Thread by @yoursosteam

Team TrollBusters was at the session 'Keeping your reputation safe when under attack' at @rightscon. Journalists from around the world discussed reputation management after disinformation attacks. Find highlights from the discussion below: #RightsCon #RightsCon2022 @accessnow @UN

Last October a report was presented to the @UN about gendered abuse that women face online. The jist: while social media is an amazing tool - women journalists, politicans, activists, etc. come under attack from an anonymous mob online.

Political journalist @ivabelle_a from Mexico shared the problems that women reporters face while working in locations where organized crime is rampant. Even covering issues that are not related to violence brings them under attack.

Female journalists are not protected by the media environment. They are under attack on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Their attacks come from the people, the audience. "The environment where they are is not safe," says @ivabelle_a.

Freelance women journalists face added challenges
1) They don't get paid sometimes
2) They are not employees so they are not protected by media organizations.
The high-profile reporters are more vulnerable but their exposure also oddly protects them.

Alicia Reynoso from Luchadoras says that majority of the women who come to them for help are between 18-25. Their helpline received more than 1000 requests, about 93% of them coming from women. They found that half of these people experienced harassment.

"Online attacks have the risk of becoming real-life attacks" - @juditarenas.

Kelly Stepno from @apcoworldwide then elaborates on the repercussions that online abuse has on people's reputation. How to deal with these events? Don't ignore early alarm bells. Monitor the disinformation being spread about you - Is it getting traction? Who is spreading it?

Don't ignore or say "no comment." Don't engage with the trolls but step back and give a proportionate response. Get others to help you, many are facing the same issue. Reporting this abuse is a slow process, you can't quickly take this misinformation down. Share the correct info!

Next our founder @mediaghosts gives insight into the work of Team TrollBusters. We have been operating in the media and journalism landscape for more than 6 years. Journalists also come under attack inside their organizations for being victims of online abuse!

"There is a huge population of people (freelancers and others) who are so vulnerable." - Dr. Michelle Ferrier (@mediaghosts).

Some of our resources for journalists -
Threat Infographic: bit.ly/TrollBustersIn…
Digital Hygiene Lessons: tinyurl.com/TBHygiene
Toxic Avenger Magazine: troll-busters.com
Gen Zeitgeist Curriculum: tinyurl.com/TB-GenZ
Student Press Guide: yoursosteam.wordpress.com/student-editio…