[Update: Two weeks later. I was wrong. Katie not interested.]
I think she can! Let me say it again.
I think it’s possible for Katie Stanton Jacobs to save Twitter. Because she’s that nice.
Although we don’t know each other, my personal sense of Katie is she’s a really nice, whip-smart, principled person.
Originally, I thought the “nice” part might be part of the problem.
(For those not in the tech world, Katie, with a killer background; works for Twitter in a high-capacity area. Katie was on-hand last week to attend the now largely meaningless, “Crunchies” and scheduled to receive an award on behalf of Twitter.)
Katie had a terribly miserable, albeit not an unexpected experience at the Crunchies. Which is the point. In a field swamped with frat-boys of all ages boasting they are holding the pencil that is drawing the ‘cutting edge” in technology: These over-grown frat boys absolutely cling to their hard-core, old-fashioned misogynistic views. In the case of the Crunchies it was:
Live Trolling!
Yes! Live trolling from the male comedian on-stage who targeted women in the audience!
Previously, Katie had no way of knowing I’d just written in an article about businesses, and how “on line comments” concerning Twitter’s almost religiously unaddressed misogynist Trolling problem will eventually kill Twitter unless,
unless Twitter decides to…man up.
Anyway, a couple of days later Katie detailed her personal experience on her personal blog.
Then she tweeted it.
Katie Jacobs Stanton not pleased with live trolling
I read Katie’s essay, and was dismayed to learn Katie had chosen to go with show biz “appearances” and what wasn’t right; instead of speaking up in a way that would have made her appearance so completely memorable for all the right reasons.
As that’s over the 140 limit, I tweeted the Readers Digest version.
She answered and my hope is my last response provided a new perspective for Katie.
Am thinking Katie might come to view her non-response to the utter disdain displayed toward women in such a public setting, differently.
But I also worried. Mirroring abused women, it was clear to me Katie hadn’t want to rock the misogyny boat. However, more pondering! Pretty soon I came to the conclusion Katie likely has zero interest in continuing in that negative role.
I believe Katie Jacobs Stanton will, in her very nice, whip-smart, principled way; speak to the big boys at Twitter in a way they can finally hear the time is now to make the changes thousands have been imploring Twitter to make, for years, is now.
Perhaps Katie might head up a Rapid Response Team. (And if Twitter has a Rapid Response Team, how to make it both effective and tripled for different time zones.)
Currently, although the Twitter crew, including the Board of Directors, aren’t listening to millions of women imploring for them to get a grip; for some reason, I believe they’ll listen to Katie. Mainly because I also believe Katie, who is completely not interested in helping the status quo remain the status quo, will be able to speak to Dick and Jack and the Board, in a way that gets the little Twitter bird to fly towards the solution….and even better Stock prices.
But maybe not. After all, when the CEO’s Family Trust sells off their Twitter shares, the watchword remains the same. “When the words and the actions don’t match – trust the action.”
So yes. I think if the Board listens, actually listens – Katie Jacobs Stanton can save Twitter!
The End
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P.S. For the folks who live out-of-the-area – a little San Francisco history.
San Francisco’s entrenched misogyny problem. Beginning with police graphs.
“Calls for Service” vs “Reports Made.” Number of calls? Huge.
America’s rape culture
Media and the courts 
Twiter lags behind competitors
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