(NEW YORK)— In response to the alarming rise of abuse and threats targeting journalists, PEN America and the Coalition Against Online Violence have released a groundbreaking guide, Best Practices for News Organizations: How to Protect and Support Journalists Harassed Online, to empower industry leaders to protect their people amidst an escalating crackdown on the free press in the U.S. and internationally.
Developed in close consultation with over a dozen newsrooms and civil society organizations, the guide addresses the rapidly evolving intimidation tactics journalists face—including doxing, impersonation, threats, cyber mobs, and coordinated harassment campaigns—and provides newsroom leaders, managers, and editors with actionable strategies for safeguarding staff and freelancers.
“Journalists must be online to do their jobs. But that visibility, alongside their role holding power to account, can make journalists lightning rods for harassment and threats,” said Viktorya Vilk, Director of Digital Safety and Free Expression at PEN America and co-lead on the project. “Unchecked abuse doesn’t just silence individual journalists, it is deliberately deployed to drive talent out of the profession and undermine a free and independent press.”
“Online abuse does not affect every journalist equally or in the same ways. Journalists from historically marginalized identities are disproportionately targeted not only for their work, but for who they are, leading some to leave the industry altogether,” said Jeje Mohamed, holistic safety and security consultant and co-lead on the project. “Even newsrooms that are committed to journalist safety don’t always know where to start. This guide provides step-by-step support.”
The Best Practices guide offers a menu of flexible recommendations tailored to newsrooms of all sizes, covering critical areas such as:
- Raising awareness and shifting newsroom culture on journalists’ safety
- Developing policies and protocols to address online abuse and other safety challenges
- Providing digital safety training and building capacity for managers, staff, and freelancers
- Bolstering organizational and individual digital security
- Fostering a supportive environment for targeted journalists
- Issuing statements of support for targeted journalists and news organizations
- Documenting harassment and delegating monitoring and review
The guide was developed by the Coalition Against Online Violence’s Newsroom Working Group, led by PEN America in close collaboration with the ACOS Alliance, International Press Institute, WAN-IFRA, 100 Days in Appalachia, Women’s Media Center, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Coalition for Women in Journalism, Vita Activa, Stop Online Violence Against Women, African Women Journalism Project, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, Canadian Association of Journalists, Committee to Protect Journalists, and Susan McGregor of Columbia University’s Data Science Institute, with crucial support from the International Women’s Media Foundation and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
About CAOV:
The Coalition Against Online Violence is a network of over 90 organizations worldwide, working to find holistic, cross-sector solutions to protect journalists, especially women and those disproportionately targeted, from digital attacks.
Contact: Malka Margolies, [email protected], 989-383-1856