About LLG
We are leading the way in distinguishing cyber campaigns targeting women in leadership from personal attacks resulting from failed domestic relationships or the well-known activities of cyber-bullying.
Our work provides a critical definition for attacks on the professional front, bringing awareness of the underlying motivations and the nature of the perpetrators. In the last two years, these attacks against those in roles of influence have rapidly expanded to all genders and their families in widespread efforts to silence the target.
We have studied the impact of cyberattacks against professionals since 2019 and have conducted hundreds of interviews with victims, the judicial community, law enforcement, tech providers, and legal service providers.
Our research uncovered responses from widespread complacency to a blatant resistance to protecting women in leadership based upon stated beliefs rooted in a patriarchal society. In the inverse, our interviews identified those with a fierce determination to provide a safe environment for women in leadership, and they joined in efforts early on.
Since those early efforts, the targets have changed. No longer is the spotlight of contempt pointed at women but has quickly broadened its sphere to include targets across gender and party lines along with their families. Targets today hold roles as diverse as business, entertainment, judiciary, law enforcement, politics, ministry, and media to name a few.
We have worked tirelessly to bring these civil and criminal violations to light and provide ‘on the ground’ feedback to various government agencies through specialized investigations. As the result we have built dynamic relationships in the public and private sector necessary to drive individual cases forward and at the policy level necessary for much needed legislative change.
To become a target, leaders only need to share a view diverse to someone, essentially making everyone in a role of influence vulnerable at newly heightened levels. The rapid advancement of Deepfake and Audio AI have elevated the risk exponentially and we believe the only solution is to build AI to serve humanity with a dedicated focus on dismantling its misuse.
Sexualized attacks are a primary tool used in these efforts –not the online sharing of consensual photos but well-crafted and fully fraudulent campaigns. Perpetrators highjack the name, business, contact information, and professional affiliations of the target with the intent to impersonate, shame and humiliate by representing the victim in a false light. These efforts are designed to render a victim helpless by creating as dichotomous a portrayal of their actual professional and personal reality as possible and, as the result, illicit third-party involvement either by disengagement or direct attack.
Attacks on the professional front rarely exist in a vacuum but are designed for a larger purpose. Those purposes include obstruction of justice through witness suppression, predatory acts against competitors, and retaliation against employers or business partners, among others. These are not your garden variety bullies but are often well-educated and socially recognized with the deep pockets necessary to support their nefarious endeavors often carried out by contracted third parties. Taking out a “cyber hit” today rivals the familiar past methods of “silencing a rival” with the horrendous added caveat of “hitting” the target over and over again in public view under a shroud of online secrecy. Until federal laws catch up it is a take down with an often dead end trail. And it can happen to you.
Our research has shown a disturbing uptick in the escalation of cyber-violence to physical violence. Cyber-bullying, while horrific on its own, has more often led to self-induced harm, while cyber-violence is more likely to result in physical harm executed by the perpetrator or an engaged third party. In any form, online violence takes an extreme toll on the health, well-being, and future of its victim.
Efforts within the Senate are beginning to recognize that definitions for physical safety in the work realm are far outdated as online risks have created a new landscape for exacting a physical toll. As science has proven over and again the intimate and fully integrated connection between the brain and body, it becomes clearly impossible to dismiss the physical impact of living in a constant state of fear for the security of one’s personhood, reputation, livelihood, and family.
At Lindenberg Law Group, we engage across party lines to address emerging issues evolving more rapidly than our laws. Our multi-disciplinary efforts are designed to create a cultural shift that rejects violence and discrimination, fostering environments conducive to growth and respect.
As a firm, we seek to set legal precedents that redefine the landscape of protections against hate crimes and cyber-violence leveraged against those in leadership. Our valued relationships with multiple governmental agencies allow us to share data, insights, and knowledge to increase understanding of the strategies predators use and the impact of these attacks. We serve as a catalyst for legal advancements that resonate beyond individual cases, shaping the legal framework for years to come.
In pursuit of this vision, Lindenberg Law Group has exhibited unwavering commitment to justice and the eradication of hate crimes executed through cyber-violence. We are spearheading initiatives that transform our legal and societal landscape to create a future where leadership knows no unjust barriers and cyber-violence is not tolerated under the law or within our culture.