Succulent plants and mosses grow inside of a spherical glass terrarium.

Today, the Citizens and Technology Lab (CAT Lab) at Cornell University is adding our voice and our commitment to the Researcher Support Consortium, a collective endeavor provides resources to academic institutions to protect and support scholars facing coordinated attacks.

We are deeply concerned by the intimidation and harassment of researchers, both inside and outside academia. At CAT Lab, we envision a world where digital power is guided by evidence and accountable to the public by working with communities to study the impacts of technology on society. This world will not be possible without the intellectual freedom of both academics and the communities with whom we collaborate. Without freedom from oppression, we can’t be free to express ourselves or associate with others. The last 10 years of our research has shown the oppressive effects of harassment. Our work with communities has identified and tested ways to mitigate these effects and enable intellectual freedom.

We commit to continuing to grow research on effective ways to prevent harassment, support the people who experience it, and support those who help the targets of harassment. We will also continue to work alongside affected communities to build evidence-based solutions that make people safer and more resilient to intimidation. At our Lab and university, we will continue to maintain policies and practices that prioritize researcher safety, seek to mitigate the harms of intimidation, and work to uplift the spirits of people who face these risks. We also commit to contributing to capacity-building and best practices across the communities we’re part of. We are encouraged to see so many other organizations stand together for fundamental freedoms and are committed to raising awareness of this ongoing and evolving issue.