Protecting journalists from online harassment goes beyond adopting ad hoc measures for each case. Newsrooms should strive for a culture of safety around online harassment. This video examines basic measures that newsroom managers can take to create a more protective environment.
- Basic measures for newsrooms
- Reduce the time of exposure
- Turn comments off for some stories
- Accentuating positive comments
- Create a protective environment that acknowledges impact
- Empower journalists to open up
- Find out which journalists are most exposed to online harassment
- Paradox: Journalists under pressure tend to close up
- Provide newsroom-wide access to various resources
- Encourage and empower peer support networks
- Warning signs: Assessing the emotional impact of online abuse on journalists
- Staff absenteeism
- Substance abuse or overwork
- Getting stuck in their emotions
- Becoming numb and disconnected from their feelings
- Extreme cynicism
This series of video tutorials has been developed in cooperation with the Dart Centre Europe.