Online hate, the main enemy of journalism

In a world where online toxicity is becoming increasingly common, journalists often face harassment and threats.

In fact, many now fear for their safety and even resort to resigning from the job they love, to avoid online toxicity aimed at them. If these individuals don't have support (both on a practical and professional level) to protect them from online hate, there's a high chance they will be victimized online simply for doing their job.

Where does online hate against journalists stem from?

Journalists have a difficult time doing their job when the right to free speech makes them live in fear. Not only doe they face danger in physical situations, like wars and riots, they also face threats to their safety in the digital world.

More than once, we've seen examples of journalists, in many cases, women, being targeted online because of their work. In Canada, journalists Rachel Gilmore, Erica Ifill and Saba Eitizaz, all received racist and sexist messages after sharing articles on social media. And other female journalists have been threatened with rape and death.

This online hate represents toxic behaviour that is far more serious than just a few comments online. Perpetrators don't seem to have any filter, or boundaries, about what they are posting. And for the journalist, their honest profession of presenting reliable information to an audience becomes an open door for harassment.

What are the consequences of online hate?

No one should have to deal with insults and death threats as part of their chosen career. For journalists, who have a duty to report the unbiased truth about world events, it's even more important that they feel comfortable and able to express themselves online, without being scared of the repercussions. In the case of opinion pieces, where journalists are able to give their own perspective on an issue, it is equally important. 

When journalists don't feel safe to voice their thoughts online, there is the potential for self-censorship: which, as we know, goes completely against the concept of freedom of expression. The delivery of trustworthy information about current events is hindered, which negatively affects the journalist, news outlet and society as a whole. 

On a personal level, many journalists who experience online hate can develop anxiety and depression, and end up leaving the profession entirely.

Protecting journalists:  who is responsible?

From publishing outlets to social networks, media outlets can work together to help manage and reduce the aggression and intimidation that journalists face online. As employers, they have a duty to keep their journalists safe: and to implement the tools to help them do that. But many journalists are freelancers, which means they have even less protection against online attacks.

Real-time content moderation is the ideal answer to this problem. Whether a journalist is self-employed or works for a company, content on social media and other platforms can be analyzed and moderated, in real time, using a tool like Bodyguard. 

As the industry leader in moderation, Bodyguard uses AI and an expert team of linguists to detect, analyse and moderate hateful comments and threats, taking into account the context before they reach their target audience. We classify toxic messages according to parameters set by our clients, and remove such content instantly, before it has a chance to do harm. By using contextual analysis to make a decision on whether to keep or remove content, we ensure freedom of speech is protected and able to thrive, while illegal and harmful content isn't.

Not only does moderation mean racial, homophobic and misogynistic comments are removed from platforms before they reach journalists, but the wider online audience doesn't see it, either. This protects both the journalist and the reputation of the publishing outlet, and even the topic itself when it comes to sensitive interviews and subjects.

Put simply, Bodyguard protects journalists and the organisations they work with and for, allowing them to carry out their roles effectively without having to censor their content. This gives them the power and safety to write the truth, without experiencing intimidation, threats or other forms of online toxicity.

Find out more about how Bodyguard works with journalists and the media to protect them from the harmful effects of online toxicity.