Protecting Journalists Online: Global Strategies from IGF 202

December 19, 2024 – General –

At the Internet Governance Forum 2024 held in Riyadh, the safety of journalists in the digital landscape took center stage as experts across the globe highlighted the escalating threats posed by online harassment, surveillance, and censorship. The open forum “Safety of Journalists Online” underscored that journalists universally face similar dangers, with female reporters and individuals from marginalized communities bearing the brunt of gender-based abuse. Participants stressed the urgent need to expand legal protections—both by reinforcing existing regulations and crafting new frameworks—to hold online platforms accountable for facilitating harassment and hate speech. The conversations also emphasized the vital role of media organizations in offering psychological and legal support to journalists under attack, alongside broader education initiatives to enhance digital literacy and uphold ethical reporting standards.

Special attention was given to the widening scope of journalism, questioning whether citizen journalists and content creators should also benefit from protective mechanisms in today’s digital ecosystem. The panelists shone a spotlight on promising efforts, such as Switzerland’s National Action Plan, launched on International Press Freedom Day, which outlines targeted measures aimed at awareness raising, prevention, protection, and legal recourse. The Council of Europe’s campaign on journalist safety similarly emerged as a leading regional initiative striving for multi-stakeholder collaboration between governments, tech platforms, and civil society.

Prominent voices at the forum included Isabelle Lois from the Swiss Federal Office of Communications, who advocated for national action supported by clear legal directives, and Bruna Martins dos Santos from Brazil, who recounted how platform-driven hate campaigns disproportionately target investigative journalists. Also contributing was Gulalai Khan from Pakistan, who highlighted the need for stronger digital defenses amid political reporting, alongside Giulia Lucchese from the Council of Europe, who promoted accountability and coordination across borders. Collectively, the forum called for international cooperation to enforce legislation, bolster tech accountability, and support journalists with robust safety networks. The participants reaffirmed that safeguarding digital journalism is essential to preserving democratic discourse and preventing the silencing of diverse voices in the online sphere.

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Protecting journalists online with global solutions from IGF 2024