HER Internet at 8: Eight Years of Building a Feminist Internet
Eight years of learning, organising, challenging harm and imagining a digital world where every womxn can participate freely and safely.
In 2018, HER Internet began with a vision of An equal and just internet where womxn could exercise their rights, express themselves freely and shape their own digital experiences. Eight years later, that vision continues to guide our work.
The internet has created opportunities for connection, expression, learning and organising. But it has also become a space where online harassment, privacy violations, surveillance and technology-facilitated gender-based violence threaten the safety and freedom of structurally silenced womxn and communities. HER Internet was founded in response to these realities, working to close the knowledge gap on online and offline security while advocating for digital rights and internet freedoms.
Over the years, our work has taken many forms. Through digital safety and security training, community conversations, research, advocacy and creative storytelling, we have continued to make digital rights knowledge more accessible and create opportunities for communities to engage with the issues shaping their online lives.
Our research and documentation have helped bring experiences that are often overlooked into conversations about technology, power and digital rights. Our publications and learning resources have offered practical guidance on navigating online risks, understanding technology and protecting privacy.
Resources such as Secure Voices: A Community Manual for Digital Safety, Privacy, and Care, The Ripples Comic Book and our research on algorithms reflect our commitment to making knowledge accessible and connecting digital rights to people’s everyday experiences. Beyond resources and training, this work has always been about people. It is about creating spaces where experiences can be shared, questions can be asked without fear, and communities can learn from and support one another.
The work continues.
Eight years have also reminded us that building a feminist internet is ongoing work. Technologies continue to change, online threats evolve, and the struggle for safety, privacy, freedom of expression and meaningful participation remains urgent. As we mark this milestone, we celebrate the communities who have trusted us, the partners and allies who have worked alongside us, and everyone who has contributed to this journey.
We are grateful to our team, whose commitment and care continue to move the work forward. Most importantly, we remain accountable to the people and communities at the heart of our work. Their experiences, knowledge and aspirations continue to shape the digital future we are working towards.
Here’s to the next chapter.
Eight years on, our vision remains: “An equal and just internet where womxn can exercise their agency, participate freely and become active agents of social change.” Thank you for being part of our journey.
Happy 8th birthday, HER Internet!
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