Research summary
The increasing use of social media platforms exposes people of all ages to practices like trolling, sexualized, homophobic or gendered name-calling, and the non-consensual sharing of sexual images. Many of these risks and harms happen to some people more than others because of their gender. In this way, digital technologies heighten existing gender inequalities.
Dr. Kaitlynn Mendes, Canada Research Chair in Inequality and Gender, is exploring how digital technologies expand online risks, harms and gender inequalities among adolescents in particular. She and her research team are using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus groups to gather information and postering, meme-making, drawing and mapping to support outreach activities She is also establishing a Centre on Gender Inequality to help tackle this problem and prepare young people to navigate digital environments safely. Their insights will provide a better understanding of how digital technologies contribute to gender inequalities, and will advance international debates around e-safety, digital literacies, resilience, online risk and harms.