About the Project
Background
Digital violence against women is an expanding problem, ranging from online harassment to the use of advanced technologies such as deepfakes to defame. With increasing connectivity and access to the Internet, it is essential to understand how technology not only reflects but also amplifies pre-existing gender biases. Gender biases in technological innovation affect algorithm design, content moderation, and other technical areas, intensifying digital violence by failing to identify abusive behavior adequately or allowing the dissemination of harmful content. In the Maule region, these problems are exacerbated by rurality and the digital gender gap, limiting women’s access to online protection resources. The recent declaration of the Internet as a public service in Chile offers new opportunities to address these challenges from a technological perspective.
General Objective
To analyze how gender biases in technological innovation generate and enhance digital violence against women in the Maule region, particularly in Talca.
Specific Objectives
1. Identify the main forms of digital violence that affect women in Talca.
2. Evaluate the impact of gender biases in the technologies used in the region.
3. Propose strategies and solutions to build a fair and inclusive technology.
Description
Digital Violence
Digital violence affecting women in Talca will be identified and mapped through a comprehensive literature review, semi-structured interviews, and surveys. This approach will allow for categorizing the different types of digital violence, documenting direct testimonies, and collecting quantitative data on the prevalence and nature of these acts. This information will provide a solid basis for understanding digital violence's impact and specific regional dynamics.
Biases in Technology
A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data collected will be carried out using advanced statistical tools. It will assess how gender biases present in algorithms and content moderation policies on digital platforms affect women in Talca. The analysis will result in a detailed report that will illustrate the influence of these biases on digital violence and the effectiveness of moderation policies implemented at a local level in the region.
Strategies
Based on the analysis findings, practical recommendations will be developed for technology designers, legislators, and community organizations. Local programs focused on digital literacy and online safety for women in Talca will be proposed in collaboration with regional organizations. The results and strategies will be disseminated through reports, workshops, and media to raise awareness and promote implementing practical solutions to digital violence.
Timetable
Start: January 2025
End: December 2025