Report launch: Offensive speech and hate speech targeted at Congressional Candidates in the 2024 Election | Center for Democracy & Technology

Women of color candidates continue to be underrepresented in Congress while also facing significant challenges in running for office. One of these challenges includes the kinds of offensive and hate speech they are subject to on social media platforms. In this research briefing, we will share findings from a new study conducted by the Online Violence Against Women in Politics Working Group at the Ford Institute for Human Security at the University of Pittsburgh, the Politus Project, and the Center for Democracy & Technology. The analysis focuses on posts on X/Twitter targeting all candidates running for a Congressional seat in the 2024 U.S. elections, as well as Presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. It builds on CDT’s previous report, “An Unrepresentative Democracy: How Disinformation and Online Abuse Hinder Women of Color Political Candidates in the United States.“

Please join us to discuss findings that point to the disproportionate impacts on women of color candidates in particular, and the implications for our democracy.