Journalists demanding more action against online harassment

Several journalists expressed concern over whether the AP would have the backs of employees under attack from the outside. (File/Twitter).
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Updated 10 June 2021
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Journalists demanding more action against online harassment

  • Journalists are often subjected to racist or sexist slurs, vile insults and threats of rape, dismemberment or other violence from online readers.
  • Online attacks in general have worsened since 2017, reveled the Pew Research Center.

NEW YORK: The Associated Press’ recent firing of a young reporter for what she said on Twitter has somewhat unexpectedly turned company and industry attention to the flip side of social media engagement — the online abuse that many journalists face routinely.

During internal meetings after the Arizona-based reporter, Emily Wilder, was let go, several journalists expressed concern over whether the AP would have the backs of employees under attack from the outside.

“The Emily Wilder situation triggered this for many people on the staff,” Jenna Fryer, an AP sportswriter who spoke at one of the meetings, said in a subsequent interview.

Wilder was fired last month because of what the company said were tweets on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that violated AP’s social media policy against offering opinions on contentious issues. Before her firing, a conservative group had sparked an online campaign against her over her pro-Palestinian views, and while the AP has said it wasn’t responding to pressure, her dismissal ignited debate over whether the news organization acted too rashly.

Journalists are often subjected to racist or sexist slurs, vile insults and threats of rape, dismemberment or other violence from online readers.

Online harassment is hardly unique to journalists. But the visibility of reporters makes them particularly vulnerable to attack, said Viktorya Vilk, program director for digital safety and free expression at the literary and human rights organization PEN America.

Fryer, who covers auto racing, said she “was in tears daily” over online abuse she received for coverage of a noose found last year in an Alabama garage stall used by NASCAR’s only full-time Black driver. She said the only time she heard from the company about harassment was when a manager remarked that Fryer had gotten a lot of it.

“Sometimes you feel like you’re on a total island,” she said.

The news agency says it has worked with law enforcement in many cases when its journalists were attacked online. Still, following the meetings, the AP ordered a study on whether more can be done.

“I can speak from personal experience that we have not been ignoring this,” said Julie Pace, the AP’s Washington bureau chief. “What we have to do is put this on a par with the way we handle what we have traditionally viewed as security threats for our journalists — if you are going to Syria, or if you’re covering protests that could potentially become chaotic.”

News organizations were often quick over the past decade to press their journalists to build social media profiles, recognizing it as important to their brands, but slow to see its dangers, said Vilk, who has worked with more than a dozen media outlets on this issue.

Women and minorities usually have it worse. Vilk believes the preponderance of white men in management has contributed to the industry’s delay in reacting.

Some members of the AP’s race and ethnicity reporting team approached their editor, Andale Gross, following Wilder’s firing with concerns over whether the company would support them if their stories or tweets proved controversial, he said. Racist slurs and threats happen frequently to the reporters he supervises, who include Blacks, Latinos and Asian-Americans, and AP security has responded to a number of them, he said.

The team’s story two weeks ago about racism in the military provoked many hateful messages from people who said they were in the military — essentially proving the article’s point, he said.

“I don’t want people to think it should be accepted or tolerated,” Gross said. “But it comes with the territory of the things we write about. We know that every story we produce, we can be dealing with an onslaught of racism.”

The National Association of Black Journalists has offered members help on the problem through in-person information sessions and webinars, said Dorothy Tucker, NABJ president.

Nearly three-quarters of 714 female journalists surveyed said they had experienced online attacks, according to a study released in April by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists. Twelve percent sought medical or psychological help. The survey said 4 percent left their jobs and 2 percent quit the business altogether.

Washington Post columnist Margaret Sullivan wrote in March about receiving “viciously misogynistic name-calling and sexualized fantasies about dismembering me.”

“Unless you’ve been there, it’s hard to comprehend how deeply destabilizing it is, how it can make you think twice about your next story, or even whether being a journalist is worth it,” she wrote.

Taylor Lorenz, a reporter at The New York Times, wrote on Twitter this spring about the “unimaginable” attacks she had received online. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that the harassment and smear campaign I’ve had to endure over the past year has destroyed my life,” she wrote. “No one should have to go through this.”

Both journalist Glenn Greenwald and Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson belittled her concerns.

