed and HuffPost.[7] On February 1, 2019, messages were made by journalists and users on platforms such as Twitter discussing the layoffs.[8] Messages encouraging unemployed journalists to "learn to code" quickly began circulating around the platform. When Talia Lavin, a former freelance writer for HuffPost started seeing the messages, she discovered posts from 4chan encouraging harassment against journalists with the message,[1] with it being attributed to the /pol/ messageboard.[9] The phrase has been described as a dog whistle,[1] or having a double meaning to justify harassment.[2]

Organization[edit]

Posts encouraging the harassment campaign originated from platforms such as 4chan and Gab. Talia Lavia found 4chan threads about users bragging about taunting journalists with sock puppet accounts.[10] She described how users on the /pol/ messageboard, which is popular with the alt-right, were discussing a plan to spam social media accounts of journalists with the phrase. She described that the tactics were remiscent of the Gamergate harassment campaign.[11] Twitter took action against the campaign, as it violated their terms of service.[12]

Harassment and spread[edit]

Targets of the harassment were subject to hate speech, antisemitism and death threats.[10][13] Some targets were met with messages of the "Day of the Rope", a reference to the day of mass execution in The Turner Diaries.[2][10] Other right-wing commentators and websites mentioned the campaign, such as Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, and The Gateway Pundit.[13][11] Devin Nunes, a Republican politician, mentioned the phrase on Fox News's The Ingraham Angle.[14][9]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "The weaponization of 'learn to code'". Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Molloy, Parker. "How a myth about journalists telling miners to "learn to code" helped people justify harassment". Media Matters for America. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  3. ^ Smiley, Lauren. "Can You Teach a Coal Miner to Code? | Backchannel". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  4. ^ Field, Anne. "Turning Coal Miners Into Coders--And Preventing A Brain Drain". Forbes. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  5. ^ "Out-of-work coal miners find new work in computer industry - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. November 18, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  6. ^ "Appalachian Miners Are Learning to Code". Bloomberg.com. February 3, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  7. ^ Knibbs, Kate (January 26, 2019). "BuzzFeed Layoffs Are a Bad Sign for Online News". The Ringer. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  8. ^ McHugh, Molly (January 29, 2019). ""Learn to Code": The Meme Attacking Media". The Ringer. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Stephen, Bijan (February 8, 2019). "Rep. Devin Nunes repeated a 4chan meme on national television". The Verge. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "4chan trolls inundate laid off HuffPost and BuzzFeed reporters with death threats". NBC News. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Lavin, Tal (February 1, 2019). "The Fetid, Right-Wing Origins of "Learn to Code"". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Soave, Robby (March 11, 2019). "Yes, You Can Get Kicked Off Twitter for Saying 'Learn To Code'—Even If It's Not Harassment". Reason.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Beery, Zoë. "The troll brigade berates laid off journalists". Columbia Journalism Review. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  14. ^ Knoop, Joseph (February 9, 2019). "Republican Devin Nunes used a 4chan meme to mock journalists". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2023.