Shooting the Messenger? Harassment and Hate Speech Directed at Journalists on Social Media (MDPI)

Nowadays, journalists frequently utilize social media to interact with audiences and provide information, but their increased visibility also makes them more vulnerable to abuse, particularly for women. This research looks at 60,684 responses to postings made by 200 media sites and journalists on X (previously Twitter) in the run-up to Spain’s general elections on July 23, 2023. The most prevalent types of harassment, which targeted personal accounts more than institutional ones and reflected increased political polarization, were insults and political hatred. Women experienced greater sexist abuse, frequently from right-wing or extreme sources, even though overall harassment rates for men and women were comparable. The results point to a recurring, systemic problem that calls for media companies to take preventative, proactive steps.

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/5/130