“Destroyed her life? Really?” Carlson said on the air. “By most people’s standards Taylor Lorenz would seem to have a pretty good life, one of the best lives in the country, in fact.”

A “suck it up” attitude or feeling that nothing can really be done about online harassment leads many journalists to stay silent. Anne M. Peterson, a veteran sportswriter for the AP, said she has received lewd pictures online and a threat from someone who chillingly attached a Google image of her house. She has never reported an incident to management.

The AP’s Pace, who also writes stories and appears on television, said she has been a target of abuse and has had to address it for employees she manages.
“There have been moments when I sort of chalked it up to, ‘Yeah, this is part of the job,’” she said in an interview. “I know I’m in a high-profile job. ... Then there are moments where they really cross a line, or if it affects your personal safety or your family where you think, ‘No, this is not something I should have to put up with. This is unacceptable and scary.’”

“So we don’t want to normalize it,” she said. “We don’t want people to feel like they have to sit there and take it.”

Online attacks in general have worsened. The Pew Research Center said in January that 41 percent of US adults say they have been harassed online, up from 35 percent in 2017. The percentages of people who say they have been threatened or sexually harassed online have both doubled since 2014, Pew said.

There are signs that the problem is being taken more seriously in newsrooms.

One indication is a greater willingness to publicly back journalists under attack. That happened this past winter, when Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim was criticized for asking Sen Lisa Murkowski her reaction to something President Joe Biden’s failed nominee for budget director, Neera Tanden, had tweeted about Murkowski.

Kim’s boss, Post national editor Steven Ginsberg, said the attacks were “wildly misguided and a bad-faith effort at intimidation. What she did was basic journalism.”

Vilk advises news organizations to conduct an anonymous internal survey to determine the extent of their problems, and to examine social media policies. Most policies concentrate on what journalists should or shouldn’t do, as opposed to what happens when the audience goes on attack, she said.

Organizations should provide cybersecurity training and support, legal and mental health counseling and access to services that can scrub an employee’s personal information from the web, she said. Companies must also be aware that harassment is often more organized than it appears, and be prepared to investigate the source of campaigns, she said.

The AP set a Sept. 1 deadline for a committee of staff members to bring forward ideas to improve how harassment is dealt with.


Asharq News revamps ‘Da’erat Asharq’ with a sharper political focus

Updated 15 July 2025
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Asharq News revamps ‘Da’erat Asharq’ with a sharper political focus

  • Daily programme featurs one-on-one conversations with top editors and analysts from across SRMG platforms, unpacking regional and global developments

RIYADH: Asharq News has launched a refreshed edition of its daily political programme “Da’erat Asharq”, returning with a renewed format and deeper analysis of political developments shaping the regional and international landscape. 

The show features in-depth, one-on-one conversations with leading journalists, analysts, and experts from across the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), bringing to life a shared editorial ecosystem that enriches Asharq News’ analytical programming. 

Presented by journalist Mirasha Ghazi, each episode delves into the layered contexts behind unfolding events, guided by balanced dialogue and rigorous inquiry. The programme draws on the editorial strengths of SRMG’s flagship outlets, including “Asharq Al-Awsat”, “Independent Arabia”, “Al Majalla”, and “Arab News”, offering trusted perspectives rooted in real-world expertise. 

“Da’erat Asharq reflects our editorial mission to deliver credible content and deep analysis,” said Dr. Nabeel Al Khatib, General Manager of Asharq News. 

“In an era of political noise, audiences need level-headed perspectives and meaningful conversation, and that’s exactly what this programme offers.” 

Ghassan Charbel, Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, added: “Our ambition is to offer high-quality analysis that helps audiences gain a deeper understanding of the region and the world, powered by the depth and talent of our journalists and analysts.” 

Odwan Al Ahmari, Editor-in-Chief of Independent Arabia, said: “This initiative is rooted in the group’s vision for editorial integration. We’re proud to contribute to this promising project that promotes collaboration and shared content creation.” 

Ibrahim Hamidi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Majalla, remarked: “This partnership enhances editorial alignment across SRMG’s platforms. Our contribution includes in-depth commentary from some of the most respected voices across the Arab world and beyond.” 

Faisal Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, said: “We’re pleased to participate in this programme by bringing an international perspective that spans from Tokyo to Toronto, reinforcing our close, ongoing editorial collaboration with Asharq.” 


