Brianna Wu, who fought trolls during GamerGate, plans to run for Congress in 2018

Brianna Wu.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Video game developer Brianna Wu will run for a seat in the House of Representatives in 2018, she announced on Facebook on Wednesday. Wu, 39, is perhaps best known for heading the indie game studio Giant Spacekat as well as for being an outspoken critic — and target — of the GamerGate movement and the harassment women face online.

"When I started speaking out about harassment, I thought something would change. But it hasn't — every single system failed us," Wu said Wednesday. "We're getting diminishing returns on writing and speaking out about harassment. I think the next step is running for office and passing laws."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.