Trolling the News: Protecting Journalists From Online Harassment

The National Press Club Journalism Institute and PEN America teamed up to present an important discussion to help and empower writers, journalists and all those active online with practical tools and tactics to defend against hateful speech and trolling. Participants included: Soraya Chemaly, Women’s Media Center Wesley Lowery, The Washington Post Julia Ioffe, The Atlantic Jonathan Weisman, The New York Times Michelle Ferrier, founder Troll-Busters.com, associate professor, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University Suzanne Nossel, chief executive officer of PEN America - moderator PEN American launched its Online Harassment Field Manual, a first-of-its-kind resource not just for individual writers and journalists but also for the people and institutions that employ them. The Field Manual includes first-person stories and resources for improving cyber security, establishing supportive cyber communities, practicing self-care, and turning to law enforcement during episodes of online abuse, as well as recommendations for allies and witnesses on how they can support journalists and writers who are targets of hostility online.