Two Palestinian journalists killed in less than 24 hours as Israeli strikes intensify in Gaza

Updated 14 July 2025
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Two Palestinian journalists killed in less than 24 hours as Israeli strikes intensify in Gaza

  • Fadi Khalifa was killed while inspecting the remnants of his house
  • In a separate strike on their tent, Hussam Saleh Al-Adlouni was murdered alongside his wife Suad and their three children

LONDON: Two Palestinian journalists were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on Sunday, in the latest deadly escalation targeting media workers in the Gaza Strip, according to local sources.

Fadi Khalifa was killed along with at least one other person while inspecting the remains of his home in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood of southeastern Gaza City, multiple sources reported.

In a separate strike, photojournalist Hussam Saleh Al-Adlouni was killed alongside his wife Suad and their three children when an Israeli airstrike hit their tent in the Al-Qarara area, north of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

According to WAFA news agency, the family had been sheltering there after being displaced.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the killings, saying they added to Israel’s “abysmal record” of violence against members of the press.

Their deaths bring the number of Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, to 231, according to official figures.

The Committee to Protect Journalists puts the toll at 178: 176 Palestinians and two Israelis.

Medical sources reported that at least 92 civilians were killed across Gaza on Sunday alone, including 52 in central and southern areas of the Strip.


BBC’s Gaza documentary breached accuracy guideline, review finds

Updated 14 July 2025
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BBC’s Gaza documentary breached accuracy guideline, review finds

  • “Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone” was pulled after it was discovered that the 13-year-old son of a Hamas official was the narrator of the documentary
  • Review found the program breached a guideline on accuracy that deals with misleading audiences but no other breaches of the BBC’s editorial guidelines, including on impartiality

LONDON: A BBC documentary about children’s lives in Gaza narrated by the 13-year-old son of a Hamas official breached its editorial guidelines on accuracy, an internal review by the British public broadcaster said on Monday.
The investigation, however, found there were no other breaches of the BBC’s editorial guidelines, including on impartiality, and no evidence that outside interests “inappropriately impacted on the program.”
The BBC removed “Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone” from its online platform in February, five days after it was broadcast, saying it had “serious flaws.” The documentary was made by independent production company HOYO Films.
A review found the program breached a guideline on accuracy that deals with misleading audiences.
The background on the narrator’s father — a minister in the Hamas-run government in Gaza — was “critical information,” which was not shared with the BBC before broadcast, the review found.
Gaza’s health ministry says more than 58,000 people have been killed since the start of the war on Oct. 7 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza.
The BBC’s coverage of the war has been heavily scrutinized throughout the conflict, with both supporters of Israel and its critics saying the broadcaster had failed to strike the right balance.
“Regardless of how the significance or otherwise of the Narrator’s father’s position was judged, the audience should have been informed about this,” said the report by Peter Johnston, BBC Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews.
BBC Director-General Tim Davie said the report identified a significant failing in relation to accuracy.
“We will now take action on two fronts – fair, clear and appropriate actions to ensure proper accountability and the immediate implementation of steps to prevent such errors being repeated,” Davie said in a statement.


Indonesian boy’s ‘aura farming’ dance brings global spotlight to centuries-old tradition

Updated 11 July 2025
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Indonesian boy’s ‘aura farming’ dance brings global spotlight to centuries-old tradition

  • Pacu jalur is a boat tradition from Indonesia’s Riau province that can be traced back to the 17th century
  • Dika was named tourism ambassador of his home province after going viral with his dance moves

JAKARTA: An Indonesian boy dancing on the front of a boat has become an Internet sensation in recent weeks, setting a global trend of “aura farming” that has been recreated by famous athletes and thousands of others worldwide.

“Aura farming” is an Internet expression popularized in 2024, largely in reference to anime characters and celebrities. It refers to the act of consistently looking cool to build one’s “aura.”

Dressed in a black traditional costume and wearing sunglasses, 11-year-old Rayyan Arkhan Dikha from Indonesia’s Riau province has been dubbed “the ultimate aura farmer” on social media for performing a series of repetitive movements calmly on the bow of a thin boat, videos of which have amassed millions of views globally.

The Indonesian boy who goes by the name of Dika was participating in a local event known as “pacu jalur,” which roughly translates to “boat race.” A tradition that dates back to the early 17th century, the event is now held every August to commemorate the Indonesian Independence Day.

