Online violence against journalists is a global phenomenon. Recent studies have documented patterns suggesting that specific groups of journalists defined by gender, ethnicity, race, sexuality, and religion, are likely targets of digital harassment, doxing and other forms of violence. Violence is perpetrated by ordinary citizens, states, and para-state actors. This special issue focuses on mob censorship in digital spaces against journalists and the press. Mob censorship is understood as violence exercised by ordinary citizens against journalists with the intention to intimidate and silence the press. The study of mob censorship sheds light into the patterns, the causes, and the effects of violence against journalism and the right of expression of citizens in the digital society. As expression has become more abundant through digital platforms, so has violence against journalists and other actors with visible, prominent positions in the public sphere.
The aim of the special issue is to contribute novel empirical findings and theoretical and conceptual innovations in the study of digital violence against the press, as well as to provide recommendations for addressing the problem. We invite theoretical and empirical contributions from around the world that address questions in the areas of mob censorship, digital hate and journalism, anti-press violence, freedom of expression, and journalistic safety. Studies grounded in various theoretical frameworks and that use different research designs and methodologies are welcome. Comparative, cross-national perspectives might be particularly useful to comprehend causes and manifestations of mob censorship in different political regimes and information contexts.
