Prominent women journalists face online harassment in Pakistan, NWDJR feels deeply concerned
The Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWDJR) has expressed 'deep concerns' over the ongoing attacks against prominent women journalist Meher Bokhari and others in online spaces by PML-N supporters.
On examining multiple platforms, NWJDR has found non-consensual use of images, non-consensual use of intimate images and doctored images, created through generative artificial intelligence and other AI tools, of Ms Bokhari being shared online with sexist, misogynistic and sexualised gendered attacks, reported Dawn News.
The women journalists have been targeted by supporters of political parties in the past as well.
There has been pervasive and persistent online harassment, sexualised and otherwise gendered disinformation faced by women journalists in Pakistan, with many being threatened with physical assault and offline violence, reported Dawn News.
NWJDR has witnessed multiple incidents of female journalists’ private information being leaked online with what NWJDR can say are well-planned and directed efforts to silence them and resulted in stalking and offline harassment, the newspaper reported.
NWJDR posted on X: "More than 60 journalists signed Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWDJR)'s statement condemning the use of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) and Generative AI to attack and silence women journalists."