The #MeToo movement went viral on social media when, on Oct. 15, 2017, Alyssa Milano tweeted #MeToo. Her tweet encouraged women who have been sexually abused to post about their experiences on social media with #MeToo to demonstrate how prevalent sexual harassment is. By early November, #MeToo had been retweeted 23 million times from 85 countries.

The current political climate and widespread social media use helped #MeToo promulgate its message and impact numerous industries throughout the United States. Due to distinct legal and cultural factors, #MeToo has taken a different shape and has had varying impact across international jurisdictions.