A new online reporting platform has been launched today, to capture incidents of harassment, abuse and “lawfare” (using legal proceedings to intimidate) targeted at journalists.
The Journalist Safety Tracker will be available for both freelance and staff journalists to share their experiences confidentially.
“A free press depends on our journalists’ ability to do their job without abuse, attack or intimidation,” said Media Minister Stephanie Peacock.
“The NUJ’s Journalists’ Safety Tracker will help us gain a real time understanding of the frequency and type of abuse news gatherers face in the UK, particularly after journalists experienced harassment while covering this summer’s riots.
“The tool delivers on a key commitment made in the National Plan for the Safety of Journalists, to improve incident reporting that will inform how we and the National Committee on the Safety of Journalists tackle these harms.”
The National Union of Journalists said funding from the Department for Culture Media and Sport had helped support the development of the Tracker.
“Launch of the Journalists’ Safety Tracker is a landmark moment directly aimed at tracking trends of the unacceptable abuse too often encountered by journalists,” explained Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ General Secretary.
“Sexist and racist language targeted at women journalists and those from minority ethnic backgrounds, physical attacks and online harassment can now be systematically captured alongside the state-sponsored threats we know to exist.
“The NUJ wants journalists to engage with the tracker, and to help us build up a clear picture of the scale of the intimidation, threats and violence they are facing simply for doing their jobs.
“Journalism’s role in our democracy should be valued by all, including by the online platforms who benefit greatly from content but fall short on measures to protect journalists online. We need employers to do more to support the journalists they employ and engage, and we need the police to step up its work to bring perpetrators to account.”
The tool works by asking a series of questions including on threats received on social media platforms, impersonation via malicious emails and the use of spyware. Journalists can also report physical violence and inform on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) including the identities of suspected claimants.
The submissions will be collated by the NUJ to build an evidence base of threats against journalists.
