A review by tiarala
Crash Override by Zoë Quinn

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. Far more than a memoir, Quinn does an outstanding job of diagnosing the triggers that lure weak, impressionable (mostly) men into internet mob culture, as well as outlining the path that personal internet terrorism follows. It's a science now (as predictable as the pathetic deluge of one-star reviews), and she's cracked the code through living it. But this largely isn't a book about Quinn. Her story provides a backdrop to the story of Crash Override and their activism work, as well as a primer on how we can be responsible consumers and participants of social media. She explains, through her words and those from marginalized voices, how we can actively fight against internet mobs effectively, and how we can do it without retraumatizing their victims. She elevates the voices of others in a really effective way and I found myself learning a lot about how to talk about the sad souls who perpetuate this kind of garbage, and the bastards who watch it happening and refuse to step in. PROTIP: Juxtapose this book with reporting about how international terrorist groups use social media to give yourself nightmares for days.