Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Osman Faruqi: the term "online bullying" & trolling are misnomers. Much of our lives and work - especially for journalists - is lived online. Suggestions that we just "ignore" trolls are not only unhelpful but do nothing to tackle this social issue #SydneyWritersFestival thread

Jennine Khalik: in simply doing her job- reporting on political conflict- she was targeted for coordinated doxxing, from lies about her religious & sexual behaviour (she is a Muslim woman), to death threats in her home and to her family. Khalik was forced to move interstate.

Ginger Gorman: trolling encompasses range of behaviours, from personal attacks to organising illegal activities, incl. terrorism (Christchurch attack one extreme). Having interviewed trolls, common theme among them- most White men- they say they're alienated, feel not listened to

Faruqi: there's a clear connection between mainstream media & trolling. He can go weeks or months without attacks, but moment Bolt, Jones & other White male personalities with large audiences write about his work, trolling towards Faruqi swells again. (Similar to Cronulla riots)

Faruqi: in past decade hate crime has skyrocketed in Australia, especially targeting Jewish & Muslim Australians. At the same time, Australian police forces have defunded expertise investigating hate crimes. We lack national resources to systematically collate & analyse patterns

Gorman: trolls use the technique they call "media fuckery" which is how they exploit media Gorman is Jewish-Australian, "I'm from a Holocaust background. Hate crimes don't start with murder. They start with hate speech." Trolls watch & leverage how media report racist acts

Faruqi: the institution of media in Australia is ripe for troll exploitation. It's almost exclusively staffed by White editors and journalists. They play into right wing agenda in the way they report on racism & the uncritical platform they provide White supremacists, incl Hanson

What have employers done to protect Khalik as a young Muslim woman journalist? None were proactive measures: The Australian sent her out with a bodyguard in 1 story. ABC provided 2 counseling sessions, which were unproductive as psychologist didn't understand Khalik's identity.*

Khalik: Proactive measures would mean making structural reform against racism, tackling online abuse systematically, and hiring more racial and religious minorities (and protecting them)

Cost of trolling: Faruqi: has spent thousands of dollars in therapy & made the decision to give up his Twitter, where he had thousands of followers. Gorman: trolling costs $3.7 billion just in time off work & medical costs for survivors. Not including security and other costs

Question from floor: What do panelists think of Egg Boy? Gorman: doesn't celebrate his actions. Trolls are sadists. They want to cause hurt. Can't solve violence with violence. Faruqi: Egg Boy said it best- he's overtaken media interest in the victims. This isn't helpful

Question from the floor: ideal online framework for behaviour/ education Gorman: the same rules that apply in everyday life should apply to online behaviour. Your free speech ends when you use hate speech

Khalik: trolls are angry that she is proud of her Palestinian refugee background. Why should she hide this in order to do her job and be safe?

Faruqi: sexist views, anti-Muslim views online aren't easily solved because they mirror society. We need better legislation to deal with online abuse, but this is just the symptom. Better education is only part of the answer. We need broader social change to deal with racism

*I read Khalik's comment about insufficient support from work- provided psychologist as related to race and/or religion. This is conjecture, but informed by research & experience Workplace wellbeing programs are staffed by White people from Christian or atheist backgrounds...

To summarise, an excellent panel. The point that "trolling" & online abuse are poorly defined was especially important. Panellists inadvertently demonstrated this at times when describing behaviours of social protest as "positive trolling" or right wing campaigns as "activism"

Many workplaces do not protect their employees from online abuse or do so unevenly. Interesting that Faruqi, a Pakistan-Australian Muslim man, felt the ABC did a good job protecting him, whereas Khalik, a Palestinian-Aus Muslim woman, did not feel same. They had the same employer