“Title IX” Used to Attack Vulnerable Students and Professors

“Title IX” Used to Attack Vulnerable Students and Professors
By Sarah Thuswaldner (eQuality Project Student) Laws like Title IX in the United States are meant to protect students from sexual assault and discrimination – but that didn't stop an alleged sexual assailant from trying to claim that same protection in a lawsuit against his university. Columbia University art student Emma Sulkowicz drew international headlines with her senior thesis: "Mattress Performance (Carry that Weight)." She carried a twin-size mat

A Commentary on Comment Sections

A Commentary on Comment Sections
By Robert H. Porter The seemingly ubiquitous ‘Comment Section’ is generally regarded as a place that Internet users should simply avoid. The unfortunate reaction by a large proportion of the online population is along the lines of: ‘abandon all hope those that enter here.’ While the reputation of comment sections is generally negative, how bad are they in practice? Comment sections can be places to share interesting and invigorating discussion, but are

Special Lecture: Cyberviolence: Interrogating ‘Empowerment’ & ‘Safety’

Special Lecture: Cyberviolence: Interrogating ‘Empowerment’ & ‘Safety’
By Jane Bailey (eQuality Project Co-Leader) While we tend to hear a lot about “cyberbullying”, we much less often hear the term cyberviolence. What is the difference? Why is it meaningful? Join us for a panel discussion about cyberviolence, it’s implications for girls’ and women’s equality and some important initiatives for addressing it. Among other things, panelists will aim to unpack some of the issues around what it means to “empower” girls and young

She May Look Different, But The Story Is Still The Same

She May Look Different, But The Story Is Still The Same
By Jolene Hansell (eQuality Project Student) Barbie has undergone a makeover. In the past 50+ years, Barbie has had 150 careers, 50 nationalities, 40 pets, countless luxury vehicles, and thousands of makeovers, but none compare to this. This month, Mattel unveiled not just one, but 28 new, unique Barbie dolls. Barbie now has 24 hairstyles (including an afro, curly hair, and long blue hair), 7 different skin tones, 22 eye colours, 3 new body shapes (tall,

The Great Dress Code Debate

The Great Dress Code Debate
By Sarah Thuswaldner (eQuality Project Student) There might be no high school complaint more cliché than dress codes. Everyone remembers – or still struggles with – teachers telling them to fix their skirts, cover their shoulders, or even go home to change into something else. Ottawa Carleton Catholic School Board policy says dress codes can be "as general as addressing the wearing of ball caps and the length of skirts and shorts." Keen observers will...

“Security and Privacy in the World-Sized Web” Lecture on February 17

“Security and Privacy in the World-Sized Web” Lecture on February 17
The Deirdre G. Martin Memorial Lecture on Privacy Law presents "Security and Privacy in the World-Sized Web" featuring keynote speaker Bruce Schneier, an internationally renowned security technologist and author. Wednesday, February 17, 2016, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. University of Ottawa Norton Rose Fulbright Canada Classroom, FTX 302 Centre for Law, Technology and Society We thank our generous supporters: The Canadian Bar Association, Fasken Martineau A r...

R. v. Jarvis: Cyberviolence against women – can criminal law respond?

R. v. Jarvis: Cyberviolence against women – can criminal law respond?
By Carissima Mathen and Jane Bailey In 2011, Ryan Jarvis, a London Ontario high school teacher, used a pen camera to surreptitiously record brief videos of students engaged in various activities around the school without their permission.  After reports from another teacher, the school principal personally witnessed Jarvis recording two female students, and demanded that he turn over the camera.  Police analysis of the device revealed 17 active videos, 2

Women Less Able to Access Internet in Developing Countries, Reports World Wide Web Foundation

Women Less Able to Access Internet in Developing Countries, Reports World Wide Web Foundation
The World Wide Web Foundation studied women’s access to the Internet in nine developing countries in 2015, and found that the widespread use of cell phones hasn’t correlated with increased access to the Net for women. Their October 2015 report, Women’s Rights Online, concludes: … while nearly all women and men own a phone, women are still nearly 50% less likely to access the Internet than men in the same communities, with Internet use reported by just...