“Pacu jalur has been one of Indonesia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2015,” Indonesia’s Culture Minister Fadli Zon said in a statement, after hosting Dika in his office in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The water sport tradition originated in Riau’s Kuantan Singingi regency at a time when boats were the main mode of transportation for the communities living along the local river.

“It has always been a part of life for people in (Kuantan Singingi), including to celebrate the most important Islamic holidays and also our independence day,” Fadli said.

During the race, each of the long, canoe-like boats and its large crew has an “anak coki,” a dancer who moves with rhythmic hand movements and body waves to provide inspiration for the rowers.

While every anak coki brings their own charm to the race, Dika — who has participated in the races since he was 9 — has since become the face of the pacu jalur tradition.

Though the original clip featuring Dika was posted to TikTok in January by a user named Lensa Rams and the event itself was held last August, the boy shot to global popularity over the past few weeks, as various creators on Instagram and TikTok have tried their own hand at Dika’s dance.

The list includes soccer team Paris Saint-Germain and Travis Kelce, American football star and boyfriend of pop singer Taylor Swift. When the US men’s national soccer team won against Guatemala last week, American soccer player Diego Luna copied Dika’s moves to celebrate a goal.

The massive impact of the video garnered him special attention from the government in Riau, where the governor on Tuesday named Dika as a tourism ambassador for the province and awarded him a scholarship for 20 million rupiah (about $1,200) for his education.

“Today, almost everyone opened their eyes to the vibrant and thriving culture of Riau, especially pacu jalur. This is why I wanted to show my appreciation to Dika,” Governor Abdul Wahid said.

In a statement, the local government confirmed that Dika will participate in the races next month.

Speaking to reporters in Jakarta following his meeting with the culture minister, Dika said: “I’m happy that I’ve gone viral globally.”


Israeli journalist arrested over post praising death of 5 IDF soldiers in Gaza

Updated 11 July 2025
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Israeli journalist arrested over post praising death of 5 IDF soldiers in Gaza

  • Israel Frey, who frequently posts his criticism of the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza, is being held in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court
  • The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Frey’s arrest

LONDON: An Israeli court on Thursday extended the detention of journalist Israel Frey over a post on X that hailed “the world is a better place” following the death of five soldiers in an explosion in Gaza.

Frey, who frequently posts his criticism of the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza, is being held in the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court over charges of inciting and supporting terrorism.

“The world is better this morning without five young people who participated in one of the cruelest crimes against humanity,” the Israeli journalist said, referring to five Israeli soldiers who were killed by an explosive device during their fight with the militant group Hamas in northern Gaza earlier this week.

He added: “Sadly, for the boy in Gaza now being operated on without anesthesia, the girl starving to death and the family huddling in a tent under bombardment — this is not enough.

“This is a call to every Israeli mother: Do not be the next to receive your son in a coffin as a war criminal. Refuse.”

Frey was previously questioned over his critical posts in the past. In March, he was interrogated on suspicion of inciting terrorism over several pro-Palestinian posts.

“A Palestinian who hurts an IDF soldier or a settler in the apartheid territories is not a terrorist. And it’s not a terror attack. He’s a hero fighting against an occupier for justice, liberation and freedom,” he once wrote.

In December 2022, he was questioned over posts in which he said that “targeting security forces is not terrorism” and called a Palestinian who was planning an attack a “hero.”

Frey fled into hiding on Oct. 16, 2023, about a week into the Gaza war, after his home was attacked by a far-right Israeli mob when he expressed solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

On Thursday, he told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that he will not be “bowing his head” to his persecution, adding that “we have already caused enough suffering, blood and tears. Liberate Gaza. Enough.”

According to Israeli media reports, Judge Ravit Peleg Bar Dayan ruled that Frey’s remarks “offend public sensibilities and are deeply disturbing,” asking, “How can the deaths of young soldiers, who fell in the line of duty defending their homeland, possibly be considered good?”

She added that extending Frey’s detention was necessary due to “investigative actions susceptible to obstruction,” as she denied bail to Frey.

In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Frey’s arrest and said his detention “underscores authorities’ growing intolerance of freedom of expression since the start of the war on October 7, 2023.”

CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah called for Frey’s immediate release along with “all detained Palestinian journalists” and for an end to the “ongoing crackdown on the press and dissenting voices.”