On Thursday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will launch a task force to combat online harassment, fulfilling one of Biden’s campaign promises in the aftermath of a mass shooting that highlighted the link between online abuse and violence.
The group will be tasked with creating a blueprint outlining actions to address the problem within six months, including more support for victims, prevention, and increased accountability for aggressors and platforms hosting them.
According to senior administration officials who previewed the announcement in a call on Wednesday evening, the task force will be co-chaired by the White House Gender Policy Council and the National Security Council.
The task force was formed in the aftermath of a mass shooting in Texas, where the gunman allegedly posted violent online content before going on a bloody rampage.
According to CNN, the Washington Post, and other news outlets, Salvador Ramos, the man who shot and killed 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, threatened to rape girls and shoot up schools on the social media app Yubo before the attack.
‘It is critical that we commit to better understanding and addressing the link between online misogyny and violent radicalization,’ said a senior administration official.
According to the White House, one in every three women under the age of 35 and more than half of LGBT people in the United States have experienced online sexual harassment and stalking.
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