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Bad language, swearing and use of a disrespectful tone that degrade personal dignity, reputation and/or status in society. Pictures, videos, memes and gifs can also be utilised to inflict humiliation/shame. 

Everyone has different tolerance levels and the line between libel and criticism is often blurred.  Public figures, especially politicians who represent the general public,  must  display a higher level of tolerance of criticism. On the other hand, journalists, and human rights’ defenders, have the right to shock, disturb and even offend members of and the public at large, when carrying out their professional duties and in the public’s interest.

Female journalists, activists and women politicians are more likely to be targets of libel and humiliation than their male counterparts.  Offense based on gender identity or presentation is a silencing mechanism, and has been recognized as a form of gender-based violence and, as such, publicly condemned. https://twitter.com/UNESCO/status/1140888153928196096

If you are targeted with any type of digital violence, we urge you to seek support from your support networks that understand you and your feelings. Take time away from spaces where you’re experiencing the harassment, and ask people you trust to check on your accounts, emails and update you about the status of attack, or help you document the abuse.

If you are a  female journalist, there is  an initiative “Female Journalists against violence”, which offers support and help rooted in the empathy, trust and mutual learning.

Digital evidence Reputation Tactic Support Journalists Public official

Hyper-realistic software-manipulated video or audio content, falsely depicting the target’s behavior or speech with the goal of damaging the target’s reputation, degradation of dignity.

Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has enabled manipulation that can perfectly mimic reality. This has serious and terrifying implications for the future of fake news and disinformation, as fake content will be more and more difficult to identify.
 

Among other consequences, the spread of fake news has undermined public trust in professional journalism, and it remains to be seen how the media and broader society will cope with  hyper-realistic disinformation. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chenxiwang/2019/11/01/deepfakes-revenge-porn-and-the-impact-on-women/?sh=45ed6ff1f53f

Digital hygiene Damage Reputation Tactic

As a result of structural power inequality, false accusations, even if proven false, have the potential to inflict serious and lasting reputational damage on the accused. 
 

False accusations may be seen as a form of pressure on one’s freedom of expression, but if accusations are intentionally orchestrated and persistent, they can also distort public opinion and debate while stigmatizing and silencing the target of the false accusations.  
 

If you are a female journalist, there is an initiative “Female Journalists against violence”, which offers support and help rooted in the empathy, trust and mutual learning.

Reputation Tactic Journalists Pressure

Bad language, swearing and use of a disrespectful tone that degrade personal dignity, reputation and/or status in society. Pictures, videos, memes and gifs can also be utilised to inflict humiliation/shame. 

Criminal charges detailing the assault, and any evidence (hard copy) must be officially filed with the police, referencing the criminal offense - in this case art. 170 of the Criminal Code. Note that the entire procedure as well as identification of the perpetrator is the responsibility of the filing party, given the designation of this criminal charge as a private offence. 

ADVICE: try not to respond to the statements/acts of libel and humiliation, as these responses could ultimately be used against you in court. 

Also, thoroughly assess the situation before initiating a court procedure, to ensure a bad joke or harsh criticism is not being claimed as offence. If the court makes this determination, the outcome can be negative for the filing party. 

If the identity of the perpetrator is known to you, you have the option of claiming damages before a civil court, although police support cannot be relied upon in this type of proceeding. A civil case can be initiated via lawsuit, and if the court finds in your favor, it results in monetary settlement.

Assessment of risk is a useful way to evaluate a potential offence - when it happened, why and from whom? For example, if you post an article on a sensitive societal issue, this tool can help with risk management, to evaluate  which groups or individuals may react negatively. It is important not to internalize  or normalize these types of offences. 

Choose a response that will help you feel safe and decrease the possibility of further harm, document  (or ask family and friends to) all acts of libel/humiliation, and learn more about digital safety, mechanisms for semi-functional protection on social media platforms.

Digital evidence Report to platform Block user Reputation Tactic Criminal charges

Verbal assaults based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, or political and union affiliation or other identities or characteristics such as age or economic status can be described as hate speech.

