Welcome to Part 2 of our August 2024 Inspirational Interview with Mia Landsem, ethical hacker, digital investigator and author in Norway.
Mia Landsem is an award-winning Norwegian author, writer, speaker, and ethical hacker. She is currently working as a security consultant at Multiconsult. In her spare time, Mia has been working to fight image abuse and digital violence for many years, helping victims. Mia has written a best-selling children’s book about how to be safe online and has done hundreds of lectures about image-based abuse and digital safety.
She has won several prizes for her work in helping victims of online image abuse, hacking, and fraud: winner of “The Girl Award” (Plan International) in 2018 and “Influencer of the year”; finalist in “Bravest woman of the year” and “Årets Trønder” /”Trønder of the year”; and top 3 finalist (2021) in the international award “Cyber security woman of the year”. The jury leader of The Girl Award, Navjot Sandhu, described her as: “energetic and extremely brave. Superman and Batman come nowhere close, and this year’s winner is among the toughest there is. This is a winner we all want to be like.”
Part one of Mia’s interview was published 4 August, 2024.
All photos are courtesy of Mia Landsem.
*This interview contains strong language.
6.What role do you think men and boys should play in helping to end violence against women and harmful acts such as illegally spreading nude photos?
Digital abuse and harassment happen to all genders. But women are certainly overrepresented in parts of this. I think if more men had the courage to say “I don’t think this is so cool” when the boy group chat abounds with nude photos of acquaintances, then more people would stop this harmful behaviour. It is difficult to stand alone against a whole group, but you must do something other than being a passive spectator. They can also help by joining events and talking about it to friends.
7.Tell us about your plans for the future. What programmes, lectures or projects do you have coming up in the next 5 years?
It’s hard to say what I’ll be doing five years from now. I cannot overwork myself on this at the same time as a full-time job. The dream would have been to do only this, but I do not charge to help victims of digital violence. I believe that help should not cost money, and that help is not only for those who can afford it. I hope to be able to advise and create more courses and lectures, and maybe do some cool projects. I have some lectures next year both on safety and in schools.
8.How can The Pixel Project’s supporters engage with and support your efforts to stop cybercrimes against women and the spread of private photos online?
By booking me in for events and talks–he he! I don’t need much. All I need is for you to talk about this issue and don’t be an asshole yourself, then I’m pretty pleased!
9.In your considered opinion, how can we end abuse and violence against women for good?
We must realise that we can never stop all abuse and harassment against women. But we will go a long way by trying, and not least by preventing and ensuring that you have somewhere to go and support if you are exposed to digital violence. The right help and support can mean the difference between life and death for many.
I think I can’t aim to stop everything, then you’ll go crazy not getting anywhere. I’m rather thinking about the one or the other I’m going to help today. I’ve realised that I can’t help everyone, and that I must take care of myself first. My biggest mistake was putting everyone before myself, but I can’t help others if I don’t take care of myself too. By realising that I can’t help everyone and change everything, I felt better about myself and was able to carry out my work more easily.
