GamerGate figurehead turns out to be satirist, becomes harassment target
A YouTuber became a focal point for the GamerGate movement last month after posting a video in which he claimed to have crashed his car on the way to the house of Brianna Wu. Wu is the outspoken anti-GG developer who has received dozens of death threats over the last five months.
The video caused real upset to Wu, who called its content “extremely disturbing”. But it now appears that ‘Jace Connors’ is a character, and the post a misconceived joke designed to lampoon GamerGaters.
Jace Connors’ real name is Jan Rankowski. Rankowski is a 20-year-old from Maine and member of comedy group Million Dollar Extreme.
While the car crash was real, everything else was an attempt to satirise the “over-the-top, super-hyper-macho armed GamerGater”.
Over the last few days, however, GamerGate supporters have begun to get wise to the joke - tracking Rankowski’s character back to other videos by Million Dollar Extreme.
“They realized I was making fun of them with those videos,” Rankowski told Buzzfeed. “It’s become far too real and I wish I could take it all back.”
This is serious stuff. This man has other videos where he is brandishing firearms, and one with a knife threatening to kill me.
— Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) January 31, 2015
Rankowski is now experiencing a taste of the abuse figures like Wu and Anita Sarkeesian have suffered from internet misogynists. Strangers have called his former high school and knocked on his flat door. Rankowski’s workplace have asked him to sign a contract agreeing that he won’t be making any more provocative videos.
“Part of the humor of MDE is pushing the boundaries, but we’ve never encountered actually being afraid for our own safety,” he said. “This has ruined my life.
“I didn’t take this situation seriously, but I see what it means now to be in the other person’s shoes. What her life must feel like. I have this newfound respect for the people who are having to deal with GamerGate, Brianna Wu and Anita.”
Wu deals with law enforcement once a week, and most recently pulled a planned PAX East appearance from her studio, Giant Spacekat, citing more threats.
This has what to do with gaming? Couldn't give a flying f*ck about any of these people.
Oh no. Not this site too >_>
Looks like Social Justice Warriors behind AS and co are just as bad as the idiots behind gamergate.
Every post on this 'topic' here is pretty one-sided. No mention here that Wu wanted to hire random people willing to "throw down" for her at PAX? And her followers replying that they'd love to smash some GG'er heads in?
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There's bad apples on both sides of this... thing. But you'd never realise it if you read these articles. Strong bias, guys.
The media response has been so far extremely one sided completely ignoring the fact that has been plenty abuse on both sides. And all the SJW people need to realise that people on the internet are like that, which doesnt make such behaviour acceptable but admit it a lot of people lack both manners or morals. However trying to stick labels on people like : Oh gamers are mysoginistic scum is very sad. When its clearly that both GG and SJW can be scum in equal measure.
Because clearly the death threats and doxxing from misogynistic eunuch bullys is been overstated?
How many GG's have left their homes for safety?
How many GG'ers have made 2nd accounts or fake screenshots, to fabricate threats against themselves? Oh right...
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You seem to overlook the fact that the non-GG guys do plenty of dox'ing too. They take great joy in it, and have cost a few people their jobs. As i said though, this is overlooked due to bias. Some balanced reporting on this matter would make a refreshing change.
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What about the guy who said he wants to kill GG supporters with Sarin gas (which was even retweeted by Wu)? This hasn't been overstated, because nobody chose to mention it in articles such as this one... :)
It's probably big news on 8chan?
Shows how crazy some of these anti-gamergate people are, I guess.
Condemn harassment whichever side of the line it falls. It is counter productive for either side of the issue which makes me wonder why it appears. The only reason I can think of is that both sides have some percentage of idiots and that there are trolls who want to stir shit and so attack both sides. It is also worth noting that trolls go after whoever gives the biggest reaction more.
I have to say it is somewhat tempting to write a script to look for harassment buzz words in tweets and look at the percentages.
This is what video games are about, now.
Seriously PCGamesN... GAMES, not PCSocialJusticeN. I'll go find my game news elsewhere if you keep posting about this stupid mess.
Mmmm, their tears are delicious!
How very misguided of him. I don't think the solution to this conflict is to pretend to be the extreme for a reaction. It's a pity it took him being on the receiving end of the kind of abuse he was parodying before he realised that.
The "ITS JUST A PRANK" crowd are finally realising...these things arnt pranks...They dont know what a prank is. But, didnt anyone else immediately notice its a spoof? Jesus.
oh wow all these news about pc gaming oh my god someone stop this influx of information geez
This dude is a member of MDE? I've never seen him before. Also these people are insane hypocrites.
So the only person making video threats with knives and firearms is a SJW? Is anyone surprised? Scumbags.
Hey look at all the gators showing up in these comments trying to pretend like they aren't the ones going after this guy. Nutjobs.
When do they spend time with GF's or actually gaming?