New Online Safety Tool Launched Amidst Rising Threats Against Women Journalists

AntonioDiaz - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
AntonioDiaz - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purpose only, not the actual person

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently conducted a study into the rising rates of online attacks against journalists. Their findings signified that, since the pandemic, women journalists have been at the epicenter.

“Online attacks on women journalists are increasing significantly… The pandemic has changed journalists’ working conditions, making them yet more dependent on digital communications services and social media channels,” the report began.

“The emergence of the ‘disinfodemic’ has also increased the toxicity of the online communities in which journalists work, making them ‘sitting ducks,'” UNESCO continued.

These attacks are at an all-time high, with nearly seventy-five percent of women journalists experiencing online violence.

Examples of these attacks include misogynistic harassment, abuse, and threats, digital privacy and security breaches that increase physical risks associated with online violence, and coordinated disinformation campaigns.

Most often, perpetrators use these methods in an attempt to either discredit or silence journalists.

But, they also result in much more severe repercussions– including mental health impacts and fears over physical security.

In response to this epidemic, the Thomson Reuters Foundation, in partnership with Jigsaw, has launched the first-ever tool allowing journalists to document and manage any online harassment.

This enables journalists to “regain control of their social media feeds, take action against perpetrators, and protect their well-being.”

AntonioDiaz – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person

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Antonio Zappulla, the Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, explained how this tool is monumental for the preservation of free press.

“Journalists’ mission of accurate and independent reporting is integral to the survival of a democratic society. It is imperative they have access to practical solutions that match the rapid evolution of the digital and legal warfare used to silence them,” Zappulla said.

The tool, known as TRFilter, is a completely free web application that will sync with users’ Twitter accounts.

Afterward, the program will automatically recognize and flag any potentially harmful comments– allowing journalists to block, mute, or save them at scale.

And perhaps most importantly, the TRFilter will “create reports to store or share with third parties as needed.” This is essential for protecting journalists both in the newsroom and the courtroom.

To learn more about the TRFilter and register for the software today, you can visit the link here.

If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe.

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Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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