Academic Fights Back Against Online Harassment with Kindness
2025-05-04
Dartmouth College professor Sachi Schmidt-Hori, a narrative consultant on Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Mirage, faced a torrent of online harassment from gamers angered by the inclusion of a Black samurai character. Instead of ignoring the hate, she responded with kindness, inviting her harassers to Zoom calls. This unexpected approach led to some apologies and the removal of negative content. Her actions highlight the potential of empathy in combating online toxicity and sparked a discussion about representation in video games and online hate.