Although there is no legally accepted definition of hate speech, the Criminal Code offers several mechanisms of protection. Under art. 317 (Instigating National, Racial and Religious Hatred and Intolerance) of the Criminal Code any and all speech negatively targeting people from certain backgrounds is prohibited. Art. 387 of the Criminal Code prohibts discrimination based, not only on race, but also on skin color, religous, national, or ethnic background, and personal characteristics and affiliations. 

This article also bans the publication of texts and material that propagates discrimiantion, conspiracy, and violence against individuals or groups belonging to these protected categories.  

Hate speech is also forbidden under the media law, and members of the media and media organizations can be penalized for hate speech in civil court proceedings. 

ADVICE: File charges and request the police and prosecutor initiate an investigation.

In addition to documentation , you can also report hate speech to the platform, as all explicitly forbid it in their terms of service. 

If hate speech is published online - on a website or media platform - you can request, via email or directly via the platform, removal of this content. 

Also, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality can initiate a civil legal procedure investigation into the content. Initiated via written request, the Commissioner has 90 days to investigate and take a decision to respond to posted hate speech. Responses can include an apology, publication of an opinion, or a cease and desist order related to the hate speech.

 

Report to platform Reputation Tactic Safety Criminal charges

As the result of structural power inequality, false accusations, even if proven untrue, have the potential to inflict serious and lasting reputational damage on the accused. 
 

This type of attack can also be considered a form of pressure on freedom of expression, and it is difficult to ensure protection in this case. 

In the case that a false accusation results in the endangerment of safety, protection under art. 138 of the Criminal Code is available. In this case, public prosecutors and police are mandated to follow up, investigate and responsible for protection. As the filing party, you are responsible for collecting evidence needed for filing the criminal charges. This charge provides stricter sanctions if the target is a (female) journalist.

ADVICE: Explain in detail how, why and when you feel unsafe, and detail your concern for the safety of your family and loved ones. These details could be the key to success when it comes to court proceedings.

For harm suffered in the form of damage to reputation and dignity, compensation may be claimed through civil legal proceedings initiated via a lawsuit. Before initiating this type of lawsuit, the identity of the perpetrator as well as evidence substantiating the claim of identity manipulation and resulting harm must be provided.

Document how false accusations have caused you harm. If accusations have been published online, request that the website or platform remove this information. 

If the amount of content posted becomes too much to collect, ask your friends, and family to help you document false accusations and report them to the websites or platforms. 

Publicly commenting on or calling out  accusations is another way to address the attack, but do a preliminary risk assessment to evaluate the potential for negative reactions and amplification of the false accusations. 

 

Damage Report to platform Reputation Tactic Support Media Criminal charges

Usually found on internet forums or reddit-style threads, flaming refers to the use of offensive language, swearing and other methods of provocation for the purpose of eliciting a response from or engagement with the target. The ultimate goal is to inflict humiliation, shame, and ruin the target’s credibility. 
 

There are a number of methods this type of  assault can be carried out, so several corresponding criminal acts could be considered as mechanisms for protection.

In the case of flaming that includes threats, in which art. 138 of the Criminal Code- Endangering safety could offer protection. In this case, public prosecutors and police are mandated to follow up, investigate and responsible for protection. As the filing party, you are responsible for collecting evidence needed for filing the criminal charges. This charge provides stricter sanctions if the target is a (female) journalist.

ADVICE: Explain in detail how, why and when you feel unsafe, and detail your concern for the safety of your family and loved ones. These details could be the key to success when it comes to court proceedings.

If flaming is offensive and disrespectful in nature, court proceedings can be initiated via private lawsuit, requiring the identity of the perpetrator.  

Flaming is often accompanied by a high volume of anonymous messages and comments, further complicating the process of pursuing legal protection.

Your physical safety is your highest priority! Make sure you are in a safe place.  Turn off the location tracking options on your devices, including Google Maps and other apps. 
In addition to documenting evidence , reach out to your family, friends and partners for support. If the flaming is connected to your work, talk to your colleagues and employer to come up with a response that works best for you. 
Flaming usually comes with a high volume of messaging and can be quite intense, so consider taking a break from the platforms or websites where the abuse is occuring. 

Reputation Tactic Support Journalists Media Criminal charges