Thread by @globalfreemedia

Harassed, threatened and sued - that's the state of fact-checking in #Europe according to pioneering survey by IPI partner @FaktografHR on the impact of online abuse & #disinformation against fact-checkers, released ahead of #FactCheckingDay

The key finding in this thread ⬇️

@FaktografHR 1/
9 out 10 fact-checking organisations surveyed experienced smear campaigns and online abuse from politicians, government officials, media pundits and public figures.

More than half have experienced it repeatedly. #FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR 2/
7 out of 10 respondents that experienced online harassment were subjected to campaigns which include prolonged and/or coordinated behavior like stalking, smear campaigns, hate speech, “doxing” or gender-based violence, among others.
#FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR 3/
The frequency of harassment increased during the #coronavirus pandemic. Election periods also serve as catalysts for #disinformation campaigns against fact-checkers. Russia's invasion of #Ukraine also had a similar effect.
#FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR 4/
Most harassment happens online, predominantly on social networks. The second-most frequent channel of harassment is online portals and websites.
#FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR 5/
Fact-checkers tend not to report these attacks to the authorities due to a lack of confidence that their claims will be investigated.
#FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR 6/
@anabrakus: "The results are worrisome, but not surprising. @FaktografHR has faced its fair share of harassment in the last few years – different kinds and types – ranging from anonymous threats of violence and death threats to #SLAPP lawsuits."
#FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR @anabrakus 7/
IPI's Head of Digital Comms. @javierluquem: There is now an “environment in which harassers with a political or economic agenda feel empowered to attack and discredit independent news sources." #FactCheckingDay

@FaktografHR @anabrakus @javierluquem 8/
These are the preliminary results observed in the research conducted by @FaktografHR. Full report will be published in May and presented at the #IPIWoCo in Vienna.

Read the summary and download preliminary report ⬇️
buff.ly/40wudcW

@FaktografHR @anabrakus @javierluquem The survey is a part of the Decoding #Disinformation Playbook, a project where IPI, @FaktografHR & German daily @tazgezwitscher work together to decode populist propaganda in #Europe targeting media outlets, and supported by @EMIF_Fund

More here ⬇️
buff.ly/3M2KQc5